Climate changes could affect region's wildlife

Dec 28 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

On the Durham Coast lapwings and curlews, that normally depart for their winter grounds in the south no later than the beginning of October, were still around in December due to the mild weather. Meanwhile at Cragside, near Rothbury in Northumberland, mosquitoes, which usually die out over the winter and at the height of summer, continued to flourish.

But our increasingly unpredictable weather proved disastrous for Beadnell Bay’s Arctic Turn population. Unseasonal mid-summer storms saw 600 pairs washed out.

On the Farne Islands, seal pupping began slowly in October but quickly picked up, with the autumn weather remaining reasonably kind.

However, just when it was thought the pups had escaped a repeat of the devastating storms that hit the Farnes in autumn 2008 decimating the population, a force 10 northerly gale battered the islands in late November, washing many out to sea where they were drowned.

Up to 50% are known not to have made it to the crucial independent age of three weeks. Stephen said: “The seasons all appear to be topsy-turvy with warmer springs, cooler and damper summers going into milder but wetter autumns and winters.

“Britain’s wildlife is having to adapt and radically change to these new conditions. In wildlife eco-systems, even small changes to the delicate balance can have serious knock-on effects as species depend on each other for survival.

“The unusual behaviour of certain animals shows radical flux is under way. Butterflies are a very good monitor as they are highly sensitive to changing weather.

“The emergence of red admiral butterflies on The Leas at South Shields four months early, is a wake-up call for those who don’t actually believe our weather is changing.”