By: Blonde One
It’s at this time of year that Dartmoor begins to get busy. People, wildlife and vegetation all begin to feel that sense of optimism and renewed energy as Spring approaches. What walkers are sometimes unaware of are the birds that nest at ground level on our moors. It is at this time of year that a fascinating range of birds are making their nests and filling them with their precious eggs. Dartmoor is home to some rare birds such as the ring ouzel and cuckoo and home to skylarks and snipes, which are in decline elsewhere in the UK. The meadow pipit with its familiar ‘sip, sip’ call and the stonechat are also here in internationally important number.
In order to avoid doing any unintentional damage to these birds and their nests you can check out the Dartmoor National Park website to find maps of the areas where they would rather you avoid to help conserve the numbers of these birds.
You may also find notice boards locally to help with your route planning. Please don’t ignore any of these notifications. It’s not good enough to think that just one pair of feet will not do any harm!
