

THE AVI-FAUNA OF 

 SETTLE AND UPPER RIBBLESDALE 



EDWARD PEAKE, M.A., 



Assistant Master, GiggUswkk Grammar School, Settle, 



The following notes are from observations and inquiries made by 

 myself in the neighbourhood of Settle during the last ten years. 



The extent of my investigations has been limited by the nature of 

 my professional duties, absence during holidays, and athletic pursuits. 

 I should like the paper, therefore, to be considered as intended to 

 give a rough guide to those who take interest in, or mean to study, 

 the ornithology of the district. If it interests any reader of the 

 ' Naturalist ' I shall be proud. 



The district over which my rambles have extended consists 

 principally of the fell country round Penyghent and Ingleborough 

 to the north, and Malham Tarn to the east, the watershed from 

 which, on this western side, flow the Wenning and the Ribble with 

 their tributary streams. The district is remarkable for being scantily 

 wooded, the chief woods being in the neighbourhood of Clapham 

 and Lawkland. Hedges do not exist, their place being taken by 

 stone walls. Thus our characteristic birds are those that frequent 

 the tarns and streams, or the scars, or the moors and pastures. 



Fifty years ago a certain amount of land was ploughed, and roots 

 and oats grown, but now the plough is an obsolete implement. 



The Ribble above Settle is for the most part a swift-running 

 stream with a rocky bed, but about two miles below it flows through 

 a flat stretch of land, winding, with many crooks, through alluvial 

 soil, with a deep, slow stream. This part of the river is known as 

 the Deeps, and it continues of this character almost as far as Cow 

 Bridge by Long Preston. Here many water-fowl may be found in 

 winter, and here also may several of the spring migrants be first 

 seen. No trees grow on the banks, and there is nothing to obstruct 

 observation except a few willow bushes ; at the same time the dykes 

 give the means of cautious approach. 



Besides Malham Tarn there are several small tarns, such as 

 New Houses Tarn above Horton, and the one at the north end 

 of Fountains Fell. I have heard it said that waterfowl are scarcer in 

 this valley since the construction of the lake at Coniston, near 

 Gargrave. Through the kindness of Mr. Tottie, of Coniston Hail, 



r 



1 am able to include some records from there. 



