Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, Holy Island

Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve a 3541ha UK national nature reserve, was founded to help safeguard the internationally important wintering bird populations. Six internationally important species of wildfowl and wading birds winter here. For the pale-bellied brent geese from Svalbard, this is their only regular wintering place in all of the United Kingdom. Pinkfooted and greylag geese, wigeons, grey plovers and bar-tailed godwits are the other visitors.Ramsar SiteLindisfarne National Nature Reserve is a Ramsar site, and as a result is a wetland of international significance.HabitatsLindisfarne National Nature Reserve protects a stretch of coastline, including the dunes of Lindisfarne (Holy Island). Lindisfarne NNR has international recognition and covers a large and varied mosaic of internationally recognised and important coastal habitats. These include intertidal mudflats, rocky shore, sand dunes and salt marshes. The dunes of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve support many plants. Early forget-me-nots and marram grass are among those that hug the ground and need little water. Many species of insects, moths, and butterflies appreciate this environment, including the 'woolly bears' (tiger moth caterpillars). Dark green fritillary, and grayling butterflies bask in the sun during July and August in the Lindisfarne NNR. Big brown-lipped snails can also be found. During early summer, the purple northern marsh orchid flourishes along with its pinker relation, the early marsh orchid. In July the marsh helleborines flower by the thousands and form spectacular white carpets. Recently a unique orchid, the Lindisfarne helleborine, has been discovered on the island. The plants were formerly identified as dune helleborine (Epipactis dunensis), but DNA analysis carried out in 2003 revealed them to be genetically distinct, and the new species was given the scientific name Epipactis sancta.