Wildlife and bird watching in Wales
What wildlife can be seen in the sea off Wales?
There are two principal areas for watching marine wildlife in Wales, Cardigan Bay and the Pembrokeshire coast, particularly the Llyn Peninsula.
In summer, Minke and Pilot whales are most commonly seen with Fin and Killer whales (or Orca, actually a species of dolphin) more rare. Dolphins are present and can be seen all year round, and while Bottlenose dolphins are reasonably common, Risso’s and Atlantic white-sided are more unusual. It is thought that the resident population of dolphins in Cardigan Bay number 150-200. It is occasionally possible to see whales and dolphins from the shore, though luck is needed. Newquay pier and Lynas Point (Anglesey) probably provide your best chances. Harbour porpoises are probably the most common sighting, while Grey seals, Basking sharks and Sunfish are also seen.
Grey Seals may be seen on the coast at various places in Wales, such as Cardigan Island, Ynys Lochtyn, Cwm Tudu and New Quay.
There are two principal areas for watching marine wildlife in Wales, Cardigan Bay and the Pembrokeshire coast, particularly the Llyn Peninsula.
In summer, Minke and Pilot whales are most commonly seen with Fin and Killer whales (or Orca, actually a species of dolphin) more rare. Dolphins are present and can be seen all year round, and while Bottlenose dolphins are reasonably common, Risso’s and Atlantic white-sided are more unusual. It is thought that the resident population of dolphins in Cardigan Bay number 150-200. It is occasionally possible to see whales and dolphins from the shore, though luck is needed. Newquay pier and Lynas Point (Anglesey) probably provide your best chances. Harbour porpoises are probably the most common sighting, while Grey seals, Basking sharks and Sunfish are also seen.
Grey Seals may be seen on the coast at various places in Wales, such as Cardigan Island, Ynys Lochtyn, Cwm Tudu and New Quay.
Birds in Wales
The big news is that Ospreys are once again breeding in Wales, at Glaslyn. They first appeared in 2004, and though the nest was blown down in a storm, they bred successfully in 2005. Red Kites are another signature species, and are best seen at the now famous Gigrin farm where as many as several hundred Kites will appear at once (the worse the weather, the more kites appear, usually). Other key species include dippers (try RSPB Lake Vrynwy or Gilfach nature reserve), choughs, puffins, guillemots and razorbills (all on Ramsey Island and Skokholm Island), short eared owls and the world’s largest population of Manx shearwaters (Skomer Island), whimbrel and winged plovers (Snowdonia).
With a wide variety of rocky coastline, coastal marshes, a mountainous interior, upland heaths, numerous lakes and reservoirs and some large swathes of broad leaf and conifer forest, Wales attracts more than it’s fair share of bird species, around 420 different species have been recorded (compared with roughly 530 in England).
The big news is that Ospreys are once again breeding in Wales, at Glaslyn. They first appeared in 2004, and though the nest was blown down in a storm, they bred successfully in 2005. Red Kites are another signature species, and are best seen at the now famous Gigrin farm where as many as several hundred Kites will appear at once (the worse the weather, the more kites appear, usually). Other key species include dippers (try RSPB Lake Vrynwy or Gilfach nature reserve), choughs, puffins, guillemots and razorbills (all on Ramsey Island and Skokholm Island), short eared owls and the world’s largest population of Manx shearwaters (Skomer Island), whimbrel and winged plovers (Snowdonia).
With a wide variety of rocky coastline, coastal marshes, a mountainous interior, upland heaths, numerous lakes and reservoirs and some large swathes of broad leaf and conifer forest, Wales attracts more than it’s fair share of bird species, around 420 different species have been recorded (compared with roughly 530 in England).
Mammals in Wales
The biggest non-marine mammals in Wales are Red deer, one of five deer species found in Wales; Fallow, Roe, Sika and Muntjac deer are also found but deer numbers are not high and they are much less common than in England or Scotland. Polecats and Pine Martens still inhabit the forests of Snowdonia though are very rarely seen, and stoats, weasels, hares, rabbits, otters, badgers, foxes and hedgehogs are all present. Red squirrels can still be found if you know where to look; try the Clocaenog Forest (a good place for black grouse too) in North Wales, not far from Corwen.
