Wildlife

The latter half of the year was disappointing hereabouts for sightings and signs.  As autumn gave way to winter, all the heavy rain and gales made the rivers high so much of the time that the usual sprainting etc. places were submerged.  Prior to that, however, I found spraints in the familiar places on the Lune, Wenning, and Hindburn, with slight variations which indicate – I think – the changing generations. (more…)

I have been working as the Upper Eden Red Squirrel Officer and supporting the Lune Rivers Trust in this field for a number of years now.  The essential problem is that American grey squirrels are larger than the native reds, out-compete them and also carry a squirrel pox virus that kills the reds in contrast to the grey host.  The purpose of this work is to remove grey squirrels from this area and allow red squirrels to spread from their Cumbrian stronghold across the fells and back down the Lune valley. (more…)

We are all responsible for looking after the areas we care about. Here are three simple things you can do to help slow the spread of freshwater invasive non-native species… Download.

Be Plant Wise – In Three Simple Steps

Be plant wise to the threat of invasive plants, which can take over your pond and damage the environment. Ask for help picking the right plants for the size and purpose of your pond and ask how to care for them properly… Download.

On Saturday 3rd July 2011 we were pleased to welcome Hilary Lange, the Conservation Officer for the World Owl Trust, her assistant Rebecca Kiggins and Sparky, the barn owl.

After a fascinating and informative talk, we went on a site visit where we were lucky enough to see barn owls in the wild. A member of the BTO ringed the owlet so that its progress can be monitored in the future. (more…)

Hay meadows have become a rare resource throughout the country due to commercial farming, yet they are invaluable for maintaining plant, insect and animal diversity. A lot of research has been done on the recovery of such meadows, which are now supported by a number of bodies as well as various agri-environment schemes. This article illustrates the positive experience and available advice from a local project. The Higher Level Stewardship scheme pays farmers practicing traditional hay meadow management up to £300 per hectare There are a number of projects and increasing experience around the country including in the uplands of the North East (where Dr Roger Smith of Newcastle University has done a lot of research), Haytime in the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, Hay-Day in Cumbria, the Peak District, and the lowlands of the Elan valley in Wales. Other organisations (for example: the RSPB) also give useful advice and can be contacted. For those wanting to look further, there is a lot on the internet. Some initial links are given: (more…)

Otters are an important indicator of the health of our rivers and monitoring the status of the otter population gives a valuable measure of the state of our water and wetland ecosystems. The Environment Agency carry out otter surveys of catchments within Cumbria and Lancashire on a 3 year cycle. Surveys in 2010 covered the rivers Eden and Lune. As otters are mostly nocturnal, the surveys consist of checks for signs of otters by looking for spraints and footprints under and around bridges. (more…)

The start of 2010 was a good year for red squirrels on the river Lune. We now have a strong population from Newbiggin-on-Lune down to Tebay. We have a feeding programme for reds in Brockholes wood at Salterwath Bridge where they have been seen for the first time since trapping of the grey squirrels began. In 2007 we had to take drastic action to protect and encourage the reds, so we trapped 62 greys squirrels there, but only 10 in 2010. Red squirrels have been sighted along the Lune to Sedbergh, but disappointingly from Sedbergh the greys take over spreading down the Lune valley to Lancaster.

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Otter numbers have been increasing in the Lune catchment and Hornby is often a good place to see them. However, although I regularly check the parapet under the centre arch, a popular sprainting point, there were sometimes long periods between summer 2009, and autumn 2010 when it has been blank. Then came the year end with many sightings, including one dramatic one among ice floes at Bridge End corner. (more…)

Salmon

The movement of Salmon over Forge weir in 2010 did not start as well as it did in 2009 primarily due to the drought conditions experienced in spring and early summer. However, the figures improved in July and August with the end of year estimations of the counter figures bearing similar resemblance to 2009. An estimated 8315 Salmon and 9665 Sea trout passed over the fish counter. Based on current provisional figures the Lune will pass it’s conservation limit and should achieve it’s management target for the 11th consecutive year. (more…)