Native Species

Welcome to a new year. Just an update on the red squirrels on the Lune and what is happening with grey squirrel control.

The red squirrel is on the up at the top end at Newbiggin–on-Lune. A lot more have been seen up around Old Tebay up Chapel Beck House to Orton. Still more have been seen along Bretherdale Beck, Borrowdale Beck and Killington (Hall Beck). However, sadly from Middleton down river the greys are strong. Eighty-nine were killed at Barbon (Rigmaden), sixty at Middleton Bridge, and sixty at Sedbergh golf course; a worrying number. (more…)

The dipper is a characteristic bird of fast flowing rivers and streams. World-wide there are five species of dipper, but ‘our’ white-throated dipper is the most widespread, ranging from Ireland in the west to China in the east and North Africa in the south. In the northern parts of its range it is migratory but elsewhere it seldom moves more than a few miles in its lifetime. (more…)

In my unreformed past the standard work of reference for the otter hunting fraternity was the diary of Squire John Lomax of Mitton. In its pages he describes his activities from 1829 to 1871, during which period he visited our local rivers more than once per season, and recounts it all in great detail.

In comparing his time with ours, now, in 2009, I would say that the otter population is back to where it was in his day. The difference is that nowadays it has become commonplace to see the otter during the day; in yesteryear they were only seen at dawn, dusk, and at night. (more…)

Salmon

After a promising start to the fish movement in 2009, the numbers of both Salmon and Sea trout passing over the fish counter at Forge weir did not materialise into the returning stock figures that we had hoped for. The estimations of the final counter figures were approximately 8289 Salmon and 8152 Sea trout with data acquired from the fish trap at the weir being used to apportion the counts. The Lune therefore managed to exceed the management target of 5,000 Salmon from the Net Limitation Order restrictions again in 2009 for the ninth year in a row. (more…)

The life history and ecology of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) are complex and poorly studied. Highly fecund adults breed in the Sargasso Sea in the western Atlantic. The tiny leptocephalus larvae are carried across the Atlantic toward Europe by ocean currents. Transparent glass eels arrive to European estuaries each spring, where they begin feeding and become coloured elvers. As they grow elvers become yellow eels that rear for extended periods in coastal, estuarine and freshwater habitats. Growth rates and age at maturation vary with latitude and water temperature but in freshwater in the UK typically range from 5-10 years for males and 10-15 years for females.

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It has been 10 years since DEFRA issued the 2nd Limitation of River Lune Net Fishing Licenses Order under the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1975.

This net limitation order (NLO) was introduced to reduce the amount of netsmen operating in the Lune estuary with an aim to reduce exploitation of returning adult salmon and sea trout.

In association with the NLO a 4 fish bag limit per season was introduced for anglers on the Lune. (more…)

As ever on our usual patrols plenteous signs have been found i.e. spraints and occasional padding, some of which we found in new places e.g. the point on it’s right bank where the Wenning meets the Lune, and there have been very recent sightings of an otter on the Wenning downstream of Hornby with familiar places on the Hindburn also showing positive. Additionally a local farmer told me of having seen an otter at Barkin Bridge on the Roeburn. (more…)

In 2007 the Group carried out a £35,000 project to continue our work in safeguarding the future of our native white crayfish. After conducting initial surveys, some remaining colonies of white crayfish were located in four of the tributaries of the Upper Lune. A sheep bridge was constructed to keep livestock out of one beck and just under 5,000 metres of riverbank were fenced, creating a buffer strip to protect the creatures and also to allow the regeneration of the riverbanks. The watergates erected not only provided drinking spots for livestock but prevented the animals entering the water and spoiling the habitat. (more…)

We are lucky enough to have a good population of red squirrels at the top end of the Lune, but sadly as we travel downstream the reds decline due to the big population of the grey squirrel.

The problem is two-fold. Firstly grey squirrels eat their way through a vast amount of food, preventing the red from getting enough. Secondly, the grey squirrel can carry a disease known as squirrelpox virus (SQPV). This virus is lethal to reds, however, the grey is able to recover from it very quickly. It is now estimated that for every red squirrel in England, there are sixty-six greys. (more…)

The common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, is a bird that appeals almost universally. The flash of neon blue as this magnificent species darts along the river forms part of the stereotype of wandering through our country’s rural idyll. But that is all that many of us ever see of this elusive bird, and they are fascinating creatures well worth closer examination. (more…)