The Scares facts for kids
| Gaelic name | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Norse name | Unknown |
| OS grid reference | NX259332 |
| Coordinates | 54°39′50″N 4°42′36″W / 54.664°N 4.71°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Outlier |
| Area | <1 ha |
| Highest elevation | 21 metres (69 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabitable |
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The Scares or the Scare Rocks are a group of small, rocky islands. You can find them in Luce Bay, which is off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The biggest of these rocks is called Big Scare. There's also a smaller rock nearby to its west. About 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) to the northeast, you'll find three other small islands known as the Little Scares. Big Scare is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southwest of Port William. It's also about the same distance east of the Mull of Galloway.
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What are The Scares?
The Scares are tiny islands made of rock. They are too small and rocky for people to live on. They are part of a larger area called the Luce Bay and Sands SAC. This means the area is protected because of its special nature. The islands are rented out to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). This group works to protect birds and their homes.
Shipwrecks and History
These rocky islands have been a danger to ships over the years. The Annie Mclester was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It was wrecked on Big Scare sometime in the 1800s. We don't know the exact date.
Later, on January 27, 1849, a large ship named the Archibald was also wrecked. This ship was 400 tons and came from Memel. It crashed on the Little Scares. In September 1860, a small four-oared boat was found floating near Big Scare. It's thought that the boat's main ship was lost nearby, but there are no records of that event.
A Home for Birds
The Scares are known as a "bird reserve" that is hard to reach. This makes them a safe place for many birds to nest. More than 2,000 pairs of northern gannets come here to breed. Gannets are large white seabirds with black wingtips. Hundreds of guillemots also nest on the rocks. Guillemots are diving seabirds that look a bit like penguins. You can also find smaller numbers of shags and kittiwakes here. Shags are dark-colored seabirds, and kittiwakes are a type of gull.
Important Bird Species
- Northern Gannet: These are large, beautiful seabirds. They have bright white feathers and yellow heads. They dive into the sea to catch fish.
- Common Guillemot: These birds are dark brown and white. They are excellent swimmers and divers. They lay their eggs directly on the rocky ledges.
- European Shag: Shags are dark, slender birds. They have a crest of feathers on their heads when breeding. They also dive for fish.
- Black-legged Kittiwake: These are small gulls. They have black legs and a distinctive call that sounds like "kitti-wake."
Military Training Area
There is a military firing range in the sea around The Scares. This area is used by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for training. You might see brightly colored floating targets in the water. The southern edge of this training area is marked by buoys. These buoys are about 1.75 nautical miles (3.24 kilometers) southeast of The Scares.
