Bumper year for breeding wader birds on Upper Lough Erne

Nine pairs of curlews were recorded on sites in County Fermanagh

Breeding waders have had one of their best years ever on Upper Lough Erne, with lapwing successfully breeding on Inishroosk after major habitat restoration by RSPB NI.

Snipe had their most successful year since 2019, with 66 pairs counted.

And redshank bred for a second consecutive year on land around Upper Lough Erne after being absent for five years.

The success showed the value of schemes to help farmers support threatened species, according to Seán Woods, the charity's conservation manager in the west of Northern Ireland.

Lapwing success

Under a previous support scheme, RSPB NI worked with a local farmer to clear a former conifer plantation on Inishroosk.

The site was restored, with wet grass and bird-friendly habitat created.

A lapwing nesting site was then discovered on the cleared field.

In total 55 pairs of lapwing were recorded across the area, the second highest number since monitoring began in 2011.

Lapwings, also known as peewits, live in wet grasslands but their population has been decreasing in recent decades

The charity works with up to 70 farmers on Upper and Lower Lough Erne to help them support nature.

This involved lowering hedges, clearing scrub, creating wet features and cutting rush in areas a conventional tractor would be unable to reach.

Mr Woods said the work the charity did with them went "above and beyond" agri-environment schemes, which was "crucial in terms of how we were able to see a response to the waders in the last few years".

"Without the farmers, these birds wouldn't exist," he said.

Curlew pair hatch three chicks

Curlew, which was once prolific around the Lough, held steady on the monitored sites with nine pairs recorded.

One pair hatched three chicks after a nest was successfully fenced off.

It was one of two nests discovered on farmland around Upper Lough Erne.

Sean Woods said it was a "significant achievement" for the species which is in decline.

Need for support

Conservation charities have called for clarity around nature support schemes for farmers.

RSPB NI Conservation Office Jonathan Pinnick said this year's breeding wader success showed the value of such schemes.

"The progress we're seeing for species like Lapwing and Snipe shows what can be achieved when conservationists and farmers work together to create space for nature.

"However, the sad fact is that nature here is in trouble, we risk losing some of our most iconic birds, but it is only with help of our farmers, and support from DAERA, like this, we can continue to turn things."