THE lush meadows of Teesdale will soon be experiencing a baby boom, as thousands of eggs laid by upland nesting birds hatch out this month. The North Pennines, which includes Teesdale, is home to an incredible 10,000 pairs of breeding wading birds each spring, attracted to the area by the traditional management of the land.

The number of birds makes the area a vital hotspot for these birds, which are declining elsewhere in the UK.

However, cold and wet weather in May in recent years has proved to be a death sentence for many wader chicks. Conservationists are now hoping for fine weather this year to give the tiny chicks of birds such as lapwing, curlew, redshank and snipe a chance of survival.

Heather McCarty of English Nature's Natural Links project said: "Upper Teesdale is a wonderful and very special place but some people may not realise what a wildlife jewel lies in their midst. This year we want to give people a chance to find out more about this fabulous area."

To give people an opportunity to experience the spring-time spectacle, experts from English Nature and The RSPB are organising a free event on Sunday for people to check out the chicks' and find out more about the wonderful wading birds of Teesdale. The Wader Watch & Moorland Safaris' event is open to everyone and will be taking place in the showfield next to the Langdon Beck Hotel between 10.30am and 3.30pm and everyone is invited to call in at any time during the day. There will be an events marquee with crafts and games for children, displays and information throughout the day.

Guided walks will take place at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm to look at the birds and other wildlife to be found on Moor House, English Nature's Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve. The leisurely walks will last about an hour and will give people the chance to see a variety of birds, including lapwings and curlew.

A minibus safari' will set off at 2pm to see the birds and their surroundings from the comfort of a minibus.

Refreshments will be available at the Langdon Beck Hotel, which will be open throughout the day. The Langdon Beck Hotel is situated on the B6277 Barnard Castle to Alston road.

English Nature's Natural Links project celebrates Moor House Upper Teesdale's National Nature Reserve. The project, which is working with visitors and local communities, is partly funded by a Your Heritage' Lottery Grant.