Visitors flock to see wildlife on the flourishing north coast

Monday 02 November 2015

There's nothing sheepish about the Island's new visitor attraction on the north coast.

The hardy rare breed of Manx Loaghtan, the closest living relative of the now extinct Jersey sheep, have been thriving since they moved in to put a stop to an invasion on the headland.

Bracken and scrub had taken over swathes of land along the coast, stopping other plants from growing there but for the past six years the flock have been trampling over the bracken and keeping the weeds at bay grazing on the headland.

Back in 2009 there were just 20 breeding ewes and 2 rams but there are now almost 200 Max Loaghtan, a breed originally from the Isle of Man and they are not the only species you can see on the coast. The grazing area at Le Don Paton is now home to the recently reintroduced Red-bille chough. They forage for invertebrate prey in areas of short turf and dung produced by the sheep and use their old wool for making nests.

The short grassy areas are also feeding other migratory bird species that conservationists are working to protect including the Meadow pipit, Wheatear and Ring ouzel.

The Trust’s Lands Manager Jonny Parkes said: “The increase in the size of the flock is fantastic news as it will allow this highly effective and sustainable management technique to be more widely applied, facilitating the restoration of Jersey’s coastal headland habitat for the benefit of our native wildlife.

"This year alone we have been treated to wonderful drifts of Foxglove at Le Don Paton, splashes of heather and the very first Jersey Chough born at Sorel. If anyone had any doubts about the benefits of conservation grazing, I think the results speak for themselves.”