SUMMER BIRDS on DARTMOOR
SUMMER BIRDS on DARTMOOR Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Dartmoor National Park is the largest upland area in Southern England. For anyone interested in birds, Dartmoor is a special, unique place. Editorial and photography by Andrew Stuthridge
Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata)
D
artmoor has a varied Landscape from high moorland, lowland heath and blanket bog to dense woodlands and also numerous river valleys which drain from the moors into the nearby sea.
However, Dartmoor still remains an important area for birds and provides a stronghold for several species such as Skylark, Snipe, Meadow Pipit and Wheatear which are in decline elsewhere in the country.
As a consequence, Dartmoor has a range of habitats holding a diverse population of birds, some of which are at the limit of their range like the rarer species such as the Dunlin, Ring Ouzel and Golden Plover (the latter sadly probably now extinct as a breeding bird on Dartmoor). Other birds are in serious decline such as the Curlew and Lapwing, and this illustrates the fragility of the existence of some of Dartmoor s avi-fauna.
Many of these birds are easily accessible to the visitor and with a little knowledge and patience, can be easily seen by visitors to the area. As a Naturalist and Wildlife Photographer, I regularly visit Dartmoor and especially love the higher moorland areas especially in spring and summer when the sound of the Cuckoo and the Curlew can still be heard in some areas although sadly not as common as they once
Naturalist and wildlife photographer Andrew Stuthridge in action. For the camera buffs out there, Andy uses the topend Canon 1D mark IV and mainly Canon 500mm f4 and 100-400 lenses - an abundance of patience is a prerequisite.
were . At this time of year, the moor is alive with birdsong and breeding birds and it's a wonderful time for anyone interested in birds and wildlife to visit the Moor. I will sometimes spend all day walking the moor armed with my camera and binoculars and have become quite familiar with many of Dartmoor's birds. The most common bird on Dartmoor is the Meadow Pipit - the area holds nationally important numbers with about 20,000 pairs. It is a plain brown bird which can often be seen all year around on the moor and on Dartmoor this small bird is the main host species for the Cuckoo, a summer visitor which lays its eggs in other birds nests. The Cuckoo has decreased alarmingly throughout the UK in recent years but fortunately Dartmoor still holds good numbers of this bird and its distinctive, repetitive call, that gives this bird its name , can stilI often be heard on the moor in spring and early summer.
are small trees or bushes that it can utilise as song posts. Sharing a similar moorland habitat to the Yellowhammer is the Stonechat and its cousin the Whinchat. The Stonechat stays with us all year round and again Dartmoor holds nationally significant numbers of this lovely bird. The Whinchat is a similar bird in habits to the stonechat and is a summer visitor arriving in April or May to breed in our upland areas.
An exotic looking summer visitor, the Redstart (male)
bird and I always find them in good numbers around the fringes of the moor, especially in the area around Haytor and Post Bridge in areas of bracken and gorse where they build their nests and in good years can often rear three broods of youngsters.
lives here all the year around which makes it susceptible to harsh winters which can have a drastic effect on its survival. The male can often be seen singing from the top of a gorse bush before quietly disappearing from sight into the undergrowth.
Both are similar in their habits and these birds require areas of heathland, heather and gorse to raise their young, the nest being well concealed on or near the ground amongst bracken long grass or other dense vegetation. The Stonechat in particular has a distinctive repetitive call which sounds like two pebbles or stones being knocked together and it is this that gives this beautiful bird its name.
The Wheatear is another familiar summer visitor and frequents well grazed areas where there are stone walls and rock-clitter. It is amongst these stony areas that the Wheatear will raise its brood, nesting close to the ground, often under rocks or in stone walls and the adult birds can be quite conspicuous as they flit from stone to stone, keeping a wary eye on intruders into their territory. The male in particular is a dapper bird with its upright stance and blue /grey colouring and this is a relatively common bird on many areas of Dartmoor Another Summer visitor that often nests in trees, stone walls or old buildings is the Redstart and this is a bird that I have regularly come across in a variety of habitats within the National Park. The male in particular is a beautiful and colourful bird and once seen never forgotten. On Dartmoor they are now quite locally common and although essentially a woodland bird, frequenting areas such as Yarner Wood, they can also be found at higher elevations in more open areas wherever there are trees present to use as song posts. Another diminishing bird nationally is the Yellowhammer, a bird familiar to country people by its little bit of bread and no cheese song, but fortunately Dartmoor still holds good populations of this lovely colourful
The Cuckoo - now a much rarer bird, although Dartmoor still holds good numbers. The joyous cuckoo.. call is often heard on the moor in spring and early summer. This habitat is also important to a small bird that has spread throughout many areas of Devon in recent years, the Dartford Warbler, which has recently expanded its range across southern Britain. This shy bird can be found in several areas on the Moor and is sedentary so
Other Warblers are summer visitors with a few staying with us to overwinter and the most common on the Moor are the Whitethroat with its repetitive, scratchy song, often sung from cover within gorse or bracken and also the Willow Warbler which frequents open areas wherever there
Other familiar birds are of course the Skylark which is well known for its beautiful song as it soars higher and higher into the sky singing its little heart out! Significantly, Dartmoor holds good numbers of Skylarks because again
Whinchat (male) (Saxicola torquata)
SUMMER BIRDS on DARTMOOR
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
this bird has declined drastically in other areas of the country. A summer day on the open moor would not be complete without the song of the Skylark ringing in your ears, a sound that will always lift your spirits and gladden your heart.
Wheatear (male) (Oenanthe oenanthe)
There are several factors that can inuence the success of breeding birds on Dartmoor such as climate change, human disturbance, changes in agriculture and other threats to migratory birds elsewhere in the world. Some of these may seem beyond our immediate control, but all visitors to the moor can play their part in conserving Dartmoor s birds so that their future can be secured for future generations to enjoy. Simple precautions can be taken during the bird breeding season from March until August which still allows visitors to enjoy the Moor, but which will help minimise disturbance and harm to birds.
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Stonechat (male) (Saxicola torquata)
These include: 1. Keeping to tracks and paths especially in areas of dense heather, clitter and wetlands. 2. Keeping your dogs on a lead. 3. By avoiding young birds on the ground as the adults are normally close by and also by avoiding adult birds that are clearly distressed and excitable as they may have a nest nearby. By thinking about what we are doing when on the moor we can all hopefully have an inuence in securing a bright future for the birds of Dartmoor, so that we can maintain the national signiďŹ cance of the last wilderness area in Southern England. Andy Stuthridge -----------------------------------------------Editor I'm sure you'll agree that Andy's exquisite photos really highlight that Dartmoor has more than just ponies and tors, there's important and precious habitat that deserves our full protection for the future. Many thanks to Andy, I'm sure you'll agree he's a bird photographer par excellence! Andy's images can be seen at: www. andystuthridgenatureimages.co.uk
Yellowhammer singing (male) (Emberiza citrinella)