Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Shooting supports waders
Sporting estates are leading the way on wader conservation as the breeding season begins.
In the Angus glens lapwings are enjoying a good start to the season, with the first chicks spotted in the last week of April.
Further south in Yorkshire, keepers were busy marking out curlew nests to keep them safe from agricultural machinery. And figures have emerged showing that 90% of grouse
Right: moors hosted breeding pairs of curlew.
In Kent, one of the
UK’S most threatened birds is making a tentative comeback, thanks to a devoted gamekeepers’ programme of habitat improvement and predator control. Lapwings have suffered a 60% decline in the UK since 1970. But at Godmersham Park Estate in Kent, there are five pairs of the birds up from one pair in 2018.
Manager Ben Palmer told Shooting Times:
“Our motivation is simple – we are keen to maximise biodiversity on the estate. Habitat enhancements go some way to achieving that, but it is the hard work of our gamekeeper, Adam Horn, that delivers the productivity that we need to sustain and increase populations.
“This is not just for our wading birds but a wide range of red-listed species,” he added.
If you live in an area that has adders, they are starting to be more active. Make sure you know what to do if your dog receives an adder bite. Swift veterinary treatment is essential, but proper first aid can make a life or death difference, too.
Put out water for birds, whether it is for gamebirds or other wild species. It would not usually be a problem for them to find water at this time of year, but with the prolonged spell of dry weather all birds will be struggling. Shallow drinkers can be an invaluable resource if kept clean and topped up.