Pembrokeshire has a wide variety of year round and visiting sea birds including Razorbills, Guillemots, Puffins and Choughs
The Black Legged Kittiwake is a small species of gull which can be seen around the sea cliffs of Pembrokeshire between May and August during their breeding season. Unlike larger gulls, Kittiwakes spend their time at sea or on sea cliffs and don’t wander inshore to scavenge food. Pembrokeshire cliffs provide ideal nesting conditions for kittiwakes. Sheer rock faces offer narrow ledges where...
The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is one of the most recognisable seabirds in the North Atlantic, famous for its colourful bill and penguin-like stance. Often called the “clown of the sea” puffins are well adapted to life sea and only come ashore to breed. Adult Atlantic puffins typically stand about 25–30 cm tall. They are compact stocky birds, weighing between 300 and 500 grams...
Skomer Island lies just off the Pembrokeshire coast and is one of Britain’s most important wildlife havens. The island covers around 300 hectares, and supports an extraordinary concentration of birds, mammals, and plant life. Protected as a National Nature Reserve, Skomer offers a rare opportunity to experience wildlife at close close up. The island is best known for its seabirds. Each spring...
The dramatic coastline around St Davids is home to a thriving seabird population, including large colonies of Guillemots. These seabirds, known for their sleek black-and-white plumage and long delicate bills. They are seen on the sea cliffs around Pembrokeshire. Particularly around the nearby Ramsey Island and Skomer Island. The rugged cliffs and remote ledges, provide the perfect breeding...
The Chough is a member of the crow family. It glossy black plumage like many other crows but is easily identified with its bright red beak and legs. They are similarly sized to a common crow at around 40 centimetres long with a wingspan of around 80 centimetres. Choughs make a distinctive two-part screech and are found nesting on sea cliffs. They eat small insects, berries and some grains...
There have been records of Ravens on Ramsey Island as far back as the time of the Vikings. The name Ramsey is said to be derived from a description of the Raven, Raven's Water. The birds and the island have a long intertwined history. The Raven is a part of the corvid or crow family and is the largest of this family. They weigh up to one and half kilos and have a wingspan of over one meter. They...
The Peregrine Falcon is one of the rarest birds of prey in Britain and we are lucky to have a handful of breeding pairs in Pembrokeshire. Peregrine's like tall cliff and tall buildings so the sea cliffs of Ramsey Island make an excellent place for nesting. Numbers fell dangerously low during the 60's and 70's as a result of pesticides present in the food chain. Luckily with restrictions on...
Razorbills are seasonal visitors Ramsey Island coming ashore to breed while spending the majority of their lives at sea. Part of the auk family along with Puffins and Guillemots the Razorbill and closely related to the now extinct Great Auk they have a strong beak and stocky body. The Razorbill is around 40cm long and weighs just over half a kilo, birds generally live for between 10 and 15...
Ramsey Island lies just off the coast of the St Davids headland in view of Whitesands beach. It’s surrounded by a network of smaller islands and islets. These including Bancyn-ffald Carreg-trai and the Bishops and Clerks group. The island is an RSPB bird reserve with the perfect habitat for breeding Choughs. Peregrine Falcons are also numerous on Ramsey with its 300 ft plus sea cliffs. Other...
