Look Wild: Seabirds of Pembrokeshire
-
Date posted: 23/05/2024
-
Time to read: 8 minutes
The nutrient rich waters off the Pembrokeshire Coast attract a wealth of wildlife to the sea, the shore, the cliffs and the sky above, making it one of the best places in Europe for marine wildlife.
You know that spring has arrived in Pembrokeshire when your senses are hit with the scents and sounds of thousands and thousands of sea birds, including Razorbills – our Pembrokeshire Coast National Park logo, guillemots, gannets, Manx shearwaters – and of course the clown of the sea – the puffin! Many have travelled thousands of miles to breed on narrow rock ledges around the coast and underground burrows on the offshore islands. Outbreaks of avian flu in recent years have had a devastating effect on seabird populations, especially northern gannets. Grassholm Island, once home to the fourth largest colony of northern gannets, has seen a drop in population from 34,491 nests in 2022 to 16,482 last year. It’s not all bad news though – Skomer Island is home to the world’s largest colony of Manx shearwaters, with over 300,000 birds and the puffin population on Skomer has increased to over 40,000 birds – bucking the trend for puffin numbers elsewhere and for seabirds in general.
Viewing Tips
The best time to see them is between May and July – their holiday in Pembrokeshire is not necessarily timed to coincide with yours! Seabirds are sensitive creatures and are best observed from a distance, both from land and sea. Move away if you observe head turning, head craning and wing flapping. Guillemots and razorbills incubate their eggs on their feet. If they are scared off the ledges and take flight, their egg will fall and be destroyed. Photo: Razorbill © PCNPA
Be aware of any access restrictions. Pembrokeshire is also renowned for its fantastic sea cliff climbing, with some of the best routes in the UK. There are agreed climbing restrictions in place between March and August to protect nesting and feeding sites for seabirds.
Visiting a western headland on a clear summer evening gives you the opportunity to witness thousands of Manx shearwaters gathering on the water and flying back to Skomer in the dusk. If you want to take photos to upload as observations for the LookWild project and you don’t have a big zoom on your camera, you can take a picture through your binoculars! Photo: Puffin © PCNPA
Fun Facts!
- Puffins can hold up to 100 sand eels in their mouths at once.
- Gannets are the largest seabird in the north Atlantic and can dive from 100 feet in the air at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
- The breeding territory of a guillemot is as small as the space it stands in.
- Fulmars scare off any unwanted visitors by vomiting a nasty smelly oil onto them.
If you’ve been inspired to get out into nature, you can share any photos or observations with us and get featured on our social or our newsletter! Send your observations to connect@nationalparks.uk
Join iNaturalist and start identifying nature near you today! LookWild is a brilliant citizen science project that helps contribute to our data and knowledge of wildlife and habitat health across the UK.
This blog was written by Rebecca Evansat Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Spooky season is in full force across our National Parks! 🎃
From eerie encounters to magical misty landscapes, our National Parks look wonderfully frightful.
Keep swiping for some spooky seasonal finds…
1. Pumpkin at the ready at Dartmoor National Park.
2. Visitors enjoying a frightfully fun Halloween Trail at Aysgarth Falls, Yorkshire Dales National Park. Photo by Stephen Garnett.
3. A watchful crow leading the way perched on a signpost at South Downs National Park. Photo by Colin Mitchell.
4. St Benet’s Abbey emerging from the atmospheric autumn mist at the Broads National Park.
5. A beaver caught in a mesmerising moment under the cover of darkness at Cairngorms National Park.
6. Devil’s Fingers (Clathrus archeri) reaching their eerie tendrils through the grass at New Forest National Park. Photo by Bryan Wilson.
7. Thirlwall Castle standing proudly beneath a spectacular, star-filled night sky at Northumberland National Park.
#NationalParks #Halloween #SpookySeason
Dartmoor National Park celebrates 75 years today, but its story holds more than 10,000 years of human history.
Some of its prehistoric remains date back to the Bronze Age, and the longest prehistoric stone row in the world can be found on Dartmoor.
Dartmoor truly is a place where thousands of years of history remain woven into the landscape. 💚
#Dartmoor #DartmoorNationalPark #NationalParksUK
You don`t have to wait for nightfall to experience the magic of darkness. ✨🌙
Now the nights are drawing in, “Dusking", a traditional Dutch twilight ritual, could teach us how to appreciate the darkening evenings.
As the golden hour fades into the blue hour, the landscape begins it quiet transformation. Colours soften, sounds change, and a hidden world starts to emerge. Bats take to the skies, moths begin their nightly journeys, and familiar places reveal a completely different character.
While the tradition of Dusking may have begun in the Netherlands and re-introduced in Amsterdam, shared experiences are spreading across Europe.
Places like @northyorkmoors are holding dusking events as part of their Dark Skies Festivals, inviting people to slow down and reconnect with nature together.
Have you ever tried Dusking? Tell us below 👇
📸
Danby Beacon, North York Moors National Park (Russell Burton)
Sutton Bank at sunset, North York Moors National Park (Oliver Sherratt)
Sutton Bank at dusk, North York Moors National Park (Steve Bell)
North York Moors National Park (Steve Bell)
The clocks go back on Sunday, which means more darkness. ⏰ ⭐
But darkness isn’t always a bad thing. Darker nights bring many benefits for our natural environment, supporting wildlife and helping nature thrive.
Stargazing beneath our dark skies also connects us to centuries of traditions and our enduring fascination with the stars. ✨
Our National Parks are home to some of the darkest skies in the UK. By protecting these special places, we can help preserve the dark skies that benefit both people and nature.
#DarkSkies #NationalParks #ClocksGoBack
👻 Strange sights and spooky stories await in the @Southdownsnp
From mist-shrouded woods and twisted trees to castles beneath the moon, the National Park is home to many eerie spots.
And across our 15 National Parks, there are tales that have endured for centuries, legends still passed down today, and histories with dark chapters.
📸
Ghost in South Downs - Luis Fernando Mancilla
Iping tree - Richard Murray
Harvest moon - Andrew Gambling Photography
Devil’s Dyke - Sam Moore
Stamner Park - Finn Curry
#SouthDowns #Halloween #NationalParks
🎉 Happy Exmoor Day, @exmoornp!
Today, Exmoor National Park celebrates years of connecting people with nature, wildlife and the great outdoors.
From England’s largest wild red deer herd and native ponies to Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve and dramatic landscapes, Exmoor is a place full of life, history and discovery.
Its landscapes, wildlife and historic villages bring people closer to nature and create opportunities to explore, connect and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.
Here’s to Exmoor – and many more adventures to come! 💚
#Exmoor #ExmoorNationalPark #NationalParksUK
Happy birthday @parc_eryri 🎂
From its towering peaks and sweeping valleys to its rich heritage, Eryri (Snowdonia) is a place that means so much to so many people.
It`s a landscape full of stories, shaped by generations of people and home to some of Wales` most treasured places, from the summit of Yr Wyddfa to the quieter corners.
Today, we`re celebrating everything that makes Eryri unique, from the people and traditions that give it its character to the ongoing work to protect its landscapes and wildlife.
Share your favourite memories of Eryri in the comments! 💬
📸Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia @cinqueportsphotography
#Eryri #EryriNationalPark #TheAnswerIsNationalParks
Autumn is a chance to give nature a helping hand. 🍂
From leaving fallen leaves to providing food for birds, small actions can make a big difference to the world around us.
Here are some of the ways to help nature this season.
#NatureRecovery #Autumn #NationalParks
