Early morning or late evening in spring is a perfect time to walk through the dunes and listen to the drumming snipe. These wetland birds fly up high in the air and soar back down creating a drumming sound with their tail feathers; all to entice a mate. Or listen out for the ‘pee-wit’ of a lapwing. Both these birds like to breed in the dune slacks at Sandscale.
It’s a magical experience to hear them call amidst all the stillness around you. If you enjoy seeing the birds in the spring in the dunes and are walking with a dog, try to keep them on a lead as breeding birds are easily disturbed by dogs running freely and this can cause their numbers to drop.
Windswept beaches in winter time are good for blowing away the cobwebs. Take a moment to watch the strandline along the beach as it's transformed by crowds of migrant birds which fly in for the winter.