Loch Stiapabhat Local Nature Reserve

Loch Stiapabhat Local Nature Reserve

Local Wildlife - Summertime

The loch surface is covered with pondweeds & bordered by sedges, rushes & reeds. Mixed amongst these are bogbean, flag-iris, water mint & amphibious bistort. Monkey flower has colonised from gardens adding a blaze of orange. Dragonflies can be seen hawking insects over these swampy margins.

It is the only nesting site in Lewis of little grebes & moorhens and rare breeds include water rail and spotted crake. Arctic terns visit the loch to wash and catch sticklebacks.

The loch lies within the Ness & Barvas Special Protection Area created to protect corncrakes. The tall vegetation provides ideal habitat for them on return from their African wintering grounds. Between April and June, it is easy to hear the corncrake’s rasping ‘crex-crex’ call.

The loch is home to one of the largest colonies of black-headed gulls in the Outer Hebrides. Mink are commonly blamed for their reduced numbers.

In late summer the machair is festooned with flowers - birds-foot trefoil, eyebrights, red bartsia, marsh orchids and clovers. Watch out for bumblebee species, including the rare great-yellow bumblebee.