By Anna Burdett

Published at 13:33, Friday, 25 April 2008

A FLAGSHIP nature reserve in Cumbria has the lowest number of moorland birds in the region and is being outshone by neighbouring farmland, a report has revealed.

Report: RSPB Geltsdale reserve near Hallbankgate

The Geltsdale reserve, near Hallbankgate, is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and lists curlew, lapwing and black grouse among its star species on its website.

But a Natural England survey of 17 moorland areas found that the 12,000-acre site had lower than average densities of all important moorland birds, compared to neighbouring moors. Lapwings were the poorest performers putting Geltsdale at the bottom of the sites of scientific interest (SSSI) surveyed. For golden plover, curlew, black grouse, snipe and redshank, it was just above last place.

Predator carrion crows were found to be the only birds more plentiful on the RSPB’s moor, where their numbers were double the average. There were also high numbers of less typical moorland birds such as reed warblers.

Dave O’Hara, who manages Geltsdale for the RSPB, said the reserve was performing in line with targets set by the society, which took it over in 2000. He added: “The density of moorland birds has remained quite stable since 1999. We’re happy with these populations. We don’t want moorland bird populations to increase at the expense of other species. We’re managing for a whole range of moorland birds and wildlife.”

Birds of prey, like peregrine falcon, short-eared owl and hen harriers, are moorland species that are doing well at the Cumbrian reserve.

But harriers feed on grouse chicks and the survey found that at 22, Geltsdale had just a third of the black grouse numbers found in other parts of the region.

The RSPB came under fire two decades ago over its failure to control foxes and crows at the Abernethy reserve in the Cairngorms. It was claimed at the time that its population of capercaillie was declining as a result.

Adrian Blackmore, moorland policy officer of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The Geltsdale SSSI has under half the average number of golden plover and curlew, a third of the black grouse and snipe and a quarter of the lapwing and redshank than in the rest of the region, the vast majority of which is managed for grouse shooting. In the rest of the North Pennines grouse moor management includes strict predator control and habitat management, and the results are clear to see.”

Geltsdale is not a grouse moor but a nature reserve, which is trying to promote a wide range of habitats.

Mr O’Hara added: “It is not a fair comparison to compare a grouse moor to an upland nature reserve. We are very happy with what is happening at Geltsdale.”

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk