bird watching in pennine yorkshire

Bring your binoculars, and get to know Pennine Yorkshire'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.

Pennine Yorkshire is the most important habitat in England 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.

In the valleys, the fast-slowing streams are home to the attractive chocolate-and-white dipper.  Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Lapwings are regular visitors to Blackmoorfoot Reservoir in Meltham.  Walkers strolling beside the canals should keep an eye out for kingfishers flashing by.