If you’ve ever stood in the reeds of Chat Moss, the wet sheep-pastures of the Ribble estuary, the peat-bogs of Bowland or the rushy fields around Martin Mere on a still April evening, you might have heard a weird, somewhat spooky, sound that you couldn’t quite put your finger on; a bleating, almost goat-like humming that seemed to come from the sky itself, and you may have wondered what made it.
Tag Archives: #Uplands
Upland Farming in the Backend of the Year
This time of year, (around the end of November / start of December as of writing) is known as the “hinge of the year” by upland farmers. The clocks have gone back, the bracken has bleached to rust, and the last of the swallows are long gone. Up on the fells the year’s main outdoor work might be done, yet it never really stops. This is the season of maintenance, mending, and quiet worry.
Buntings in Bowland
Snow Buntings are true Arctic specialists, thriving in barren, open habitats with sparse vegetation. They breed in high-latitude tundras but undertake impressively long migrations southward during winter to avoid the perpetual darkness and sub-zero temperatures.
The Controversial Practice of Controlled Burning (v2)
Version 2 of an article originally published in 2023, looking at the land management practice known as controlled burning, heather burning or muirburn, updated and amended with latest research, data, policy and regulations
A Troubling Trend; Fly-Camping in Britain’s National Parks
All across the United Kingdom, from Dartmoor to the Dark Peak, a troubling trend is emerging; the destructive, disruptive and disrespectful activity known as fly-camping. Often confused with the responsible pastime of ‘wild-camping’, fly-camping refers to unauthorised, irresponsible overnight stays where groups pitch large tents by roadsides or in beauty spots, bringing in items suchContinue reading “A Troubling Trend; Fly-Camping in Britain’s National Parks”
Heather Beetle Outbreaks, a Brief Study of the Ecology of Lochmaea suturalis and Effects of Population Outbreaks on Moorland Habitats and Communities
The heather beetle, Lochmaea suturalis, is a small, unassuming olive-brown leaf beetle measuring about 6mm, and it has long been a part of our moorland ecosystems. While unremarkable in appearance, this native insect can wreak havoc when its populations surge, causing devastating outbreaks that threaten heather moorlands, their biodiversity, and the communities that depend onContinue reading “Heather Beetle Outbreaks, a Brief Study of the Ecology of Lochmaea suturalis and Effects of Population Outbreaks on Moorland Habitats and Communities”
Northwest Walks: Grit Fell, the Three Sisters and the Three Chairs
In the far Northwest of the Bowland fells the geology and scenery dramatically changes to the extent that it feels like an entirely different part of the country. The peaty earth is thinner, the gritstone below exposed to the northern gales, the backdrop is of that of the wide, sweeping, Morecambe bay and Fylde plainsContinue reading “Northwest Walks: Grit Fell, the Three Sisters and the Three Chairs”
Round-leaved Sundew
The Round-leaved Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia, (Drosera meaning ‘dewy’ in latin) is a small carnivorous plant found in bogs, it is locally common but hard to find, in England its strongholds are our upland moors, in particular those found in the Northwest. Insectivorous A small and peculiar looking plant, with reddish coloured ‘leaves’ covered in stickyContinue reading “Round-leaved Sundew”
Northwest Nature and History 