The Natural History of Orkney
This is the first survey of the islands' natural history, complete in one volume. Because Orkney is exceptional, it is vital reading for the serious naturalist, as well as for being a comprehensive and absorbing guide for every visitor. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.comOrkney is a very special place for naturalists. Closer to Oslo than to London, its geography and climate create quite distinct environmental conditions - even though it is only six miles from the Scottish mainland.On these islands of fierce gales, long summer days and long winter nights, the wildlife has adapted in intriguing ways… Starlings adapt to ground-nesting…local sheep eat seaweed…and there are voles exclusive to Orkney. Here is one of the very few areas where the rare and delicate Scottish Primrose thrives…where you find the British stronghold of the Hen Harrier, and vast colonies of seabirds and seals.This is the first - and long-needed - survey of the islands' natural history, complete in one volume. Because Orkney is exceptional, it is vital reading for the serious naturalist, as well as for being a comprehensive and absorbing guide for every visitor.In his tracing of the island's evolution from its geological creation to the effects of oil technology; in the detailed, yet fascinating exploration of the plants and animals (and where best to see them), Professor Berry's expertise and enthusiasm is backed by that of local specialists, and Orkney's long tradition of natural history study. Appendices include definitive lists of all the species of flora and fauna on record, and an extensive bibliography.
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The New Naturalist
The Natural History of
ORKNEY
R. J. Berry, D.SC., F.R.S.E.
With 20 colour photographs, and
over 100 photographs and diagrams in black and white
Contents
CHAPTER 1: Like Sleeping Whales
CHAPTER 2: Biological History
CHAPTER 3: Rocks
CHAPTER 4: Habitats and Vegetation
CHAPTER 5: Sea and Shore
CHAPTER 6: Otters, Seals and Whales
CHAPTER 7: Freshwater Habitats
CHAPTER 8: Terrestrial Animals
CHAPTER 9: Birds
CHAPTER 10: Orkney Man
CHAPTER 11: Orkney Naturalists
CHAPTER 12: Conservation, Development and the Future
Fairly soon after the New Naturalist on the Natural History of Shetland was published, Robert Macdonald, then Natural History Editor of Collins asked me if I would write a complementary volume about Orkney. My immediate reaction was to refuse; I knew much less about Orkney than Shetland, and to cover Shetland properly, the writing had been a joint effort between Laughton Johnston (at the time the Nature Conservancy Council Officer in Shetland) and myself, with chapters by outside experts on geology, vegetation, Fair Isle, and the effects of oil. However, having talked with a group of Orkney Field Club members, including some of those most knowledgeable about Orkney natural history, I changed my mind, for four reasons:
1. My own research interests had moved from Shetland to Orkney, and I was becoming more and more fascinated by the county.
2. There were authoritative booklets available on the birds and the flowering plants of Orkney, but no general account of the islandsâ biology. In 1975 the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) published the proceedings of a symposium on the Natural Environment of Orkney which contained much valuable information, but did not attempt to provide a complete coverage of Orkney natural history. There are some extremely good books on the history and geography of Orkney but they touch on natural history only in passing. There did not seem to be any single person likely to bring together the knowledge and understanding of Orkney natural history into one book, which, it was commonly agreed, was needed.
3. But the crucial factor, and the one that really made the book possible, was the cooperation of some of the best Orkney naturalists, who undertook to provide me with extended notes on subjects in which they were expert, and allow me to reword these in my own style. My name appears on the title page, but this book is truly a joint effort. There was a core which planned it from the start, and it is proper to acknowledge this. This group consisted of:
Miss Elaine R. Bullard, expert, even though amateur, plant ecologist and Orkney conservationist;
Dr Paul Heppleston, senior biology teacher at Kirkwall Grammar School, formerly with the Sea Mammal Research Unit of the Natural Environment Research Council; Mr David Lea, formerly Orkney representative of the RSPB, and now responsible for the local guide organization, Go Orkney; Mr Peter Reynolds, Assistant Regional Officer in Orkney for the NCC.
As well as their general involvement, Elaine Bullard was largely responsible for chapter 4 and part of chapter 10, Paul Heppleston for chapter 7, and Peter Reynolds for chapter 12.
Special thanks are due to Mr Eric Meek of Stenness, RSPB representative for Orkney, who has worked hard and long on both chapter 9 and the bird status list. His specialized knowledge of ornithological niceties has been invaluable.
In addition, other major help has come from Dr John Parnell of Queenâs University, Belfast (chapter 3, on geology); Dr Alan Jones of the University of Dundee, Director of the Orkney Marine Biology Unit at Scapa (chapter 5, on the sea shore); Dr Bernard McConnell and the late Bill Vaughan of the Sea Mammal Research Unit (seals); Dr P. G. H. Evans, University of Oxford (whales); Professor Charles Gimingham, University of Aberdeen (vegetation); Ian Lorimer of Orphir (Lepidoptera); Mrs Sheila Spence of Harray (land mammals); and Mr Eoin Ross, formerly librarian at Kirkwall Grammar School (chapter 11, on Orkney naturalists). Other people who have contributed or helped include Dr Ian Baugh (NCC, Edinburgh); Dr Bill Bourne (Aberdeen); Dr James Cadbury (RSPB); Dr Olaf Cuthbert (Evie); Professor George Dunnet (Aberdeen); Professor Derek Flinn (Liverpool); Paul Harding (Biological Records Centre, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology); Mrs Jenny Moore (British Museum (Natural History)); Peter Leith (Stenness); Vincent Lorimer (Orphir), Mrs Nora McMillan (Merseyside Museum); Dr Peter Maitland (ITE); Jim Walker (Kirkwall); Colin Welch (ITE), and Douglas Young (North of Scotland College of Agriculture). Dr Morton Boyd, Director (Scotland) of NCC until 1985 supported the whole project, and gave permission to quote freely from the NCCâs publication Natural Environment of Orkney (edited by Rawdon Goodier). I have quoted freely from many relevant publications throughout the book, and am grateful to the following for copyright permission: Mr G. Mackay Brown, Mrs M. Linklater, Orkney Islands Council, Mr R. P. Rendall, Social Science Research Council, and Cassell Ltd (publishers of Churchillâs
