What else to see at Malham Cove
Although the peregrines are the star attractions, there are a number of other characteristic upland bird species to be seen and heard in and around Malham Cove. Why not pay a visit to the viewpoint, and see how many species you can see?
Little owl
There are a pair of little owls that can be regularly seen keeping a watchful eye on goings on at the Cove from their favoured hawthorn tree. Unlike most other owls, the little owls prefer to hunt by day when they can search for beetles and earthworms. Although originally introduced into this country in the late nineteenth century, little owls are perfectly adapted to living in the Dales, where their cryptic plumage can make them difficult to see against the similarly coloured limestone countryside.
Despite their small size they can be quite aggressive birds and will regularly see off any magpie or jackdaw that comes too close. One year they even managed to evict the resident rabbits from their burrow so that they could use it to nest in, as little owls readily nest under rocks or in dry stone walls.
More detailed information on the little owl can be found on the RSPB website (site opens in a new window).
Green woodpecker
The loud laughing call, or ‘yaffle’, of the green woodpecker can often be heard echoing around the Cove but a bit of patience is often required to get good views of this elusive bird. They can be slightly easier to see early in the year before the leaves appear on the trees, by carefully scanning through the upper branches.
At other times of the year they may also been seen feeding on the ground on the slopes at the edge of the Cove. Although perhaps initially surprising, this is because ants are one of the favoured food sources of the green woodpecker. Later in the summer, after what will hopefully be another successful breeding season, the young woodpeckers are more likely to be seen out in open searching the limestone grassland for ants or other insects.
More detailed information on the green woodpecker can be found on the RSPB website (site opens in a new window).
Redstart
The brightly coloured male redstarts certainly add a splash of colour to the area from late April onwards when they return from their African wintering grounds. Several males can be heard singing around the Cove each year, often from the tops of some of the tallest ash trees. Later in the year in June and July, when the adult birds spend more time collecting food for their young, superb views can be obtained as they regularly perch up in the bushes next to the viewpoint.
More detailed information on the redstart can be found on the RSPB website (site opens in a new window).
Other birds around Malham
A wide range of other birds are also likely to be encountered on a walk around Malham. The links below wil take you to further information on each species on the RSPB website (each opens in a new window).
On the walk up to the Cove keep a lookout for dippers and grey wagtails feeding on the beck whilst willow warblers and blackcaps can be seen and heard in adjacent woodland.
After seeing the peregrines, a bit of time spent around the viewpoint should also result in close up views of spotted flycatchers and great spotted woodpeckers, whilst house martins and swifts zoom overhead, going to and from their nest sites on the Cove face. Tawny owls also nest in the woodland but are difficult to see unless the young chicks decide to perch in the tops of the trees as they did in 2007!
If you decide to continue your walk onto higher ground, wheatears can be readily encountered flitting across the limestone countryside whilst sky larks will be heard singing early on in the season. It’s also worth listening out for the deep ‘kronking’ call of the raven as in recent years they are being seen more regularly in the Malham area.
For anyone wishing to undertake a longer walk, a circular route from the village up to Malham Tarn should be considered as great crested grebes and a variety of wildfowl may be seen. A number of species of wader are also found in this area including lapwing, curlew and redshank, and it is one of the best areas in the Dales for seeing yellow wagtails.
More locally relevant information on bird species that can be seen at Malham Cove and in the Yorkshire Dales can be found in the Nature in the Dales section of the website. Choose from the links below:
