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Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Listen for curlews calling and displaying over the wet meadows. The hedgerows are full of the song from newly-arrived migrant birds such as nightingales, whitethroats, lesser whitethroats, blackcaps and spotted flycatchers. You could see groups of buzzards along the wooded ridge above the moor.
Summer
This is the time to see dragonflies and damselflies hunting along the hedgerows and ditches and being hunted themselves by hobbies. There are flowering plants in the wet meadows and butterflies such as marbled whites, silver-washed fritillaries and ringlets. Skylarks sing high above the moorland fields and well-hidden quails may call from below.
Autumn
Watch out for roe deer browsing in the fields, flocks of fieldfares and redwings feeding and buzzards soaring high over the wooded ridge above the moor. See large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter.
Winter
Large flocks of teals, wigeons, lapwings and golden plovers gather to feed, or fly in at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm. These flocks attract birds of prey such as peregrines, merlins and hen harriers.