Cuthbert’s Moor

Cuthbert’s Moor is a substantial new acquisition for Durham Wildlife Trust. At just more than 120 hectares, it is a small but impressive piece of the much wider North Pennines upland moorland habitats. It is one of the Teesdale Allotments, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that have the highest densities of breeding wader populations in the uplands of England.

The moor, known previously as Horden Allotment, lies to the north east of Middleton-in-Teesdale and was managed as a grouse moor by a private syndicate from 2006. This included conventional grouse moor management techniques alongside traditional sheep grazing. The habitats on Cuthbert’s Moor are representative of the wider Teesdale Allotments, with a range of upland vegetation types that include wet acid pasture, mire, and upland heather communities. Around one-sixth of the reserve is wet heath and peatland habitat, containing sphagnum mosses, bilberry, heathers, and cotton grasses. The steep eastward-facing slopes are characterised by a drier heath community of ling, bilberry, and matgrass. The result is a mosaic of heath and grassland habitats. A series of sikes (small streams) run from the moor, eventually joining the Eggleston Burn, a tributary of the River Tees.

The mix of heath and grassland habitats across the reserve supports upland waders, including lapwing, snipe, redshank, curlew, and golden plover, together with short-eared owl, and both red and black grouse.

Teesdale has some of the highest densities of breeding waders found anywhere in the UK. These species, for example the lapwing and curlew, nest on the ground and tend to favour areas with short vegetation. Cuthbert’s moor is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its importance for waders and other upland breeding birds, such as the black grouse.

Mark Hamblin/2020VISION Lapwing

The lapwing was once a widespread breeding bird across lowland and upland areas, but changes to farming have dramatically reduced the numbers of breeding lapwing in lowland areas. Across England, lapwing numbers have declined by 80% since 1960.

Lapwings return to the uplands in spring and are easily recognised by their distinctive crest, broad rounded wings and peewit call.

Black grouse

Once widespread across the UK, the black grouse’s range has contracted significantly since the late nineteenth century. Now only found in any numbers in Scotland and North East England, with Teesdale a particular stronghold. The male black grouse is known as a blackcock and cannot be mistaken for any other species. The more soberly dressed female is known as the grey hen.

Hamish Paterson

Gwynneth Heeley Curlew

The curlew is another bird that has suffered a dramatic decline in numbers over recent years. Across the UK, breeding curlew numbers have fallen by 48% since 1995. A statistic that is even more stark given that the UK holds 28% of the European population. The eerie, ‘cur-lee’ call of the curlew is an iconic sound of the uplands from the spring until the birds disperse to the lowlands and coasts to over winter. The Trust’s Great North Fen project will also benefit the curlew by increasing the area of suitable winter habitat.

The Trust will be unlocking the full biodiversity potential of Cuthbert’s Moor and implementing important plans for nature’s recovery. Initially, the Trust is focusing on understanding the ecology of this site in greater detail, with survey work due to begin in spring 2023. Specialists will complete a series of baseline surveys of the flora and fauna, but the intention is to take a citizen science approach to ongoing monitoring, and we hope our supporters will join us to survey wildlife on-site. There is also maintenance work to deliver, with some fences and walls in need of repair. Plenty for the volunteer teams to get their teeth into. In addition, there is some potential for peat restoration as part of the long-term management of habitats on site. Cuthbert’s Moor is a site that is truly representative of the climate and nature crisis, with habitats that store carbon and support populations of species that are declining rapidly. Restoration work will, therefore, allow nature to generate benefits for our climate, and the Trust can use Cuthbert’s Moor to create a wider understanding of the importance of the natural world.

Visit:

Cuthbert’s Moor is an extremely sensitive site because of the ground-nesting birds. Durham Wildlife Trust will be organising special visits for members to experience this beautiful upland environment. See page 13 for details or visit durhamwt.com/events

What to see:

Lapwing, snipe, redshank, curlew, golden plover, short-eared owl, red and black grouse, common lizard.