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Overview
Rathlin Island lies just off the coast of Co Antrim across Rathlin Sound and the RSPB own a stretch of cliffs on the northern coast with dramatic cliffs and important numbers of seabirds, particularly Common Guillemot.
This island, shaped like an inverted "L", is roughly 7km from east to west and 5km from north to south. As well as cliffs there are moors and grassland and several small lakes. About 200 bird species have been recorded here.
Birds
Notable Species
Breeding species include Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater and Shag, Razorbill, Common Guillemot and Black Guillemot and Atlantic Puffin.
In addition to seabirds the cliffs have breeding Peregrine Falcon and Common Buzzard, Rock Dove, Rock Pipit and Northern Raven. Red-billed Chough can still be seen but no longer breeds.
There are also of six species as well as Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover on shingle and Northern Lapwing and Common Snipe on wet grassland. Offshore, Northern Gannet is regularly seen, skuas, petrels and Sooty Shearwater also frequently pass by and seaduck including scoters can be seen during the boat-trip across the turbulent sound.
Away from the cliff faces the moors and grassland have Meadow Pipit, Eurasian Skylark and Northern Wheatear and the small lough on the western part of the island has Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Eurasian Coot. Linnet, Stonechat and Whinchat also nest on the island and sometimes Twite.
A large area of the western tip is protected as the Kebble National Nature Reserve. Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle are occasionally seen from Rathlin Island.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Little Grebe, Northern Fulmar, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Common Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Atlantic Puffin, Rock Dove, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, Red-billed Chough, Hooded Crow, Northern Raven, Eurasian Linnet, Twite, Reed Bunting
Other Wildlife
Mountain Hare Lepus timidus and Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus are common on the island and the is a recently introduced population of feral Ferret that could be catastrophic to the seabird colonies.
There is much of botanical with interest with several orchid species. Common Spotted Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Heath Spotted Dactylorhiza maculata, Early Purple Orchis mascula, Fragrant Gymnadenia conopsea and Lesser Butterfly Orchids Platanthera bifolia can be found around the lough and the island also has Spring Squill Scilla verna and the very rare Limestone Bugle.
Site Information
History and Use
To do
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
The island is reached by boat service from Ballycastle, boats sail daily in the summer although advance booking is probably advisable. Boats do not sail if the weather is too severe and out of season it may be necessary to charter a boat.
There is a range of accommodation on the island including a guest house and an activity centre, caravans are available and camping is permitted.
Boat-trips to see the seabirds can be arranged and bus tours of the island are available.
Contact Details
To do
External Links
- Antrim.net, Rathlin Island
- Discover Northern Ireland, Rathlin Island
- Ferry Timetable
- Discover Ireland, Kebble National Nature Reserve
Content and images originally posted by Steve
