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| Welcome to the Isle of
Man |
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Presented in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and
Leisure
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Introduction to
Birdwatching
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For the birdwatcher the
Isle of Man offers a rich assortment of species, several of which are
rarities in other parts of the British Isles, in a variety of habitats of
exceptional beauty.
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The Island is about 31miles/50 km in length and 12 miles/20 km
at its broadest point and occupies a central position in the northern part of
the Irish Sea.
It is dominated by two ranges of hills, clad in heather or
grass moorland which rise to 2034 ft/621 m. at Snaefell in the north and to
1585 ft/483 m. at South Barrule. There are flat, but ornithologically valuable
lowlands in the north (which include the Ayres and Ballaugh Curragh) and the
south-east with the Langness peninsula.
The coastline is mostly
composed of slate cliffs, interrupted here and there by sandy bays and tiny
shingle coves. In the north there are sand dunes which separate the lowland
heath of the Ayres from the sea, while across
the narrow Sound off the south-west point of the main is a hilly islet, the
Calf of Man, site of an important Bird Observatory administered by
Manx National Heritage (MNH). Well-marked long distance footpaths
explore almost the entire coast, providing frequent opportunities of seeing
such Manx specialities as Peregrine, Chough and Raven. Fulmar and Shag are
widely distributed but there are only four Cormorant colonies.
An
Oystercatcher |
Turnstones
- Derby Castle |
A few of the more spectacular cliffs have Kittiwake and
Guillemot colonies, while there is a good scatter of places where Black
Guillemots nest.
Stonechats are common on the gorse and bramble
scrub which is such a typical feature of the steep coastal brooghs -a Gaelic
word for the grassy slopes which lead down to the sea.
Except for
the height of the summer, parties of Purple Sandpiper can be found at several
well-established sites on the rocky coast. Little Tern, with as many as seventy
pairs in some years, are the most important breeding birds of the Ayres
shore.
The Millennium
Way takes the walker from Sky Hill near Ramsey 27 miles/42 km. over the
hills and through farmland to Castletown. This is Raven country, with the
possible chance of Merlin; but the bird of the Manx hills is now the Hen
Harrier, which first nested in 1977 in the failed plantation of Glen Rushen.
There has since been a rapid expansion throughout all appropriate habitats. By
1990 more than forty pairs were nesting and the largest roost in Western Europe
had been established at Ballaugh Curraghs, with smaller numbers at Stoney
Mountain.
Dunlin |
Along the fast flowing streams Grey Wagtails are common, but
surprisingly the Dipper is almost unknown and while Common Sandpipers are seen
regularly on passage, they have rarely bred. Many of these streams pass through
wooded glens where Chiffchaff, the increasingly successful Blackcap and
Treecreeper are the typical birds - Silverdale, Port Soderick and Laxey Glens
are best for birds while Ballaglass, Tholt-y - Will, Glen Helen and Glen Maye
have the finest scenery. The steep wooded slopes overlooking the northern plain
have breeding Sparrowhawks and Woodcock and here there is always the chance of
a Wood Warbler in May.
Much of the moorland has been turned over
to conifer plantations. Some have been established for more than 100 years and
have ornithologically attractive clearings and areas of failed plantation.
During the last decade Siskin, and more recently Crossbill, have begun to
colonise the coniferous plantations, while the smaller plantations and shelter
belts frequently support a pair of Long-eared Owls (as in Ireland, the
commonest owl) and the very young plantations may attract Short-eared
Owls.
Of the several reservoirs, Kerrowdhoo holds a variety of
wildfowl in winter as do the two smaller Foxdale dams - Eairy and Kionslieu. In
the north, the tiny Glascoe Dub and nearby Ballacorey are always worth a
look.
Curragh or willow carr is one of the most important habitats, the
prime example being Ballaugh Curragh, a considerable expanse of marshland
supporting a rich growth of willow and birch, together with Bog Myrtle.
Renowned for its great Hen Harrier roost, it has a fine variety of birdlife at
all seasons. The less extensive Greeba Curragh, stretching eastward from St.
John's, is easily reached by the old railway track from which roving Woodcock
can invariably be seen on spring evenings. |
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