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Off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde is the small and isolated island of Ailsa Craig. This conical rocky island lies about 16km west of Girvan and 20km south of the Isle of Arran and is cliff-bound and covered with rough grassland. | Off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde is the small and isolated island of Ailsa Craig. This conical rocky island lies about 16km west of Girvan and 20km south of the Isle of Arran and is cliff-bound and covered with rough grassland. | ||
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| + | As well as the 20-30,000 pairs of Gannet, other breeding seabirds include Common and Black Guillemot, Razorbill and small numbers of Puffin. In addition there are Fulmar and Shag and breeding gulls include Kittiwake, Herring and both Great and Lesser Blackbacks. Eider also breeds as well as wild-type Rock Dove, Rock Pipit, Wheatear and both Carrion and Hooded Crows. | ||
Common Phoca vitulina and Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus are commonly seen in surrounding seas and Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus has recently been eradicated from the island. Some of the more notable plants include Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum, Sea Campion Silene maritima, Thrift Armeria maritima and Navelwort Umbilicus rupestris. | Common Phoca vitulina and Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus are commonly seen in surrounding seas and Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus has recently been eradicated from the island. Some of the more notable plants include Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum, Sea Campion Silene maritima, Thrift Armeria maritima and Navelwort Umbilicus rupestris. | ||
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| + | Ailsa Craig can only be visited by boat and permission is required, see the Tourist Office in Girvan. | ||
==Birds== | ==Birds== | ||
{{BirdsSee|[[Northern Fulmar]], [[Northern Gannet]], [[Shag]], [[Common Eider]], [[Lesser Black-backed Gull]], [[Herring Gull]], [[Great Black-backed Gull]], [[Kittiwake]], [[Common Guillemot]], [[Razorbill]], [[Black Guillemot]], [[Atlantic Puffin]], [[Rock Dove]], [[Rock Pipit]], [[Northern Wheatear]], [[Carrion Crow]], [[Hooded Crow]]}} | {{BirdsSee|[[Northern Fulmar]], [[Northern Gannet]], [[Shag]], [[Common Eider]], [[Lesser Black-backed Gull]], [[Herring Gull]], [[Great Black-backed Gull]], [[Kittiwake]], [[Common Guillemot]], [[Razorbill]], [[Black Guillemot]], [[Atlantic Puffin]], [[Rock Dove]], [[Rock Pipit]], [[Northern Wheatear]], [[Carrion Crow]], [[Hooded Crow]]}} | ||
Revision as of 13:18, 25 April 2007
Ailsa Craig
Off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde is the small and isolated island of Ailsa Craig. This conical rocky island lies about 16km west of Girvan and 20km south of the Isle of Arran and is cliff-bound and covered with rough grassland.
As well as the 20-30,000 pairs of Gannet, other breeding seabirds include Common and Black Guillemot, Razorbill and small numbers of Puffin. In addition there are Fulmar and Shag and breeding gulls include Kittiwake, Herring and both Great and Lesser Blackbacks. Eider also breeds as well as wild-type Rock Dove, Rock Pipit, Wheatear and both Carrion and Hooded Crows. Common Phoca vitulina and Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus are commonly seen in surrounding seas and Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus has recently been eradicated from the island. Some of the more notable plants include Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum, Sea Campion Silene maritima, Thrift Armeria maritima and Navelwort Umbilicus rupestris.
Ailsa Craig can only be visited by boat and permission is required, see the Tourist Office in Girvan.
Birds
Birds you can see here include:
Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Shag, Common Eider, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Atlantic Puffin, Rock Dove, Rock Pipit, Northern Wheatear, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow
Content and images originally posted by Steve
