St Bees Head RSPB Reserve at

St Bees Head St Bees Head is a headland on the North West coast of the English county of Cumbria and is named after the nearby village of St Bees. It is the only stretch of Heritage Coast on the English coastline between the Welsh and Scottish borders, an ...

, Cumbria, England, is a coastal site which provides a home for thousands of seabirds under the care of the

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

. The birds include kittiwakes, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills,

cormorant Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the IOC adopted a consensus taxonomy of seven ge ...

Atlantic puffin The Atlantic puffin ('), also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northeastern ...

s, shags and

herring gulls Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus ''Larus'', all formerly treated as a single species. Three species are still combined in some taxonomies: * American herring gull (''Larus smithsonianus'') - North America * European he ...

. It is the only breeding place in England for

black guillemot The black guillemot or tystie (''Cepphus grylle'') is a medium-sized seabird of the Alcidae family, native throughout northern Atlantic coasts and eastern North American coasts. It is resident in much of its range, but large populations from the ...

s. The rock pipit, which breeds on rocky coasts, is known to breed in only one other site in Cumbria. As well as the seabirds already mentioned, other birds which regularly breed at St Bees Head include the tawny owl, sparrowhawk, peregrine and the common raven. In partnership with Natural England, the National Trust and local government authorities, the RSPB has also been involved in a project to improve coastal habitats outside the reserve. One aim is to have suitable grassland to support the return of the chough.

Facilities

There are observation stations on the North Head footpath. The cliffs rise to 90 metres and visitors are advised to take care when approaching the edge.

Protection designations

St Bees Head is: * A Heritage Coast * A

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

(157.2402 ha), designated for biological and geological interest. The geographical limits to SSSI selection stop at mean low water spring tides, and essential areas for foraging seabirds cannot be protected through the existing SSSI mechanism. However, the sea off St Bees Head is part of the Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zone. The Marine Conservation Zone was designated in 2013. After concern was expressed that it did not do enough to protect the foraging grounds of seabirds, it was extended in 2019. The NWIFCA (North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) is working with Natural England and RSPB to call for a voluntary ban on the use of fishing nets around St Bees Headland.

References

External links

Official website
{{coord, 54.490688, -3.603500, display=title Nature reserves in Cumbria Birdwatching sites in England Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserves in England Seabird colonies St Bees