Wildlife and Nature in Yorkshire - the great Outdoors
Yorkshire’s Nature Tourism Triangle
Bounded by the east coast from Filey Brigg to Spurn Point, by North Cave, the
Wolds and the River Hull catchment to the west, and by the Humber estuary to the
south. The Trust has three flagship reserves in this Nature Tourism Triangle,
where exciting new schemes are afoot:
Spurn Point
Spurn is one of the finest sites in Europe to see migrating birds, which use the
peninsula as a waypoint and feeding station after an often difficult passage.
There is a drive to secure funds to make visible improvements to convert the
famous lighthouse into a visitor centre, and add toilets at both ends of the
peninsula.
Flamborough Cliffs
The spectacular headland is home to thousands of seabirds, and boasts a
fascinating marine ecosystem (featured in the Spring 2010 edition of Wildlife
Yorkshire). The Trust is keen to show that Flamborough’s biodiversity and
wildlife interest are entirely dependent on the geology, tidal currents and
cool, nutrient rich waters off the coast The aim is to explain in a new visitor
centre how these Living Seas are so vital for both wildlife and people, and how
we can restore the North Sea’s health.
North Cave Wetlands
This spectacularly successful adoption of a working sand and gravel extraction
site is hosting a growing population of breeding avocets. North Cave already has
first-class viewing facilities and is due for major expansion over the next 10
years. Its position right at the western approach to the Nature Tourism Triangle
makes it a key location, and its size and keen volunteer group means that it can
support increasing numbers of visitors wanting to see lots of birds at close
quarters.
These are just some of the wildlife attractions within the project area. When
you add in The Deep in Hull, Yorkshire Water’s Tophill Low reserve near
Beverley, the upper River Hull catchment, Hornsea Mere, Filey Brigg and Filey
Dams, and the Trust’s reserves in the Yorkshire Wolds, a compelling and diverse
list of habitats emerges. Many keen naturalists will already know of the
richness of the area, but increasingly, people of all ages who have been turned
on to the possibilities in the UK are looking for guidance on where to go for a
great wildlife experience.
Birds Galore & More at RSPB Reserves
Binoculars ready, because Yorkshire's world famous RSPB sites are a real treat for twitchers. The RSPB's four sites are superb places for seeing all kinds of wildlife, not just birds, dragonflies, butterflies, water voles, hares, insects...
Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington, from April to August, is home to over 200,000 nesting sea birds, as well as countless field species. From viewing points on the cliffs, you can watch fat little puffins setting off on fishing expeditions from which they return with their multi-coloured beaks stuffed with silvery sand eels - food for the chicks which huddle in cliff-side burrows. The puffins are the stars here, but there is a strong supporting cast. Gannets soar over the waters close inshore. Dainty little kittiwakes huddle on precarious nesting ledges, and razorbills and guillemots - immaculate in their black and white plumage, like miniature head-waiters - crowd rocky perches.
Blacktoft Sands, near Goole, is the largest intertidal reed bed in England and a haven for various bird species, including bearded tits, bitterns and marsh harriers, visible from six hides.
Fairburn Ings, in Castleford, has a rich array of wildlife and birds, and with pond dipping, regular fun events and walks, it's the perfect place for the family. Kingfishers, reed and sedge warblers, little ringed plovers and garganey ducks are among the star species here in spring and early summer.
Old Moor, Dearne Valley, near Barnsley, is set in 250 acres of wetland, Old Moor is a thriving wetland habitat, great for spotting birds from the six hides along the nature trails. The kingfisher is just one of the stars of the show here.
More Wildlife Watching Ideas
There's even more for bird watchers to get excited about. At Malham in the Dales you'll find peregrine falcons nestled within the dramatic limestone cliff. With easy parking at Malham National Park Centre and high-powered telescopes, getting close to one of the UK's rarest birds of prey is refreshingly easy. Also in the Yorkshire Dales is the Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve near Hawes, the place to see this shy native species in its natural woodland home and Grass Wood Nature Reserve. Here the richly diverse woodland is home to everything from flora such as lily of the valley to woodland birds, butterflies and even herds of roe deer.
The abundance of wildlife of the North York Moors makes it a natural magnet for nature spotters. There are many fantastic locations to get up close to rare and wonderful species, including curlew, lapwing, red grouse and Britain's smallest bird of prey, the merlin. The golden plover arrives in summer and Commondale Moor is a great place to spot them during the breeding season.
You can also go badger watching in Cropton Forest, near Pickering. An accessible hide lets visitors observe a known and protected badger hide, giving viewers a unique glimpse of these nocturnal mammals. Join the organised watch from May until August.
Red kites in full flight at Harewood House, near Leeds are a sight that leaves many in awe. Released on the estate in 1999 as part of a conservation initiative, their numbers are gradually increasing each year. So spotting a few should be pretty easy. You'll also be able to glimpse deer trotting amongst the woods.
Harewood's red kites also took a liking to the Yorkshire Wolds, moving eastwards and today can be spotted above the broad fields. Sightings are now almost common-place, especially in the South Cave and Londesborough areas. Hares are also flourishing in the Wolds and are as common as rabbits in some places, while buzzards can also be seen, having naturally colonised the area in recent years.
Bring your binoculars, and get to know South Pennine's distinctive bird life. The high moorlands are particularly important for waders, and have been given official status both as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and (under the European Union's Birds Directive) as a Special Protection Area. A significant number of curlews and lapwing breed here, as do Golden plover, snipe and dunlin. Raptors are present too, including the peregrine falcon, merlin and short-eared owl. The hen harrier, recovering slowly from persecution, breeds close by in Bowland.
The South Pennines are an important habitat for the twite, appropriately enough also known as the Pennine finch. Indeed the RSPB has designated the land between Huddersfield, Rochdale and Keighley as England's 'twite triangle'. Special measures are being taken in land management to help the bird grow in numbers. The National Trust's Marsden Moor Estate, is one such place where you can spot the twite and boasts a who's who of other wildlife too, including curlew, dunlin and merlin, as well as rarely seen mammals and native flora and fauna.
Nature Reserves
Yorkshire's National and Local Nature
Reserves are haves for wildlife too and favourite places for a family day out.
Find out more here.
