Page 5 - Nature Calendar Autumn Edition

Spring

For all the family!
Curlew

Lapwing
Durham

University
Botanic Garden
© Martin Rogers
© Martin Rogers
Lose yourself in the tranquil
oasis of Durham University’s
Breeding Waders Snipe Botanic Garden, on the outskirts

of Durham City. Where you’ll
The pastures and moorland
fringe grasslands of the discover creatures and plants
North Pennines AONB, from across the world.
which encompass much Spring is a particularly nice time of year to visit the
of the Durham Dales is a © Martin Rogers garden – see the Japanese Cherries in the Sakura
great place to spot beautiful Friendship garden in flower mid-April, and by May
breeding waders including Lapwing, Curlew, and the woodland garden is in full swing with Trillium, Japanese Cherry
the Common Redshank and Snipe. Dodecatheon and Leucojum.

Black Grouse

Spring Gentian © Martin Kitching Spring is the best time to
catch a glimpse of the rare
Black Grouse. Very early
Upper Teesdale in the risers may catch a view of the bird’s © Martin Rogers
Durham Dales is the fascinating courtship display known as the lek.
only place in the UK © Martin Rogers Males gather at “lek” sites in the moorland grasslands of the
it’s possible to see the Durham Dales to put on dazzling mating dance displays. They fan
Spring Gentian. These beautiful blue flowers out and raise their long tails to expose bright white feathers
are best seen on warm, bright days from beneath, and make curious bubbling sounds as they rush, jump
April to early June, as these special little and strut at one another.
flowers will only open in direct sunlight.
Thanks to considerable conservation work, numbers of Black Grouse are increasing
in the North Pennines, with the species numbering approximately 850 males.