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Star species

Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.

Fulmar

Fulmars are members of the albatross family and glide on air currents in a similar way. Watch for their trademark stiff-winged flight around the cliffs.

Fulmar (illustration)

Guillemot

Guillemots look ungainly when they shuffle around on their nesting ledges on the cliffs, but underwater their streamlined shape comes into its own and they become agile and manoeuvrable.

Guillemot (illustration)

Herring gull

These are the archetypal 'seagulls' that you hear in coastal resorts. At St Bees, they nest around the cliffs and look for other seabirds to rob of their food.

Herring gull (illustration)

Kittiwake

Visit St Bees in spring and early summer and your ears will be filled with the unmistakable 'kitti-wake' calls of this dainty gull. Look along the cliffs to see them packed onto their tiny nesting ledges.

Kittiwakes (illustration)

Razorbill

Very similar to guillemots, razorbills spend most of their lives at sea in the Atlantic, only coming to land to breed between March and July.

Razorbill (artwork)

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Where is it?

  • Lat/lng: 54.49083,-3.60864
  • Grid reference: NX959118
  • Nearest town: Whitehaven, Cumbria
  • County: Cumbria
  • Country: England

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Note: Some reserves are not served directly by public transport and, in these cases, a nearby destination (from which you may need to walk or take a taxi or ferry) may be offered.