The open fells and long grass are the perfect habitat for many of Britain's increasingly rare birds. Skylarks are still common, while curlews and lapwings are often seen throughout the area. Merlins, a smaller cousin of the kestrel, glide close to the ground, while higher up can be seen buzzards and the occasional hen harrier. On a summer's evening, the drumming wing-tip beat of the snipe will have you fruitlessly searching the skies, while at night the plaintive call of little owls sometimes gives way to the longer notes of barn and tawny owls.

For a full description of birds in the immediate area, see ' A Border Naturalist. The Birds and Wildlife of the Bewcastle Fells and Gilsland Moors'. Graham Ritsons, Carlisle 1993