Commissioned Report 252 - Scottish Natural Heritage

irds are disturbed and waders fly east to Alturlie or west to the Longman, whilst
duck drift out to sea. Wader numbers have declined here in recent years.
At the east, or Alturlie end, of the bay there are three further roosts. Table 51 shows
that there have been few changes in overall numbers in recent years, bar a decline in
bar-tailed godwit and common redshank and an increase in dunlin. This hides
variations between roosts.
Table 51. Changes in wildfowl and wader numbers at Alturlie, Inverness.
WN T. MA PT OC RP L. DN BA CU RK TT
Pre 1995 7 6 4 1 4 1 4 3 2 4 5 1
Post 1994 7 6 4 1 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1
A mixed wader duck roost (Table 50) is found on the gravel beach at Milton of
Culloden at NH70661 46955 (site F on Fig 33). This area is relatively undisturbed as
a field separates the shore from the road. Numbers have increased here in recent
years, probably due to increased usage by birds displaced from roosts E and G.
Figure 33. Roosts on the east side of Longman Bay.
Based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of
the controller of HMSO © Crown copyright (1996) Licence no. 100017908
There has always been a major roost the Alturlie sewage works at NH71006 47339
(G on Fig 33). Access is not easy here, so disturbance was originally relatively
infrequent. The building of the new sewage works from November 1997 till
November 1999 created more disturbance and the roost has not been used as
regularly since, particularly by Eurasian oystercatcher. Common redshank and
Eurasian curlew, attempting to roost at site G, are often disturbed to site F, by
walkers from Milton. Eurasian oystercatcher and northern lapwing now often try to
roost on the gravel road below the minor road leading to Alturlie Point, particularly
round the small salting at NH71417 47997 (site H on Fig 33). Disturbance from
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H
F
E
G