These Teenage Twites were photographed at Lodes Lane, near Dove Holes Quarry, earlier this year and are a great indicator that this rare species is breeding at the site. Twites are not very exciting to look at and have declined rapidly in the 20th Century.
At Dove Holes we have about 5% of the breeding population and with advice from the RSPB have restored a flower rich hay meadow to encourage more flowers to provide the seeds for the young chicks. Thanks to Peter Welch, local bird watcher, who is helping to monitor the birds and took this photograph.