Huge boost beckons for wildlife in Northumberland as Wildlife Trusts swoop for bird-rich Rothbury Estate

                                                      

The huge Rothbury Estate boasts many magnificent views 

THE Wildlife Trusts have hit their £30-million target to purchase the expansive Rothbury Estate in Northumberland.

That has opened the chapter for a host of nature conservation initiatives including the introduction of Golden Eagles and . . .  European Bison.

This heart-shaped estate, stretching over 3,800 hectares, holds spectacular views, hidden valleys and rivers alive with birds, fish and invertebrates 

The Simonside Hills, famed for their rugged beauty, offer spectacular views across the Coquet Valley and all the way to the North Sea. 

The estate had been in the ownership of the Percy family - the Dukes of Northumberland -  for almost eight centuries and now it is in the care of The Wildlife Trusts for the benefit of people and wildlife. 

Breeding birds include Skylark, Cuckoo and Merlin, plus, in the riverside woodlands, Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher.                                                                         

Shaped like a heart, the estate hosts breeding Curlews, Skylarks and many  songbirds