NATURE’S REFUELLING STATIONS

Dec 7 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

THE loughs – or freshwater lakes – north of the central section of Hadrian’s Wall are vital refuelling stopovers for wintering arctic-nesting birds.

Broomlee, Crag and Greenlee loughs are all favoured watering holes where the birds dabble and graze the wet grassland.

Whooper swans, a range of geese including greylag, white fronted, pink footed and barnacle, and ducks such as goldeneye, goosander, pochard, wigeon and teal can be seen on the loughs. Some are passing through en route to the Solway estuary or Ireland. Others move around the north of England until conditions improve in early spring when they begin to make their way back to Scandinavia and the arctic circle to breed.

Migration is triggered by changes in daylight hours. Most birds return to the same places each year, and many wintering wildfowl fly 3,000km from places like Greenland and Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago.