Among the ways farmers can be incentivised to engage in environmental schemes, through the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) they can receive payments for creating areas of habitat for birds.
Of all farmland birds, waders are among those experiencing the steepest declines in their population. For some species, this is masked by the arrival of migratory birds during the winter to Ireland.
The breeding populations of curlew, redshank, lapwing and golden plover are exhibiting worrying declines.
The causes of these declines are mixed, but include habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, predation, and disturbance.
The co-operation stream of ACRES can help address some of these issues affecting birds through:
- Wader scorecards, which are already in use on fields in known wader hotspots, and rewards and incentivises farmers for delivering wader friendly management;
- Wader requirements, that will be incorporated into the screening of proposed actions in these areas;
- Landscape actions, which will include support for these species through the provision and enhancement of habitats. These will include the provision of wader scrapes and the management of scrub in wader nesting areas.
This scorecard is to be used in fields within known breeding wader hotspots or fields where there is evidence of breeding waders present between March and July, the main breeding season.
Wader scrapes
Wader scrapes are shallow pools, often no more than 20cm deep with gently sloping sides, in some cases they dry up in mid-summer, weather depending.
Wader scrapes can add the following benefits to the farmland:
- Add biodiversity to the habitat;
- Attract a range of invertebrates, a food source for many birds feeding their chicks;
- In the winter they may attract wintering waders;
- In the spring, frogs will spawn in them and in summer, they may provide feeding opportunities for wader chicks;
- In certain settings, a network of these shallow pools may also provide increased resilience against spring wildfires.
Previously trialled by the Hen Harrier Project in recent years on farms, the pictures below show wader scrapes established on cutover bog in Co. Limerick.
Within one year, these wader scrapes were being utilised by wintering birds and by year two, lapwing were observed on site during the breeding season.
While proof of successful breeding is not available, their presence during the breeding season indicates possible breeding at this location.
To confirm if breeding is taking place, ACRES staff will increase monitoring of birds at sites like this from next year.
Over the winter, the ACRES staff aim to remove scrub from the boundary of the site to decrease cover for predators and increase the attractiveness of the site to wader species.
In its latest update, the ACRES statement said: “We hope to roll out more targeted interventions to support wildlife over the coming years.”
Land management
Grazing by cattle is the most effective way to produce the desired diverse sward height beneficial for breeding waders.
Stocking density is a critical factor in managing the sward structure.
To achieve favourable conditions for the breeding season and receive a good score, stock should be kept on site at low densities during the weeks and months prior to mid-March.
This will help create the ideal sward height for the start of the breeding season.
However, to avoid trampling of nests during the breeding season (mid-March – late June) the maximum stocking density should not exceed 1LU/ha during this period.
It may be adjusted within this limit depending on the prevailing ground conditions, e.g., early grass growth may be restricted due to cold weather, and stocking rates should be reduced to reflect this.
The rate can be increased (up to 1LU/ha) when normal grass growth resumes.
Topping of the sward during the spring, before March 15, may also be an option where conditions permit and where late season management was not undertaken due to poor ground conditions.
Topping/machinery operations after March 15 will incur significant loss to the ACRES score.