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Bardsey is a National Nature Reserve which is nationally
and internationally important for wildlife. Its
rich nature includes birds, rare plants, lichens, grassland, heathland, and marine
wildlife. | |
Bardsey - a great wilderness location. |
Bardsey
Island sits off the tip of the Llyn Peninsular in North West Wales.
It
is one and a half miles in length and, at its widest point, a mere half a mile
wide. In the autumn Bardsey is best known for its migratory birds. Also
well known for its religious history, this tiny island was once the destination
for pilgrims of the Celtic Catholic Church. Twenty thousand 'saints' are
believed to be buried on the Island - three pilgrimages to Bardsey were said to
equal one to Rome.
The current Abbey ruins date from the 13th Century but,
after its dissolution, Bardsey was largely neglected until a farming and fishing
community was established in the mid-18th Century. As well as its religious
history, Bardsey has another claim to fame - its autumn migratory birds. Rugged
adventure The sea journey to Bardsey has always been treacherous,
with strong sea currents and notoriously changeable weather. This remote
outpost is not an easy place to get to, even today, and if the weather conditions
take a turn for the worse, once you're here, there is every possibility you could
be stranded for days. In 1953 a Bird Observatory was set up on Bardsey,
and one of its roles is to monitor the island's avian life. One Manx Shearwater
was ringed at Bardsey and re-captured years later - at 51, it was the oldest known
wild bird in the world! Bardsey is excellent for watching migrant birds
because it lies at the edge of the Irish Sea on a coastal migration route, and
provides a good stopping off point for tired birds who have been flying over water. As
a result it's one of the few places you can watch birds migrating en masse. Look
out for arrivals of Redwings and Blackbirds plus massive movements of Chaffinches,
Starlings and Skylarks. There's also a chance of seeing for uncommon visitors
from North America, Europe or Asia including Isabelline Shrike, Pallas' and Lanceolated
Warbler, Firecrest, and Common Yellowthroat. Beacon
of light  As
night approaches, the wildlife on the island comes to life in other ways.
Bardsey
Island lighthouse can make life rather confusing for migrating birds which use
the heavenly bodies of the night sky to navigate. On overcast nights, when
the moon is obscured, the birds can end up flying about the lighthouse, attracted
by its revolving beam. The bewildered birds believe that the light is the
moon, and can become exhausted. So the Observatory tries to help the birds
with a light of its own. A special floodlight means that the birds can see
the ground and fly down to rest - and it's also good for a spot of evening bird
watching! Many other creatures also get attracted in to the light so an
evening trip can turn up all sorts of species sitting about on the ground under
the light. Pupping seals There
are also other wildlife distractions on Bardsey. Autumn is undoubtedly the
best time of year for watching Grey Seals when they are pupping. There is
a distinct difference between the seals of the Irish Sea and those north of Bardsey
so a trip to the island is strongly recommended. | 
