A NORTHERN grouse moor is home to a vast and varied amount of bird life.

Owner Sir Anthony Milbank has counted almost 30 different species on his 7,000-acre Barningham and Holgate Estate, which straddles the County Durham/North Yorkshire border.

A member of the Moorland Association, and council member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, he is taking part in a four-year project to produce a Bird Atlas detailing their distribution in Britain and Ireland.

Birds are monitored and recorded up to four times a year in a designated 10km square.

Sir Anthony recorded an impressive 660 waders in May last year, including 428 lapwing, 148 curlew, 20 golden plover, 20 redshank, 25 oystercatchers and 19 snipe.

In December, he spotted almost 30 different species, including 191 red grouse, 80 lapwings, 11 snipe, two meadow pipits, 13 black grouse, two buzzards, a peregrine and a kestrel.

Now he has appealed for other landowners and gamekeepers to join the survey.

He said: “These surveys show that in moorland areas managed for red grouse, there are an amazing number of waders and other birds.

“It is a great way for us to show the abundance of bird life on the moors – particularly when they are often threatened as a species elsewhere, due to loss of habitat or are coming under pressure due to climate change.”

The survey has found that England’s 150 grouse moors attract more than 46 bird species – upland waders are up to five times more abundant on moors managed for red grouse.

The Bird Atlas project is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology.

Dawn Balmer, national coordinator, said: “Moorland owners and gamekeepers are out on their land 365 days a year, so it makes perfect sense that they are best placed to send back the information.

“We still have areas that need surveying and would like to hear from anyone who wants to help.”

Migrant birds which return to the moorlands in spring include lapwing, snipe, ring ouzel, redshank, meadow pipit, curlew and golden plover.

They are also home to the merlin, the country’s smallest bird of prey, and 90pc of Northern England’s surviving black grouse population is found next to land managed for red grouse.

Anyone wishing to join the project should go to www.bto.org/ birdatlas/taking_part/yourro.htm.

Two events take place next month.

A guided walk over Yadd Moss in the South Tyne Valley is on Saturday, June 6.

Places must be booked on 01388- 528801 or by emailing info@ northpenninesaonb.org.uk.

On Sunday, June 7, Spaunton Moor, near Hutton-le-Hole, has a family fun day between 11am and 3pm as part of the Open Farm Sunday scheme.