Loppa Island and Loppa County

.NO SK /FU R G O L F E

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Loppa island and Loppa county .

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Information sheet for the project «Bird tourism in central and eastern Finnmark», a project part of «The natural heritage as a value creator (M)»

oppa island has a rich and varied bird life. The bird cliffs with Razorbills, L Common Guillemots and Puffins are an experience in themselves, and Great Skuas attacking on the plateau are a rather frightening bonus. The Bluethroat thrives between the houses and in the boggy mountain birch forest, and the Kestrel hunts small rodents on the hill slopes. The Lesser Black- backed Gulls in various shades of grey nest at Marmorstuva. And outside we have the sea – the renowned Lopphavet. oppa island lies about 3 kilometres out to The best time to visit L sea, north-west of Loppa municipality on The best time to visit Loppa is in summer and the mainland, just north of the border between early autumn, from May to September. The the counties of Troms and Finnmark. Only one breeding season is over around the end of July for inhabitant remains on the island the whole year, most species, but the Puffin and Lesser Black- but in summer the population increases to more backed Gull remain for a few weeks. Both May than 30. The eastern parts of the island were and September are good months for migration once cultivated with grazing land and fields that can give many interesting observations. with a splendid flora. Loppasanden is a long sandy beach on the south of the island with Habitat and species to observe large sand dunes behind. The beach attracts The bird cliffs consist of green grassy slopes gulls and waders, and here one can see Dunlins, in the south, but further on are steep and Little Stints, Turnstones and other waders in inaccessible. The bedrock here is of shale, July-August. The area above the beach consists which provides good nesting sites for species of sand dunes and shore vegetation. which nest concealed. The Puffin nests in grassy slopes, rock crevices and screes with the greatest

www.bioforsk.no/fugleturisme Gull and Great Black-backed Gull are more numerous, and there are colonies of these at the north end of the island. The bird fauna up on the plateau is dominated by Arctic Skuas, Great Skuas, Common and Great Black-backed Gulls and one or two Whimbrel. In some years there are large colonies of Arctic Terns here, while in other years these are only to be found along the shoreline. Loppa was the first place in Norway where the Great Skua was proved to breed, and now more than 20 pairs breed annually. In good years about 100 pairs of Arctic Skuas breed. Several pairs of Rough-legged Buzzards and Kestrels nest on the bird cliffs in good rodent years. The White-tailed Eagle also breeds on the island, and with luck one may see Golden Eagle, Gyr Falcon and Peregrine hunting in the bird cliffs. The Cormorant breeds on Marholmen, an islet between Loppa and the mainland. The colony can be seen from Solberg, and can easily be seen as a white patch on the north side of the © Geir Systad islet. A Puffin with varied diet to its young. The Puffins In the cultivated landscape on the east Faktaarket er laget av Anders Faugstad Mæland catch young herring, sand eels, coalfish and various side there are species such as Grey-lag Goose, other species for their young, and can hold dozens of fish Common Eider, Redshank, Wheatear and simultaneously. Fieldfare. The Bluethroat is common, and even numbers from Sfingsodden to Storskardet. The exceeds the Sedge Warbler in the variation and Common Guillemot and Razorbill nest most intensity of its song. densely in the cliffs from Svarthellaren to More than 100 species have been seen on Storskardet. The bird cliffs end at Kobbekeila. Loppa island, many of these from further The Kittiwake colony that was once found in south such as Barn Swallow and Wren. In good Krykkjeberget at the north-west of the island is rodent years the Short-eared Owl hunts in the now deserted. The Puffin, Razorbill and Common Guillemot are characteristic species of the bird cliffs. It is estimated that about 3000 pairs of Puffins, 1000 pairs of Razorbills and 500 pairs of Guillemots nest on the island. The Storm Petrel and Leach’s Petrel have been recorded during the breeding season on Loppa, but we know very little about the populations of these. The Lesser Black-backed Gull is an important species on Loppa. Earlier the northern subspecies fuscus dominated here, but during the 1990’s the numbers of greyer birds increased, most © Geir Systad probably the subspecies intermedius. About The White-tailed Eagle is one of several species of birds of 50 pairs still nest on the island. The Herring prey that can be seen daily on Loppa.

www.bioforsk.no/fugleturisme fields. At Solberg the Black-tailed Godwit has been recorded, and the Spotted Redshank is a common visitor in late summer. Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Dunlin are common, and a number of other species can be seen during the latter part of summer. Loppa lies far out to sea, and should be a suitable place to see passing migrants. The Yellow-billed Diver can probably be seen when it migrates northwards in April-May. Arctic geese, shearwaters and skuas are other possibilities.

© Geir Systad © Geir Systad The geology is varied on Loppa. Here we have the view The Great Skua was found nesting on Loppa in 1975, the from Fjellavløysingen to the islet Loppakalven. first time in Norway.

www.bioforsk.no/fugleturisme Access ground, being of shale, is loose, and one must Loppa can be reached by passenger boat from be careful not to go too near the cliff edge. Øksfjord, or possibly from Hammerfest via Another fine trip is over Loppasanden from Øksfjord. The nearest airports are Hasvik, Solberg southwards to Fjellavløysingsodden. Hammerfest and Alta. Earlier it was possible to Between Solberg and Fjellavløysingsodden stop the Hurtigruta boat in the sound between there is an area with fine potholes ground out Loppa and the mainland, and be fetched by a by the sea. Further south one goes over an area small boat. of ancient beach terraces of pebbles. This is not Loppa island has a fine terrain for walking, the most bird-rich area, but one can see species with easy access. There is a road from the such as Twite, Rough-legged Buzzard and other passenger boat quay in Mevær south to Solberg species characteristic of the birch belt. On the and Loppasanden, and north to Yttervær. There way back one can go over Fjellavløysingen and is a path from Mevær to Solberg round Mønes. down to Rossmolvika. Species to see here are Walking trips can be many and varied, and here White-tailed Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard, a couple of possibilities are described. Ring Ouzel and Arctic Redpoll. In order to come up onto the plateau, one can go up from Meværbukta immediately north Further information of the point where the roads divide. One can The area from Rekskardet in the south to either walk along the edge of the bird cliffs Skagsodden in the north together with parts of from Sauhallen towards Pipersberget and the plateau form a nature reserve. It is forbidden beyond, or take the path between Stormyra and to set up a tent, camouflage hide or anything Marmorstuva. The ground is flat and walking is similar, but there are no restrictions regarding easy on the plateau, and one can go northwards access in the reserve, though one must be and then down by Yttervær, and then follow the careful to avoid unnecessary disturbance to the road back. The trip will be shorter by going down bird life. north of Krakelva and down to Krakodden. The This fact sheet is prepared by Geir Systad