As a non-commercial Community web site we rely totally on people in the community to send us information and photos that will add to other people's knowledge of Exmoor and its surrounding area. Many thanks to the thousands of people who have contributed information so far to Everything Exmoor.Do you know the history of a particular place or have a story to tell about a local character? If so please send it along.
Exmoor is a great place to watch birds. There are 80
resident species and many more visitors and passage migrants.
The abundant
gorse on North
Hill comprising 240 hectares of coastal heath and woodland with
fine views above Minehead is now home
to 16 pairs of Dartford Warbler. You will also find Stonechats here.
Buzzard
Across the moor you can see many unusual birds including Harriers,
Peregrines, Kingfishers, Merlin, Redshanks, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers,
Barn Owls and Buzzards.
The Taw estuary and the RSPB
Reserve at Isley Marsh is home to flocks of estuary birds - Wild
Duck, Widgeon, Teal, Mallard, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher,
Turnstone, Little Plover, Heron, Godwit and Ringed Plovers. Spoonbills
are reputed to have been seen and you may catch sight of the occasional
Egret.
Buzzard
Grey Heron at Clatworthy Reservoir
Peregrine Falcons
Breeding Birds
of Exmoor's moorland
Exmoor's moorland is internationally important for the wealth of wildlife it supports and ir was for the outstanding landscape value of the heathermoorland that the National Park was primarily designated 50 years ago.
In 2002, the RSPB carried out a survey of breeding birds on Exmoor's moorland. The results were compared with a survey 10 years earlier to help determine how well the bird populations are faring.
Meadow Pipit
Meadow pipits are the most abundant birds on Exmoor's moorland and their numbers have increased overthe last decade to over 5,000 pairs. They are small brown birds with a mottled breast, occupying areas of heather and grass moor and can easily be seen.
Meadow Pipit - Exmoor
Meadow Pipit numbers are on the increse
Reed Bunting
Reed bunting numbers have almost trebled on the moor since 1992/3, reaching over 160 pairs. This is contrary to the national trend which shows a severe decline. They occupy areas of long, wet grassland or deep heather. Slightly larger than a sparrow, in the summer the black-headed males are often very conspicuous as they sing from perches such as reed stems.
Reed Bunting - Exmoor
Read Bunting numbers are on the increse
Stonechat
Exmoor's moorland is internationally important for stonechat, which have increased in number by almost 85% over the last 10 years to around 450 pairs. Associated with heather and gorse, the reduction in grazing has greatly benefited this bird. Stonechats can often be seen perching on top of gorse bushes, the males recognisable by their black head and throat, white neck markings and reddish breast.
Stonechat - Exmoor
Stonechat numbers are on the increse
Grasshopper Warbler
Grasshopper warblers have increased from just a few pairs to over 50 over the last 10 years making the moorland an important area for this species, which is declining in the lowlands of South West England. A summer visitor, the birds occupy the moor between April and October, having a particular affinity with scrubby areas. They can be recognised by a long, high pitched, reeling song, which is most noticeable at dusk and dawn.
Grasshopper Warbler - Exmoor
Grasshopper Warbler numbers are on the increse
Dartford Warbler
A recent colonist to the heathlands of Exmoor, Dartford warblers were first recorded in 1995. There are now at least 68 pairs
occupying the lower lying areas
where there are gorse thickets. They are
secretive birds and although difficult to spot, the
males are characterised by a reddish-brown chest
and both sexes have a red eye ring and long tails
which are constantly fanned or cocked.
Dartford Warbler - Exmoor
Dartford Warbler numbers are on the increse
Linnet
A widespread bird on the lower areas of Exmoor's moorland, linnet numbers have more than doubled over the past decade to around 800 pairs. In lowland England,
In lowland England, linnet populations have declined
steeply over the past 30 years, adding to the
importance of Exmoor for these birds. They
occupy areas of heather and gorse and can be
recognised by their reddish breast.
Linnet - Exmoor
Linnet numbers are on the increse
Snipe
Snipe occupy valley mires and their numbers on Exmoor appear to be stable at around 8 pairs. Their population is low as there are only small areas of valley mire on Exmoor. Snipe are secretive birds but can be heard "drumming" in early morning and at dusk during spring, a sound made by the vibrating of the outer tail feathers when in flight.
Snipe - Exmoor
Snipe numbers are steady
Skylark
Skylark numbers have declined slightly on Exmoor's moorland in the last decade but several thousand pairs remain. The decline is likely to be a response to a reduction in grazing. Upland areas of the UK are now crucial for skylarks as their populations and distribution are experiencing huge declines in lowland areas. Skylarks are ground nesters, recognisable from their glorious song as they hover overhead.
Whinchats appear to have declined by approximately one third to 290 pairs over the past 10 years and disappeared from some areas of the moor. However, Exmoor is still one of the most important areas for this bird in southern Britain. Whinchats occupy areas of tall heathland vegetation and are often associated with bracken and wetter areas of moor. They appear similar to stonechats, but have a white eye stripe rather than a neck band and are only present during summer months.
