Skomer Island

Its History and Natural History

Mike Alexander

ISBN: 9781784618117

Price: £35.00

Department: Countryside, Leisure, History, Welsh History, Local History, Pembrokeshire, Nature and Wildlife

Format: Hardback

Language: English

No. of pages: 448

More information

Reviews

... this book is beautifully written in a way that allows you to step into the pages and truly live through the different eras and areas on the Welsh island.
The pictures that fill the book are also an absolute delight –
particularly the early years of Skomer photography. For anyone that loves Skomer, or is dreaming of a visit, this book is a great read. - Dan Rouse, BBC Wildlife Magazine

A wonderful book - John Miles, Birdwatching Magazine

Together with a decade of research, he provides a wonderfully rich and readable account of the culture, archaeology, botany and zoology of the island... 'Skomer Island' is a beautiful, informative and powerful volume. - Tim Birkhead, British Birds - August 2021

In-depth and highly informative portrait of the island has been written by an expert who knows Skomer intimately and it will almost certainly become the definitive book on the subject. Superbly illustrated, with stunning colour photographs by the author, it's a treat for anyone interested in the history of the British Isles and its wildlife. - John Green, Morning Star

This is a splendid book to grace the shelves of anyone with an interest in natural history and a meaningful souvenir for anyone who has been to Skomer and marvelled at its wildlife wealth. - Jon Gower, Nation.cymru

In the crowded market of natural history writing, you occasionally come across a book that clearly and truly represents the distillation of a lifetime of love and work on the part of the author, and so it is will Skomer Island by Mike Alexander... The depth and breadth of information availabile in this book are unrivalled... Above all, Skomer Island paints a comprehensive picture of the ever-changing wonder that is Skomer... - Dr Lizzie Wilbedforce, Natur Cymru - Gaeaf/Winter 21/22

A comprehensive tome detailing the human and natural history of one of Britain's most spectacular islands… Alexander's true expertise shines through in his sections on the birds, mammals and vegetation of Skomer… The intense love of 'cynefin' makes for an impassioning read. - Ifan Birtwistle, Planet Magazine

Blurb

The definitive analysis of one of the UK's most beloved nature spots, written by an expert with 50 years' experience in the field and a long-standing connection with the island. Hundreds of stunning colour photographs throughout. Forewords by Iolo Williams and Prof Chris Perrins, FRS.
Skomer is a captivating Welsh island and one of Britain's most spectacular National Nature Reserves. It has internationally important populations of seabirds, including puffins and Manx shearwaters, and large numbers of grey seal pups are born on the island's beaches. The breathtaking displays of spring flowers, including coast-to-coast bluebells, give the island an almost unrivalled beauty, and it is also one of the best-preserved prehistoric landscapes in Britain. The author has known the island for most of his life, including a decade spent as warden of the island. This, together with years of meticulous research, has resulted in the most complete account of the island's history and natural history ever produced, beautifully illustrated throughout with his own exquisite photographs of species and habitats. Through close co-operation with descendants of the island's former farming families, Mike Alexander has compiled a collection of important and previously unpublished photographs, which inform and enhance the historical sections. The book is written with a level of detail that makes it relevant to professional conservationists, but is presented in a style that is also accessible to amateur naturalists and anyone with an interest in the countryside. At the heart of this book is the relationship between people and place: how Skomer has been moulded over the centuries to meet the needs of a succession of inhabitants. This is a universal theme that transcends the boundaries of this tiny fragment of land, and would be relevant to anyone who is curious about the environment we have created.