VIDEO: Bird Nesting Season Underway on the Yorkshire Dales

Video and words courtesy of the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group.

Love is in the air.

The bird nesting season is upon us and so at this time of year our moor keepers enter a phase of extra vigilance. Here we have a pair of lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) forming a nest in readiness for egg production.

Lapwings are one of the earliest waders to begin nesting and they favour short vegetation including previously burned plots as can be seen in one of these images. Benefitting from predator controls we have some important lapwing populations across the Dales uplands.

From March 1st the law states that dogs must be on leads on open commons, moorland and heaths. This is to protect ground nesting birds like these lapwings and minimise disturbance.

Adhering to this rule can make a world of difference to red and amber listed species so please do not think your pooch is a special exception and please keep him or her on a lead that is less than 2m in length.

Eggs are starting to appear now and soon there will be delicate little chicks too. Every bit of care by dog walking visitors to the Dales can help. Please be a responsible dog walker and protect our ground nesters.