Teesdale - Black Grouse and others
14th April 2018
The Teesdale area is known to be a good for Black Grouse leks so our spring holiday was a week in the area. We saw many Red Grouse and other common species.
On the Tuesday after a very wet day there was a gap in the poor weather, so we decided to have a drive across the moorland above Middleton-in-Teesdale.
We came across a small field with birds feeding, incredibly there was Golden Plover, Red grouse Black Grouse (Pair), Snipe, Grey Partridge, Oyster Catcher, Curlew, Lapwing, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail and Swallows. Quite a gathering in a small area!
After watching for a while and attempting some photos we drove a short distance further, on passing a corner we spotted a few black shapes.
We stopped and using the car as a hide we had found a small Black Grouse lek. It was great watching the males sparing with each other. We counted 7 males in the area showing well but others could have been hidden.
We visited three nights on the run seeing them once more but unfortunately there was no sign of them on the third night.
On the Tuesday after a very wet day there was a gap in the poor weather, so we decided to have a drive across the moorland above Middleton-in-Teesdale.
We came across a small field with birds feeding, incredibly there was Golden Plover, Red grouse Black Grouse (Pair), Snipe, Grey Partridge, Oyster Catcher, Curlew, Lapwing, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail and Swallows. Quite a gathering in a small area!
After watching for a while and attempting some photos we drove a short distance further, on passing a corner we spotted a few black shapes.
We stopped and using the car as a hide we had found a small Black Grouse lek. It was great watching the males sparing with each other. We counted 7 males in the area showing well but others could have been hidden.
We visited three nights on the run seeing them once more but unfortunately there was no sign of them on the third night.