Anglesey wildlife

It really isn’t any wonder that over 220 square miles of Anglesey’s unspoilt coast and landscapes have been declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Whether you want tranquil green space interspersed with a carpet of colourful flowers, or the unrivalled beauty of towering cliffs, home to hundreds of nesting seabirds, Anglesey really does think of everyone!

Walk along the coast to marvel at mossy headlands, grassy dunes, bays and estuaries or head inland to discover lakes, marshes and woodland. And with nature reserves, country parks and special areas of interest right on your doorstep it is easy to see the wildlife literally buzzing around.

There are many fantastic places to experience nature, such as exploring Anglesey’s largest fen, Cors Erddreiniog, where amongst the lively reed beds you may find Fly Orchid, Carnivorous Sundew and a whole host of butterflies, moths and dragonflies.

Likewise, the Llyn Cefni Reservoir comes alive with the sounds of warblers, wren and the odd Kingfisher, while the dunes around Newborough Forest and Warren team with butterwort, dwarf adder’s tongue and shore dock, as well as some great crested newts and the odd medicinal leech.

The coastline has many sandy beaches, notably along its east coast between Beaumaris and Amlwch and west coast from Ynys Llanddwyn through Rhosneigr to the bays around Carmel Head. The north coast has sharp cliffs with small bays.  The Anglesey Coastal Path outlining the island is 124 miles (200 km) long and touches 20 towns and villages. 

Much of Anglesey is used for relatively intensive cattle and sheep farming, but several important wetland sites have protected status and the lakes all have significant ecological interest, including a wide range of aquatic and semi-aquatic bird species. In the west, the Malltreath Marshes are believed to support an occasional visiting bittern. 

Cors Bodeilio  is a nature reserve due to its unique mire (a wetland area without forest cover dominated by living, peat-forming plants). Mineral-rich water from the surrounding limestone drains into the wetland creating the perfect conditions for a whole host of rare plants, animals and wetland birds. Enjoy the sight and sound of wetland birds in the reed bed. There's always something to see or hear, no matter what time of year.

The sheer cliff faces at South Stack near Holyhead provide nesting sites for large numbers of auks, including puffins, razorbills and guillemots, along with choughs and peregrine falcons.

Puffins spend the majority of there lives at sea but as the weather begins to warm they head back to land for the breeding season. Puffins will dig burrows to lay there eggs in as apposed to a more traditional birds next. On Puffin Island (which you can visit on a boat trip although you cannot land on the Island) they are slightly different and tend to lay their eggs in cracks in the rocks on top!

Anglesey is home to a healthy population of Red Squirrels, with ongoing efforts to increase this population. One of the hotspots to see the Red Squirrels is in the forested area of Newborough on the south east coast of Anglesey. The second hotspot is on the north east coast in the woodland at Pentraeth. They also frequent the wooded areas on the banks of the Menai along the east coast. 

Penrhos Coastal Park is another good place to view Red Squirrels, there are many pathways to take through the wooded sections. Some of these have feeding stations that serve a dual purpose. Both birds and the Squirrels use the feeders making them easier to spot. They are also more used to visitors walking around here and so are less skittish, makes getting a few picture easier too.

If you take a boat trip, you may be fortunate to see a school of dolphins.  Often if you see seagulls or gannets circling and diving for fish, this is a strong sign that dolphins are nearby, as they are driving the fish to the surface. Hence the interest shown by the seabirds.  Dolphins love to "bow ride" - this is where they swim in parallel just in front of the boat.  Occasionally, they criss-cross either side of the boat's course and you may see them below the surface and then suddenly break the surface.

Adders are the UK’s only poisonous snake species, they are recognisable by their diamond patterned skin. The Anglesey habitat is perfect for them. Between October and March Adders hibernate, only emerging when the weather is warm enough. You can see them basking on rocks, the heat from the sun kick starts their metabolism. As they are cold blooded they need the sun to warm there blood, this heat allows them to hunt. Poisonous or not they are a shy species and will not usually attack humans. Bites tend to happen if they are stood on by accident. Care is needed with your dogs - they do get bitten occasionally due to their inquisitive nature. It’s not uncommon for this to happen if they come across a snake in the long grass. The adder's bite is defensive in nature and they will try to get away from perceived danger if they can.

Cemlyn Bay is a stunningly special location on the north west coast of Anglesey. The bay consists of a steep shingle beach stretching over 600 metres round with rocky outcrops to the right. Cemlyn Bay has a little bit for everyone, sea fishing, bird watching or just taking in the beautiful scenery.  The Cemlyn estate is owned by the National Trust and is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. It is also an area of special scientific interest and part of Angleseys heritage coast.  The bay is definitely a place to visit if you particularly enjoy watching various bird species. Plenty of native species are here year round with some migratory ones stopping over.

The Belgian Promenade is located in Menai bridge on the Anglesey shoreline between the two bridges. It was built by Belgian refugees in gratitude to the hospitality of the people of Menai bridge who provided accommodation during the First World War.

The refugees who arrived from Mechelen in Northern Belgium in October of 1914 were greeted by the Bishop of Bangor when they arrived at the Menai bridge railway station which was located on the Bangor side of the Menai Suspension bridge.