Unusually amongst birds, the males of this species are duller than the females, and the female takes the leading role in courtship. Their tameness is remarkable and it is quite possible to have one of these birds come within a couple of feet, offering great photographic opportunities. Other birds likely to be seen on and around the Loch are Red-throated Diver , Eider, Arctic Tern, Common Gull, and both Arctic and Great Skuas . Elsewhere on Fetlar, search the moors for breeding waders such as Whimbrel, a very rare breeding bird in Britain, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Curlew and Oystercatcher, all of which have to contend with the numerous skuas which breed on the island. Fetlar is reached via ferry from the Gutcher ferry terminal on Yell.
Booking is advisable as there are limited ferries operating between the islands.
Noss boasts one of the UK's finest seabird colonies. The cliffs below the Noup of Noss are almost 200 metres high and hold some 100,000 breeding seabirds. Puffins can also be seen, mainly along the top of the cliffs near the Noup of Noss, where they can be remarkably tame. The grassy slopes of the island hold Great Skuas and Arctic Skuas, which will dive-bomb unfortunate visitors who stray within their territories. The island is reached across a narrow sound from Bressay by an inflatable boat service operated by the island's wardens.