The Wildlife of Inchcolm : (A Comprehensive Record of the Birds, Mammals and Plants, Associated with This Picturesque Island in the Firth of Forth)

Scotland: Hillside, 2003. Soft cover. New/No Jacket. 5.75 X 8.25. P/B 60 pages. condition is New. Inchcolm lies in the Firth of Forth, about two miles south - west of Aberdour, Fife and about two-thirds of a mile south of Charles Hill Point, across the channel known as Mortimer's Deep. The island is comprised of two segments (eastern and western), which are linked by a narrow isthmus, at one time covered by the incoming tide, but which has long been built up to form a permanent causeway. Inchcolm is approximately half a mile long, and covers an area of about twenty-three acres. The eastern portion of the island is hilly, rising to about 100', whilst the larger western part is somewhat flatter, but rises to a similar height at its western extremity, where some stretches of cliffs are to be found. This very picturesque island is famous for its ancient Abbey and old military fortifications. It has some small, attractive, sandy beaches, but otherwise the coastline is rocky. The surface of the island is well vegetated and there are well kept gardens within the grounds of the Abbey and in the vicinity of the Information Centre. It is only in fairly recent times that Inchcolm has developed into an important nature reserve for breeding seabird species such as northern fulmar, common eider duck, herring gull, and lesser black-backed gull. The island also has small populations of atlantic puffin, razorbill, black-legged kittiwake and european shag. In previous years, several species of tern bred at the island. Small numbers of grey seal drop their pups at the island's shores each autumn and the common seal has also been known to use the island for pupping during the summer months. Inchcolm has received very little attention from naturalists in the past and it is hoped that this booklet will not only give the visitor a valuable insight into the island's wealth of natural history, but also provide a sound foundation for any future studies that may take place. I have taken the liberty of including the nearby, small, barren rocks of Carr Craig and Haystack, both of which have been important breeding grounds for several species of tern in the past and in more recent times have hosted important colonies of great cormorant and european shag. Carr Craig lies less than half a mile north-east of Inchcolm, whilst Haystack lies about the same distance to the west of the island.