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Calling all bird watchers to the Holy Island

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Birds Migrating

Lindisfarne, or the Holy Island as people often call it, has a national reputation as a wildlife haven, home to a wealth of rare bird breeds and a national nature reserve. Access is available just twice a day at low tides by means of a 3 mile long causeway, built in 1954. The island is within the Northumberland Coast, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and most parts of the island are protected by the National Nature Reserve to help safeguard the internationally important wintering bird population.

If you appreciate the great outdoors and have a penchant for birds then choose from a wealth of cottages to rent in Northumberland and get your binoculars packed. Species which the reserve is responsible for protecting include Pale bellied Brent Goose, a small goose, about 60 cm long with a short, stubby bill. The Wigeon, a dabbling duck, the Teal, Pintail, Dunlin and the Bar Tailed Godwit, a large wader in the family Scolopacidae, to name but a few.

Due to its location, the Holy Island makes a wonderful place for observing migrating birds arriving from the East, some of which include large numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare both part of the thrush family and the more sparser species like the Siberian birds including the Yellow Browed Warblers, one of the smallest “Old World warblers”, 9.5-10 cm long, its song is weak and high pitched and the call faintly disyllabic.

A total of 300 species of birds have been recorded on Holy Island and the reserve, with some of the rarest species included like Radde’s Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Red Flanked Bluetail, a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, The area therefore is not surprisingly popular with bird watchers coming far and wide each year to spot species and it is widely recognised as a place not to be missed on any bird watchers diary with Autumn and Winter the ideal time to go. Booking from one a host of Northumberland cottages as your retreat each night will provide you all the homely comforts you’ll need after a day of Autumnal weather and bird watching on the Holy Island.


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