Adders Up events – spring 2024

24 June 2024
Blog by Sarah Ingwersen, Education and Engagement Officer

We have had a very busy spring with a variety of events for children, youth groups, volunteer surveyors, and professional surveyors. Through these events we have had the opportunity to meet people from across the North Pennines National Landscape and beyond to share knowledge and positive messages about adders in the North Pennines. We are noticing more records coming in to report adder sightings, which will help to inform conservation action. Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far in an Adders Up event. Here is a brief summary of what has happened in spring 2024:

Weardale Wildlife Group

On Saturday 27 April 2024 we met with Weardale Wildlife Group for a talk and walk event for the Adders Up project. Over 20 wildlife-keen people attended to learn more about adder ecology and the aims of the project. The sun was shining and we were able to get out and enjoy the spring weather while spotting suitable adder habitat.

Stanhope Barrington CofE Primary School

We had a fantastic day on 14 May 2024 with Reception and Year 1 children from Stanhope Barrington CofE Primary School learning about adders. We used the painted stones to discover more about adder identification, ecology, threats, and how we can help adders in the North Pennines National Landscape. We made adder key chains and explored Ashes Quarry, playing ‘If I was an adder’ to identify good habitat options. The children were keen to become adder advocates.

Cuthbert’s Moor volunteer survey

This was our first formal survey of the Durham Wildlife Trust-owned Cuthbert’s Moor, and the morning’s effort yielded some great results. Our group of volunteers quickly ‘got their eye in’ and were able to locate a total of five adult adders.

This result is extremely promising – especially given that we ran out of time before covering the entirety of this quite large reserve. It is likely that a good breeding population is present, so we look forward to returning in August and September when juveniles might be found. This is one of many sites we are hoping to survey within the North Pennines National Landscape, to build a better picture of distribution.

UTASS Youth Group

The UTASS Youth Group visited the North Pennines National Landscape’s Bowlees Visitor Centre on the evening of Thursday 6 June 2024. Staff from the North Pennines National Landscape who are working on the Adders Up project delivered a brief presentation covering topics including adder ecology and conservation. This was followed by a walk around Bowlees Farm to look for the types of habitats reptiles and amphibians might use. It was an enjoyable evening with some positive feedback from the group:

“I love snakes!”

“I learned a lot about adders.”

“Awesome walk! The midges were annoying but everything else was awesome.”

Adder-ation at Bowlees Visitor Centre

We had a wonderful afternoon on Sunday 26 May 2024 as part of North Pennines NatureFest 2024, at Bowlees Visitor Centre, learning about adders. The afternoon started with a presentation, titled Adders Up: It all adds up, and then moved into an interactive wet-felting craft session, making felted adders with Anna Osbourne. The group moved outside for an adder stone scavenger hunt finding positive messages about adders. Here is some feedback from the event:

“Absolutely fantastic session with so much information on adders and a chance to ask questions for both kids and adults. Hands-on felt session amazing for kids and adults. You’ve made two girls and one adult very happy! We will be back for other sessions in future, especially half terms/summer hols.”

“I love snakes! They are so cool!”

“It was such fun doing the felting. I loved the info session. The felting was absolutely 100% fun.”

“It was really, really fun! I definitely would come back to the same session!”

1st Stanhope Cubs and Scouts

It was fantastic to meet with the 1st Stanhope Cubs on Monday 17 June 2024. The children were keen to learn about adders and many of them had their own stories to share. We had a make-a-snake activity and searched out the adder stones and discussed their messages. They were keen to become adder advocates and to work towards their ‘Earth Tribe Award’. Here is some feedback from the event:

“Adders are awesome!”

“I was a bit nervous but now that I know more about them, I feel better.”

If you would like to find out more about upcoming events or if you would like to get involved, please contact Sarah Ingwersen, Education and Engagement Officer, or Henry Barrett, Conservation Officer, with the North Pennines National Landscape’s Adders Up project.