Loch of Spiggie

Lochs Spiggie and Brow are a sweeping stretch of water surrounded by rolling greenery – all just a stone’s throw from the sea. This reserve is an ideal retreat for wildlife, including a whole host of Shetland birds. There's something to see all year round at Loch Spiggie – in spring and summer Arctic Terns, Great Skuas, Tufted Ducks and Mallards gather on the loch, while waders feed and nest on the marshes. In autumn and winter, it’s wildfowl season, as vast flocks of Whooper Swans, Teal and Wigeons join us for the colder months.

The Loch of Spiggie was once a voe, or sea inlet, until it was cut off from the sea when sand dunes formed. Now, the lochs of Spiggie and Brow are two of the largest, naturally nutrient-rich lochs in Shetland. As well as supporting a wealth of wildlife including Whooper Swans, this botanically-rich area is home to three nationally-rare plants including Slender-leaved Pond Weed. The two small adjacent marshes and wider farmland provide breeding areas for waders such as Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe, Oystercatcher and Redshanks in spring and summer.

RSPB Scotland manages the reserve to protect these special features and to provide homes for important numbers of breeding waders.