Ring Ouzel and the Eastern Edges
Ring ouzel arrive in their British summer breeding grounds in late March, before migrating south to overwinter in southern Spain and Morocco in early Autumn.
They are associated with our high, wild places, which has earned them the affectionate country nickname of the “mountain blackbird”. There are populations in Dartmoor, the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, North Wales, Cumbria and Scotland, but the feature on Springwatch focuses on the “Eastern Edges” of the Peak District. This includes the iconic climbing edges of Stanage and Burbage, along with the Eastern Moors Estate.
Image by John Mead
Ring ouzels have declined dramatically in the UK in the last 30 years, making them a Red listed species, but the population on the Eastern Edges appears to be bucking this trend. This fact, that this area is a stronghold for this enigmatic bird, is particularly interesting as it is an area which is so popular with visitors too. The Eastern Moors Partnership, a joint venture between the National Trust and RSPB, manage the uplands for people and for wildlife. The ring ouzel is emblematic of this symbiosis. The story of ring ouzels on the Eastern Edges is an example of people and wildlife co-existing in the uplands, and is one the partnership are really keen to tell.
Ring ouzels are quite particular in their habitat requirements, but the Eastern Edges of the Peaks ticks lots of the boxes when it comes to house hunting, mountain blackbird style. The gritstone edges provide an ideal sanctuary from ground predators such as stoat and weasels, and clumps of vegetation such as heather, bilberry and bracken offer ideal nesting sites with plenty of cover. Raising young requires good feeding grounds too. Short grass provides good foraging for invertebrates, while berry bearing shrubs and scattered trees provide a valuable food source late in the season. Building up reserves before their long flight south is crucial to their survival.
People play their part too. Footpaths ensure that there is constant source of short grass to forage in, chalk from climbers and boulderers enrich the soil beneath the edges, and it is possible too that the presence of people in the area could deter predators.
Image by John Mead
Working Together
Recent studies aimed at understanding the worrying population decline in ring ouzel populations suggest that low first-year and possibly adult survival, may be the main reason for dwindling numbers. With this in mind, the partnership working is focussed on nest finding early in the season, to ensure that as many first breeding attempts as possible are successful. The more successful first broods there are, and the more time the fledged young have to build up their resources before migration, the higher the probability of them reaching their wintering grounds and returning next year to raise young of their own.
Since ring ouzel share their love of gritstone with people, the Eastern Moors Partnership work closely with the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) and Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) to ensure these special birds are given the best possible chance of breeding success. Through raising awareness of ring ouzel conservation, it is hoped that an environment where user groups feel inspired to help us protect this iconic species is encouraged. This has worked well in the past on Stanage Edge, where the BMC have been an integral part of ensuring ring ouzel nests are not disturbed during the breeding season.
This year, the partnership have begun an “adopt a nest” scheme with the help of willing volunteers from the BMC. Staff from the Peak Park and the Eastern Moors, along with freelance ecologist Kim Leyland who features on Springwatch, undertake the arduous task of nest finding through observing the birds from afar, following the guidelines from the British Trust for Ornithology’s Nest Recording Scheme. If a nest is found in a location which is deemed to be vulnerable to disturbance from recreational users, safeguards can then be put in place to give them the best chance of breeding success. Once the nest is found, this is where the volunteers from the BMC come in, allocating a volunteer to keep an eye on a nest, enabling the progress of each nest to be tracked, from nest building and egg laying, to incubation, feeding young, and hopefully fledging.
Telling the story
Raising the awareness of ring ouzel conservation is vital to nurturing a sense of shared responsibility for these special birds. Social media, on-site signage, visitor engagement, guided walks, and media coverage is all part of instilling this bird in the consciousness of the people who visit this area. The Peak District is the home of the access movement, with the Right to Roam established in these rolling hills and rugged moorlands. It is in this sprit that the partnership want to engage with the people that visit this wonderful landscape today, to ensure that ring ouzel are around for years to come, for future generations to enjoy.
When and where to see ring ouzels
Ring ouzels return to the UK from mid-March onwards. This is a good time to see them on passage before they return to their breeding grounds in early April. At this time the noisy business of establishing territories begins with male birds typically arriving back first, and singing from prominent points such as a tree or boulder. Females follow soon after, and pairing up begins. If you’re out birding please and hear a hard “takking” noise, this means that the bird is distressed so please respect its wishes and retreat to watch from a safe distance.
How you can help
The Eastern Moors Partnerhsip are interested in finding out about ring ouzel sightings. Moors For The Future (MFF), have made it easy to record this via their MOORwild App. The partnership receive updates from MFF throughout the nesting season on all the latest sightings, so if you do happen to see a mountain blackbird on your travels, you can download the app and let them know.
You can find out more by following this link:
You can help ground nesting birds by keeping dogs on a short lead on access land or on paths between 31st March and 1st August to reduce the risk of disturbance. Litter can attract predators too, so please make sure you take any waste home with you.