13 species of bat have been recorded in Wales, including Greater and Lesser horseshoe bats.
Reptiles in Wales
Grass snakes, adders and common lizards (try Oxwich bay) are all present, though not often seen. There have been several succesful reintroductions of sand lizards into north and west Wales, click here for more information.
The biggest non-marine mammals in Wales are Red deer, one of five deer species found in Wales; Fallow, Roe, Sika and Muntjac deer are also found but deer numbers are not high and they are much less common than in England or Scotland. Polecats and Pine Martens still inhabit the forests of Snowdonia though are very rarely seen, and stoats, weasels, hares, rabbits, otters, badgers, foxes and hedgehogs are all present. Red squirrels can still be found if you know where to look; try the Clocaenog Forest (a good place for black grouse too) in North Wales, not far from Corwen.
13 species of bat have been recorded in Wales, including Greater and Lesser horseshoe bats.
Reptiles in Wales
Grass snakes, adders and common lizards (try Oxwich bay) are all present, though not often seen. There have been several succesful reintroductions of sand lizards into north and west Wales, click here for more information.
County by county
Recent Wales news
- Severn Barrage could bring floods, destroy wildlife and livelihoods
- Sea eagles - Let's have them all over the country - Your vote.
- Are Sea eagles coming back to Suffolk? Vote on what you think should happen
- Britain’s only resident orca pod – No breeding for 20 years
- Birds need your help to get through the cold snap
- Europe’s red kites down by 30-40%
- 13,400 species on RSPB reserves – Less than 3% are birds
- Northern bottlenose whales die in Scotland and Wales
- Osprey update - Final 2009.
- 400 rare lizards released into wild as part of ‘rescue operation’ for UK’s reptiles and amphibians
- 1200 + incidents of bird-crime reported in 2008 – Home office ignores
- UK conservationists call for shake up of wildlife policing
- Pine marten survey launched in UK
- Eight species reported in UK national whale and dolphin watch week
- Otters thriving in the UK - Now in every county
More Wales news
- Cuckoos in Wales bucking the trend and thriving
- Red kites - Kleptomaniacs of the skies?
- Peregrine persecution incidents increasing across the country
- Large numbers of Common & Bottlenose dolphins seen off Wales
- £20 million whale watching industry in Scotland threatened by Norwegian whaling?
- RSPB launches summer garden wildlife survey – Not just birds
- Satellite tagged Honey buzzard returning to UK.
- Tracking Manx Shearwaters on their 20,000 kilometres round trip
- Carmel National Nature Reserve wins £45,000 from public vote
- Oystercatchers dyed yellow to help tracking
- Severn Estuary tidal reef cheaper and more efficient than barrage
- Cliff top farm wins first prize for wildlife conservation
- Second Honey buzzard poised to cross the Sahara
- UK Red kite numbers reach record levels
- Satellite tracking honey buzzards from Wales to Africa
Are Sea eagles coming back to Suffolk? Vote on what you think should happenIn any debate about conservation, it is always important to discount 10% of the arguments at either end of the range, as some people will support all conservation, no matter what the cost or practicalities, and others would complain about spending 5 Euros to save the last elephant. Somewhere in the middle is a rational debate and, usually, the right answer.
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Britain’s only resident orca pod – No breeding for 20 yearsThe conservation status of the group is thought to be critical since no live calves have been sighted since research began almost two decades ago.
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Blue Marlin found on Welsh beach. Remarkably, just a few weeks after a Swordfish was found on a beach in South Wales, a Blue Marlin has washed up onto another Welsh beach.
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New species of ‘ghost’ slug discovered in WalesThe bizarre subterranean Ghost slug has been named Selenochlamys ysbryda by experts at National Museum Cardiff, Wales.
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Swordfish found on South Wales BeachA rare and endangered swordfish has been discovered dead on a South Wales beach.
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Articles about the wildlife of the UK
Articles about the wildife of the UK
The Gannets of Grassholm Island
Gannets have now colonised the island in huge numbers. Grassholm covers only 22 acres and there are at least 60,000 Gannets plus their chicks, as well as small colonies of Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Shags.
