Birdsong could be drowned out by the sound of giant wind turbines on a Northumberland moor say protesters, who have now organised a special event to highlight the diversity of species which flock there.

Members of Save Our Unspoiled Landscape (Soul) who are fighting plans for six turbines at Barmoor, near Lowick, called in birdsong recording expert Geoff Sample to capture the sounds around the neighbouring Ford Moss, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The results will be played as part of a talk given by Wooler-based Geoff at the Lady Waterford Hall in Ford on February 6, to help raise money for Soul to be represented at the forthcoming public inquiry into the Barmoor application.

John Daniels, from Soul, said: "Geoff chose to record birdsong at Barmoor because it is so quiet with so little background noise.

"What is clear is that the Barmoor area is particularly rich in terms of species, and our real concern is that no-one really knows the impact these turbines will have on our wildlife.

"The problem here is that people go to places like this because of the diversity of wildlife, not to look at wind turbines, and we're afraid that this might be compromised."

Geoff has been recording and studying birdsong for almost 20 years, and is the author of five books on the subject.

He regularly collaborates with artists exploring sound in the natural world.

Among the species to be found in the vicinity are five different types of owl alone - tawny, barn, short-eared, long-eared and little owl.
The event includes, The Music of Birds and Dawn Chorus from Ford Moss to the Barbican, as well as an interval for refreshments. Tickets are £8 for adults, £4 for children, and are available from The Flower Room, Hide Hill, Berwick, Lowick Corner Shop and Essence of Beauty, Wooler.