Whinchat - Exmoor
Winchat numbers are on the decrease
Curlew
Curlews appear
to have declined
on Exmoor's
moorland over the
past decade, with
only around 5 pairs
remaining. This trend
is consistent with an
estimated decline of 3/4 of
the population in SW England since the 1970s.
Curlews use a range of habitats including mires,
heath and permanent pasture and are easy to
recognise being large, distinctive birds, with a
long curved bill and an evocative whistling call.
Curlew - contribued by Bob Radford
Curlew numbers are on the decrease.
Wheatear
Their numbers appear to have dropped by half from 100 to 50 pairs over the past decade. One reason could be that the moorland vegetation on Exmoor is getting longer as the number of grazing animals is reduced. Although this benefits many species, wheatears prefer short turf. They are distinctive birds, greyish in colour, with a black stripe across the eye. They are found around stone walls or rocky slopes where grass is short between March and September.
Black eared Wheatear - Exmoor
Northern Wheatear - contribued by Keith Seville
Wheatear numbers are on the decrease
Ring Ouzel
Ring ouzels, similar in appearance to blackbirds, but with a white crescent on the chest, appear to have declined on Exmoor to
just a few breeding pairs. A summer visitor, they are secretive birds, occupying steep coombes, covered in thick heather. Across the UK, their breeding numbers are declining steeply and action is now being taken to conserve Exmoor's population.
Ring Ouzel - Exmoor
Ring Ouzel numbers are on the decrease
Lapwing
This attractive and distinctive wading bird now seems to have disappeared as a breeding bird from Exmoor's moorland. Lapwings nest in open valley; mires or areas of grass moor, where vegetation is short and the ground is soft. Lapwings can still be seen on the moor during winter, but if you see any between March and June please let the Exmoor National Park or RSPB know
Lapwing
Red grouse
This enigmatic moorland bird also appears to have been lost from the moor. However, it is possible that a few birds survive in areas of heather moorland. If you come across a red grouse at any time of year, please let the Exmoor National Park or RSPB know.
Red grouse
Hen harrier
This distinctive bird of prey is a frequent winter visitor to moorland areas but has increasingly been spotted during the breeding season on Exmoor. Hen harriers have v-shaped wings and the males are very distinctive being pale with grey and white colouring with black wing tips and a noticeable white rump. If you see this bird then please let the Exmoor National Park or RSPB know.
Hen harrier
Exmoor Biodiversity Action Plan
The Exmoor Biodiversity Action Plan was published in 2001 and contains plans to help conserve Exmoor's moorland and its special birds. The success of these plans depends very much on the co-operation of many organisations and individuals including land managers and the public.
Dartford Warblers
Dartford warblers were on the brink of extinction after the viciously severe winter of 1963, when there were only 11 known breeding pairs in the UK, but heathland restoration work along with a series of mild winters, has helped them recover.
Since its arrival in 1995, the Dartford warbler has successfully colonised many moorland areas on Exmoor.
Dartford warblers colonised Exmoor's heaths in the mid 1990s and have since flourished to become one of the National Park's most special moorland birds.
The RSPB's survey in 2002 located 68 breeding pairs, occupying the lower lying heaths and gorse thickets, mainly along the coast.
Snipe
Snipe - this striking occupant of Exmoor's valley mires is present in greater numbers than originally thought. Dusk surveys to locate "drumming" birds has revealed breeding snipe at several sites including Codsend Moor and Molland Moor. The 2002 estimate of 8 pairs is now known to be an underestimate.
Further information:
If you would like further information on the breeding birds of Exmoor's moorland, please contact:
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
The RSPB works for a healthy environment rich in birds
and other wildlife. It depends on the support and
generosity of others to make a difference.
RSPB, SW England Regional Office, Keble House,
Southernhay Gardens, Exeter, Devon, EX1 INT
01392 432691 www.rspb.org.uk
Registered charity no. 207076
Reporting a sighting of a female hen harrier flying along the shingle of Bossington breach on the 01/01/08. We look it up and though nothing of it. But finding infomation out about them now and didn't relize how rare it is. We looked up all the other birds it could be and it was definitly a female hen harrier.
Hope this is of some use - D.Chorley
April 16th 2008 - Mrs Lois Wakeman
You asked that we report any grouse sightings. We saw 8 females very close to the cairns on Joaney How (grid ref SS908424)this afternoon (16/04/08).
All text, content, photos, diagrams, logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owners who are a mix of individual contributors from the community, organisations and businesses.
As a condition of using this web site you note that Everything Exmoor and those creating the web site try to ensure that the information supplied and published on Everything Exmoor is accurate. However, we cannot accept any liability for the accuracy of content and no responsibility can be accepted by anyone connected with Everything Exmoor for any consequential loss or damage arising from its use. Visitors who rely on the information on Everything Exmoor do so at their own risk. Prior to using this web site you must read and agree to the following three documents Disclaimer, Privacy and Terms
of Use
This site is continually being updated - last major update 07th April 2008
We would very much appreciate it if you you place a
link to this web site from your own web pages
)
)