Isle of Man bird observatory
Calf of Man Bird Observatory
180 bird species recorded; the most from September to October.
Tee Cee from Cheshire, UK · CC BY 2.0
This month here
47 species in January.39 species in February.96 species in March.117 species in April.125 species in May.108 species in June.108 species in July.128 species in August.146 species in September.136 species in October.100 species in November.40 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
NT
NT
NT
NT
VU
NT
NT
NT
NTNT
NTNT
NT
VUNT
NTNT
NTNT
NT
NT
NTNT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
180 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 180Speciesrecorded more than once
- 98Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 7ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 52,580Recordsopen records within 2 km
- 63 mAltitudeabove the sea
- 10Raptors
- 2Owls
- 22Waders
- 31Gulls & seabirds
- 17Ducks & geese
- 4Herons, ibises & grebes
- 78Songbirds
- 16Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 180 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors10 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Red KiteMilvus milvus
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
Owls2 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
Waders22 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- RedshankTringa totanus
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Eurasian DotterelCharadrius morinellus
- RuffCalidris pugnax
Gulls & seabirds31 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- FulmarFulmarus glacialis
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Common MurreUria aalge
- Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactylaVU
- Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinus
- Black GuillemotCepphus grylle
- Great skuaStercorarius skua
- Atlantic PuffinFratercula arcticaVU
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common GullLarus canus
- European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Sooty shearwaterPuffinus griseus
- Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
- Leach's Storm PetrelOceanodroma leucorhoaVU
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Sabine's GullXema sabini
- Long-tailed SkuaStercorarius longicaudus
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Balearic shearwaterPuffinus mauretanicusCR
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Great shearwaterPuffinus gravis
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
Ducks & geese17 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
Herons, ibises & grebes4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Songbirds78 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- European Rock PipitAnthus petrosus
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Great titParus major
- Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Common Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
- Common crossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus
- TwiteLinaria flavirostris
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus
- Common FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Barred WarblerSylvia nisoria
- Red-headed BuntingEmberiza bruniceps
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurus
- Western Subalpine WarblerCurruca iberiae
- Red-eyed VireoVireo olivaceus
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
- Eastern Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus orientalis
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Richard's PipitAnthus richardi
Other birds16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- European SwiftApus apus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from September to October.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan9°/7°104 mm
- Feb8°/6°82 mm
- Mar8°/6°77 mm
- Apr9°/8°60 mm
- May11°/10°62 mm
- Jun14°/12°71 mm
- Jul15°/14°71 mm
- Aug16°/14°88 mm
- Sep15°/14°83 mm
- Oct14°/12°115 mm
- Nov12°/10°119 mm
- Dec10°/8°116 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Calf of Man Bird Observatory.
Bird observatory in the British Isles
Calf of Man Bird Observatory is a bird observatory in Isle of Man.
180 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 52,580 open records.
The most recorded are the Great Black-backed Gull, the European Herring Gull and the Hooded Crow.
67 species come for the summer, 27 for the winter and 4 only pass through.
7 are threatened worldwide, including Black-legged kittiwake, Atlantic Puffin and European Turtle Dove.
The most species are recorded from September to October.
Get there and watch
- Official informationAccess, hours and rules from those who manage the place.Official site↗
- Glendown Farm Camping and Glampingcampsite · 5.2 km · 1 within 10 km
- The Bay Hotelplace to stay · 4.9 km · 24 within 10 km
- Port Saint Marynearest town · 5.5 km in a straight line
- Isle of Man Airport (IOM)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 13 km in a straight lineCar hire at BHD airport (Belfast)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1bird hides within 6 km
- 1marked trails within 4 kmRaad Ny Foillan
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmRushen Heritage Centre
- 2viewpoints within 5 kmCalf Sound
- 2car parks within 3 km
- 1restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 kmGlendown Farm Camping and Glamping
- 24places to stay within 10 kmThe Bay Hotel, Windways, The Falcons Nest Hotel and 21 more
- observation towers within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Calf of Man Bird Observatory.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas9 mountains within 25 kmMull Hill169 m · 3.7 kmBradda Hill233 m · 6.5 kmCronk ny Arrey Laa439 m · 11 kmHango Hill · 12 kmSouth Barrule483 m · 14 km↗Broogh Fort · 18 kmMount Murray222 m · 19 kmTynwald Hill · 20 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Calf of Man Bird Observatory
Isle of Man
- 79Birdyas Score
- 180Species
- 98Migrants
- 7Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q42405228) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 52,580 open bird records within 2 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Islandyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit