Ramsey Island
RSPB Nature Reserve
Detailed Bird Information
Breeding birds on Ramsey Island RSPB Reserve
Manx Shearwater Increasing. Estimate c.1000 pairs
Shag 40 breeding pairs (includes Bishops and Clerks)
Mallard Two or three pairs breed each season.
Buzzard Three territories, two pairs bred in 2001
Kestrel One pair raised 3 young in 2001.
Peregrine Two territories; 3 young fledged in 2001.
Oystercatcher 25-30 territories each season.
LapwingDeclining: 6 fledged from 10 territories in 2001.
Lesser Black-backed GullTotal 3-400 pairs most years.
Herring Gull Total 3-400 pairs including Bishops and Clerks.
Great Black-backed Gull Total 40 pairs including Bishops and Clerks
Kittiwake 393 nests in 2001 but not a single chick fledged.
Guillemot 3284 individuals counted in 2001
Razorbill 1783 individuals counted in 2001.
Puffin 25-30 occupied burrows most years.
Feral Pigeon 2-3 breeding pairs each season.
Little Owl Present in 2001 but no proof of breeding.
Skylark 11-13 territories in 2001 in heathy grassland.
Swallow 4 pairs in 2001, all in farm buildings.
Meadow Pipit Around 80 territories in heather and bracken areas.
Rock Pipit 30 - 35 territories around the coastline.
Pied Wagtail 2-4 breeding pairs.
Wren Numbers vary: 7 pairs in 2001.
Dunnock 3 territories in 2001.
Stonechat Numbers vary from 10-25 pairs: 10 pairs in 2001.
Wheatear 68 territories in 2001: highest density in Wales?
Blackbird 4 territories.
Whitethroat 6 breeding territories in 2001
Magpie 3 breeding pairs in 2001.
Chough 7 breeding pairs fledged 12 young in 2001.
Jackdaw 60-70 breeding pairs each season.
Carrion Crow 3 pairs in 2001.
Raven 1 pair bred in 2001, fledging 2 young.
Linnet 20-30 pairs breed.
Reed Bunting Two singing males and fledged young in 2001
Annual Migrants on Ramsey
Red-throated Diver March-April and Sept-Nov.
Great Northern Diver Apr-May and Oct-Nov.
Gannet Seen regularly offshore: 30,000 pairs on Grassholm.
Sooty Shearwater Occasional in autumn (September)
Mediterranean Shearwater Occasional August-October
Cormorant Singles may be seen in any month .
Little Egret Singles increasingly common autumn/winter
Grey Heron Young birds pass through from late June to October.
White-fronted Goose Small numbers possible in October.
Canada Goose Occasional (breeds in Pembrokeshire).
Common Scoter Flocks 5-50 possible in any month offshore.
Hen Harrier Singles on passage May, again October most years.
Marsh Harrier Less common than Hen H. but occasional in May.
Sparrowhawk Regular March-May and again September-October.
Goshawk Singles occasionally
Red Kite Increasing records: 9 sightings in 2001
Osprey Individuals on passage late April-early May.
Merlin Passage birds regular April-May and Aug-October.
Hobby Occurs every few years, usually in May.
Ringed Plover Passage birds in May and October.
Dotterel A few birds often alight here in September.
Golden Plover Regular migrant April-May and again Sept-October.
Knot Occasional flocks south in September
Little Stint Singles sometimes in August.
Dunlin Passage March-May, or July-September.
Snipe Small passage March-April, August-October.
Woodcock First arrivals in October, usually singletons.
Greenshank Singles occasionally in August
Bar-tailed Godwit Small numbers occasional with curlew flocks
Whimbrel Spring passage April-June, autumn July-September.
Curlew Birds in all months, flocks 60-100 Aug-October.
Common Sandpiper Passage April and again July to August.
Turnstone Autumn birds in small numbers from late August.
Pomarine Skua Small numbers possible from August on.
Arctic Skua Passage offshore from late August.
Bonxie Passage offshore from late August.
Little Gull Occasional in autumn/winter months
Black-headed Gull Summer passage swells from late May onwards.
Common Gull Singles in the Saund from October.
Black Tern Small numbers occasionally August-September
Sandwich Tern Passage from April l4th and again from August on.
Common/Arctic Tern Passage south from early August.
Woodpigeon Passage out to Ireland in September.
Collared Dove Small numbers possible in any month.
Turtle Dove Singles pass through in May, not every year.
Cuckoo Earliest record April 2lst.
Short-eared Owl Singles recorded in most years.
Swift Earliest record April 22nd, latest September 8th..
Great Spotted Woodpecker Rare vagrant; recorded in 2001
Wryneck Singles in recent years in August/September.
Hoopoe Often in May, one autumn record Sept 7th 1996.
Sand Martin Earliest record March 20th, latest October lOth.
House Martin Earliest March 25th; lastest October l6th.
Tree Pipit Singles April-May and Sept-October.
Yellow Wagtail Occasional April-May.
Grey Wagtail Annual migrant August-October.
White Wagtail A few annually in April and May.
Robin Winter resident: arrive August, gone by May.
Black Redstart Annual autumn arrivals from mid-October.
Redstart Singletons in May and October.
Fieldfare Winter visitor, much rarer than Redwing
Whinchat Spring migrant mostly, in April April and May.
Ring Ouzel Passage birds most years in May.
Fieldfare First winter arrivals in late October.
Song Thrush Singles possible in any month.
Redwing Autumn passage from mid-October onwards.
Mistle Thrush Singles June or October.
Sedge Warbler Spring migrant in April and May.
Blackcap Passage from mid-April to May and again September.
Chiffchaff Earliest March 21st; latest record November 1st.
Willow Warbler Earliest record April 3rd; latest October 11th.
Goldcrest Common migrant up to end April and from September.
Firecrest Singles most years August-October.
Spotted Flycatcher Spring passage April-June; again August to Sept.
Pied Flycatcher Spring records mostly in May.
Blue Tit Autumn passage most years October-November.
Great Tit Occasional spring; passage October 3rd-31st
Coal Tit Small influxes in some years (Sept/Oct)
Marsh Tit Very rare vagrant: recorded in 2001
Nuthatch Very unusual vagrant: 5 birds recorded in 2001
Starling Large juvenile flocks from late June onwards.
House Sparrow Singles in most years, but only for a day or so
Chaffinch Autumn passage from early October onwards.
Brambling A few with chaffinch flocks in early November.
Greenfinch A few in spring; most in autumn passage October.
Goldfinch Up to 2 in any month.
Siskin Small flocks on passage in October.
Redpoll Occasional in May and again in autumn.
Snow Bunting Small flocks from mid-October onwards.
Lapland Bunting Some years a noticeable passage in November.
In 2001, 130 different species were recorded on Ramsey, 37 of which bred.
How To Get Here
The Year On Ramsey
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