Skomer Island National Nature Reserve

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Overview

Skomer NNR is one of the most important seabird habitats in the country, and the sea surrounding the island is a Marine Nature Reserve, one of only two in the UK. About 60 per cent of the world’s population – around 150,000 pairs – of Manx shearwaters, nest on Skomer, Skokholm and Middleholm, returning every night to the numerous rabbit burrows. There are more than 6,000 breeding pairs of puffins on Skomer, and these can be seen especially around The Wick. Other seabird life includes guillemots, razorbills, cormorants, kittiwakes, storm petrels, shags, oystercatchers and greater black-backed gulls. Other birdlife includes kestrels, peregrine falcons, buzzards, little owls and short-eared owls. Smaller birds such as pied wagtail, reed bunting, dunnock, blackbird, whitethroat and wren are also found on the island and the silver song of the skylark can often be heard. Unique to Skomer is the Skomer vole, and grey seals bask near the Garland Stone. Out to sea you may catch a glimpse of a harbour porpoise, and insect life includes a population of glow-worms.

Location

Marloes

About the area

Wales meets the Atlantic Ocean in spectacular fashion at Pembrokeshire. Unlike the West Country, Pembrokeshire can offer the coast without the crowds, and quaint fishing villages without those huge coach parks.