Working with the RSPB’s Curlew LIFE project

Walking beside the Menai straits in winter, gazing out across the expansive mudflats, you might see the distinctive silhouette of a curlew. Long legs, plump body and a large, elegant, curved bill, make it stand out from the crowd of wading birds. Their charm is undeniable and their presence a pleasure through the long winter months.

However sadly, this presence is threatened. The curlew, once a common sight throughout our wetlands and farmlands, has been declining for decades, placing it firmly on the ever growing UK red list. With only half as many breeding pairs as 25 years ago and their numbers dropping, the future for this species is uncertain. With the UK supporting around a quarter of the world’s breeding population, what happens on our island will shape this species’ future.

However, hope is not lost. The RSPB has experience in helping return species from the brink of extinction. The red kites soaring above Eryri once again, are a testament to the work of RSPB and partners over many years of intense focused conservation. Their iconic forked tail, almost lost to memory. Disappearing from all of the UK but the remotest corners of Wales, where a couple of breeding pairs clung on. Thankfully this wasn’t the end of their story, and it doesn’t have to be for Curlews either. This is why we are thrilled to be a part of the RSPB’s Curlew LIFE project.

Llun / image: Jake Stephens

So far our volunteers have helped protect one of their last remaining nesting sites in North Wales by clearing encroaching conifers. This work is essential as curlew breeding is the sticking point in their recovery, as loss of suitable breeding habitat and nest predation are stopping curlew numbers from recovering. Maintaining these nesting sites is of the utmost importance if curlews are going to recover.

We are looking forward to supporting the Curlew LIFE project in whatever way we can. This spring the Snowdonia Society conservation team will be helping monitor their nesting sites, alongside RSPB volunteers and staff. Weekly surveys will allow accurate data to be collected on curlew numbers and nest locations. This data will directly inform curlew protection, from habitat plans and nest protection to informing influential policy. To find out more, or sign up, click on the link. Hopefully, years from now, we will still be able to look across those mudflats and see that familiar silhouette.