Holy Island
The Holy Island and the surrounding Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve has long been a favourite destination for birders. During the time in which I have been visiting, numbers of tourists have risen enormously. The small car park near the village was easily sufficient to accommodate visitors just twenty years ago, but now a huge field to the east of the village has been given over to handle ever-growing numbers.
Where to go birding on Holy Island
At least 90% of tourists stick to a well-trodden path between the village, the priory and the castle, so getting away from the crowds can be surprisingly easy. My regular walk there has always been the square route, walking out along the Crooked Lonnen to the north shore of the island, then east to the white pyramid triangulation point at Emmanuel Head. After a bit of seawatching, I then walk south around a bay, through the dunes, and return to the village via the Straight Lonnen.
This walk takes in a range of habitats and it should be possible to accumulate a very respectable species total. Any of the many hedges can harbour migrants, while the open fields attract hunting Merlins and Short-eared Owls. The Lough and surrounding reedbeds are also worth checking.
Holy Island Heugh is the rocky ridge to the south of the priory, which provides a great place to scan for grebes and divers during the winter. At the east end of the Heugh, the small bay at the harbour is worth checking for commoner waders and Brent Geese.
Other hotspots on the island include the 'Excavations', remains of an Anglo-Saxon settlement around halfway along the island's four-mile long north shore. The bushes around Snook House, which is among the dunes just north of the causeway, are a great place to search for migrants. Birding can begin on the causeway, where large numbers of waders can be seen in winter and Little Terns often fish by the small bridge in summer.
Special birds of Holy Island
The mudflats south of the causeway are home to mainland Britain's only flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese. The entire breeding population from the Arctic island of Spitsbergen can be found here in winter, but more often, the birds are divided between this location and a site across the North Sea in Denmark. Dark-bellied Brents also occur in increasing numbers, and both forms can sometimes be seen together in the harbour during winter.
The numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders can be impressive, with good numbers of Knot in particular. The reserve is the best place in Northumberland to see Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers. The wintering waders attract predators, with a few Merlins and Peregrines taking up residence each year.
Migration times offer the chance to find something truly rare, and in recent years, Holy Island has served up some real treats. An Asian Desert Warbler set up home near Snook House in spring 2020, while two birds from the unique influx of Siberian Accentors were seen near the excavations in 2016. Regular scarce birds include Barred and Greenish Warblers, and increasing numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers and the once-fabled Red-flanked Bluetails reflect wider population trends.
When to visit Holy Island
Being time-aware is critical for any visit to the island, as the causeway is covered for several hours either side of high tide. Despite ample information on tide times, cars still often get caught out, and watching stragglers trying to avoid being stranded provides good entertainment. There is no better place to be than Holy Island on a cold, clear winter's day, with views north to Scotland, south to Bamburgh and the Farnes and west to the snow-capped Cheviot. Birding is always rewarding at this time, but migration times provide real opportunities for rarities. Planning a visit a few days in advance is advised, keeping an eye on weather charts and hoping for an easterly airflow that will bring in migrants any time between August and late October.
Getting there
While some hardy pilgrims walk to the island guided by a line of posts, the vast majority visit by car. The island is just off the A1, with a well-marked turn-off near Beal in north Northumberland.
Nearby
Holy Island is part of the Lindisfarne NNR, and several parts of the reserve can provide productive birding. Ross Back Sands is a remote but stunning beach, with divers and grebes in good numbers offshore. Budle Bay can easily be scanned from the road to Bamburgh at Waren Mill. Slightly further afield are Bamburgh, the Farne Islands and several good sites along the Northumberland coast. St Abbs Head offers more seabird-watching north of the border.