Spring is in the air

Nidderdale Moorland Group

There are signs of spring all around the dale as the days are now noticeably lengthening and temperatures are slightly rising, although winter may drop back in at any time.

The birds are singing loudly and the first of our summer residents are now arriving to claim their territories ahead of the coming spring and summer breeding season.

The lengthening hours of daylight trigger physiological changes in birds which prepare them to breed.

For most birds this means that they can time their breeding to ensure that there will be a plentyful supply of food for their young when they arrive and the start of this process is finding and defending a territory which will provide a nest site, reliable food source and safety from predators.

For our local Barn Owls now is the time of year when the females need to start thinking about putting on weight ahead of egg production latter in spring and we are getting good reports from the local moorland gamekeepers of pairs of Barn Owls out together hunting.

As spring approaches the female will do less and less hunting leaving the male to provide for her as she increases her weight from around 350g to 425g to come into 'breeding condition'.