Moorland biodiversity gains

Waders are continuing to do well on the moors of the eastern Cairngorms, despite struggling elsewhere. Figures published by the Cairngorms National Park Authority showed that populations of lapwings and curlew, which are in precipitous decline in the rest of the country, have remained stable in the area — ground that is dominated by grouse moors. The habitat mosaics and predator control provided by grouse moor management have long been proven to benefit a range of groundnesting birds.

Speyside resident

Brian Redhead, who knows the eastern Cairngorm area well, commented: “This good news seems to indicate to me that the estates concerned here are doing a first-class job of protecting the waders nesting on this ground. I am fairly certain that it is a successful outcome because the gamekeepers here are providing good predator control and an ideal habitat.”

In further proof of the value of gamekeeping in helping struggling birds, a bird surveyor has reported a record count of 136 black grouse in the Langdon Beck area of Upper Teesdale. The ground, which is deep in the Durham grouse moors, is one of the last strongholds for English black grouse.

A record count of black grouse has been reported in Langdon Beck