Long Hours, New Life: The Vital Winter Work of Moorland Gamekeepers

The following was posted on Facebook by the Nidderdale Moorland Group:

With the sounds of returning Curlews now calling around the dale, thoughts are very much on the upcoming spring nesting season and, for our moorland gamekeepers, January and February are particularly busy months.

Red Grouse are now on their territories preparing for spring and are joined by more of our upland breeding species such as the Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Golden Plover, Oystercatcher, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Short Eared Owl and smaller passerines such as the Stonechats, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, all benefitting from the work of our moorland gamekeepers in habitat maintenance and predator control.

Predator control especially can mean long, cold hours of patiently and quietly waiting, but this is vital work ahead of spring and ensures our vulnerable ground nesting birds are given the best opportunities not only to lay and incubate their clutches of eggs, but vitally to rear their chicks to fledging age.

We can create all the correct habitats and feeding sites these species require, but without the safety of effective predator control in place, all that is achieved is to create population sinks where our vulnerable species are attracted to an area only to fail to rear their young.

Predator control is always an emotive subject, but it is about maintaining a balance where all species, and livestock such as lambs, are given the chance to successfully rear their young to fledging age and help to support and replace ageing populations such as with our Curlews.

Gamekeepers and farmers, both in the uplands and low ground, are not alone in legally controlling certain generalist predators, but unlike many charity organisations, we will talk about this.

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