East Sanday Coast | |
Location: | Orkney, Scotland |
Coordinates: | 59.2667°N -2.5167°W |
Area Km2: | 15.15 |
Area Ref: | [1] |
Established: | 1997 |
Governing Body: | Joint Nature Conservation Committee |
The East Sanday Coast is a protected wetland area on and around the island of Sanday, the third-largest of the Orkney islands off the north coast of Scotland. With a total protected area of 1,515 hectares, the 55 kilometre stretch of coast includes rocky and sandy sections, sand dunes, machair habitats, intertidal flats, and saltmarsh. It has been protected as a Ramsar Site since 1997.[1]
The area supports a large number of over-wintering waders and waterbirds, including internationally important populations of purple sandpiper and ruddy turnstone. It is also important for breeding populations of great black-backed gulls and common seals.[2]
As well as the East Sanday Coast being recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,[1] the whole of the island of Sanday has been designated a Special Area of Conservation.[3]