Visit Anglesey

Tag: rspb

  • Choughs

    Choughs

    Choughs are a member of the crow family, they are only found on the extreme Western and rocky coasts of the UK.

    Male and females are both similar in appearance, black bodied like crows with a red/brown/orange beak. Moreover their feet are oddly very different from the rest of the crow family of birds.

    Anglesey is one of the last bastions of Chough habitat that has breeding pairs of these now rare birds. They can be found year round on the cliffs around South Stack and areas local to it. They nest on the high cliffs in nooks and cranny’s on the cliff face, sometimes just inside small caves or even tall buildings at times.

    On occasion they will also form small flocks in winter when flying around the area. They can often be seen at times performing acrobatics as they are very nimble flyers. Great fun to watch.

    Ellins tower on the South Stack RSPB reserve is a great place to spot them from or at the various viewing points. Try walking down the stairs to the lighthouse as this also give great views of the birds, Puffins too April to July.

    Best place to view them is here, RSPB Visitor centre, Holyhead LL65 1YH

  • Puffins

    Puffins

    Puffins are one of life’s little treasure birds, absolutely stunning little animals and they nest on Anglesey too!

    Puffins spend the majority of there lives at sea, they are fantastic swimmers, this enables them to catch fish at depth (up to 70 metres). As the weather begins to warm they head back to land for the breeding season. Puffins will dig burrows to lay there eggs in as apposed to a more traditional birds next. On puffin Island they are slightly different and tend to lay their eggs in cracks in the rocks on top!

    a group of Puffins on a rock

    They are a beautiful birds with bright oranges legs / feet and equally as bright beak. They are often affectionatly refered to as sea parrots. You can see them bring back mouthfuls of sand eels to feed their chicks. The record for one bird was 70, which is huge given they are only small birds.

    The breeding season is from April to July, this is the only chance you will have to see them before they head out back to sea. South Stack is known as one the best places to see them in the UK to see Puffins. Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire and St. Kila in Scotland are also the best places to see them. The St.Kilda colony contains over quarter of the Puffins entire population in Europe.

    You can see the puffins here, RSPB Visitor centre, Holyhead LL65 1YH

  • Peregrine Falcon

    Peregrine Falcon

    Peregrine Falcons are just one of the special bird species that call Anglesey home. These fantastic birds are amazing in every way, bold, beautiful and have a special skill.

    The Peregrine Falcon is the king when it comes to speed, they are the fastest bird on the planet. Tucking their wings in they able to reach speeds of up to 240mph in a dive. 40mph faster than the second fastest bird on the speed list. It is also the largest Falcon in the UK reaching a wing span of 74cm – 120cm, which is quite a formidable size.

    These fabulous birds of prey call Anglesey home year round, they nest in high structures whether man made or natural. We were lucky enough to see one diving down past us on the Britannia Bridge during summer.

    A great place to try and spot one are the high sea cliffs of South Stack, an RSPB managed area. There is a Cafe, toilets and viewing area at the site too.

    Parking charges have been recently introduced at the site but they are fairly reasonable. Not only home to the Peregrine Falcon but also rare choughs call the area home. In the summer months you can also see Puffins nesting on South Stack cliffs.

  • South Stack Lighthouse

    South Stack Lighthouse

    South Stack lighthouse is based on the western edge of Holy Island, it takes its name from the cliff section it resides by “South Stack”.

    Built in 1809 by Trinity House (official lighthouse authority for England and Wales and currently operated remotely) to protect shipping from the rocks around the cliffs it has stood the test of time. That’s no mean feat given the often turbulent and stormy waters off the west coast of Wales.

    Today it is still in use as a lighthouse guiding ships across the coast of Anglesey, it is also run as a visitor attraction by South Stack Ynys Lawd Ltd under licence.

    The 400 hundred steps down to the bottom is easy enough if going steady but coming back up is a bit of a challenge! The very last section is very steep to access the crossing causeway. The views heading down are fantastic, thousand of birds nest here in the spring and summer. If you a lucky you may spot the Puffins that breed here each year, beautiful birds. Keep your eye out for Lizards too as they can be seen darting about at times.

    On arrival at the Island there is a attraction fee to be paid before entry. This gives you access to the paths on the Island and the Lighthouse itself. You can take a tour of the old engine rooms and finally make your way up to the top of the lighthouse. This elevated position lets you see 360 degress around the area, you will see just how many birds call this place home.

    Hiding to the right of the picture

    Parking is free on the RSPB car park where there is a large cafe, toilets and seating inside and out. The walk is a little strenuous so may not be for everyone, regardless there is lots to see with little effort so definitely give it a go. You will need plenty space for all your pictures!

    You can find South Stack at South Stack Holyhead LL65 1YH

    Further information on South Stack can be found at https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouse-visitor-centres/south-stack-lighthouse-visitor-centre

    The closest toilets are in the RSPB building by the main car park.