Uplands Blog

We have used trail cameras to provide a unique insight into the nesting behaviour of this elusive and secretive bird, which nests on heather moorland in northern England.

Grouse moors appear to form important refuges for breeding merlin. However, recent merlin declines have been suggested to be due to intensified cutting and burning of heather to favour grouse, thereby reducing both the availability of tall heather for nesting and the numbers of small birds, particularly meadow pipits, which themselves have declined by 40% between 1970 and 2010 and are currently on the amber list of Birds of Conservation Concern.

The period immediately following sunrise is usually said to be the best time to survey for most diurnal species, but was it the same for pipits?

With the merlin gone for the winter, we have been busy in the uplands taking field measurements to understand what makes habitats suitable for nesting merlin. As merlin are specially protected, it is important that they are not disturbed while they are breeding, so we collect these measurements after the breeding season ends.