This year I was
lucky enough to start as an intern with BirdWatch Ireland. One of my first
tasks was to help get the predator proof fence on Inishee up and running. I’d
heard a lot about this fence and its success, so was really excited to get an
opportunity to work on it. There was a very late spring flood this year which
meant that work on the fence was delayed. We couldn’t begin until the flood
dropped which wasn’t until the first week of May.
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| Volunteers working on the fence© K. Bismilla |
We had a great
bunch of enthusiastic volunteers this year. Everyone worked really well
together and were in high spirits despite the horrible working weather! The
late start on the fence meant that we were lucky enough to see some of
Ireland’s rarest breeding birds up close. It was great becoming familiar with
their distinctive calls and a real highlight was getting to see Lapwing and
Redshank nests and chicks. I was amazed at how well camouflaged Lapwing chicks
are and how still they keep in order to avoid being detected by predators.
Great care had to be taken when walking around the island to avoid stepping on
one!
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Rowing volunteers onto Island (©
K. Bismilla)
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We had been
working for only a few days when the torrential rain started to fall causing
the river to flood once more. The river level rose so fast! One morning we
arrived on the island and I was shocked to see that part of the fence that we
had been working on the afternoon before was now completely submerged in water.
The rising flood meant that we had to abandon work by the end of the week,
leaving some of the gaps open.
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Trampling vegetation (© K. Bismilla)
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Once the flooding
receded myself and another volunteer went back to finish the little bit of work
left and finally the birds were protected. A couple of weeks later the pair of
us were back on the island carrying out vegetation control. The spell of warm
weather made the work enjoyable and we were lucky to see more Lapwing chicks
and fledglings. We were also delighted to see two pairs of breeding Curlew and
a couple of drumming Snipe.
Unfortunately,
flooding meant that normal breeding wader population and productivity
monitoring in the Callows was not carried out this year. Many birds were
displaced by the flood causing them to give up on breeding. This would have
made the results incomparable to previous years and wouldn’t have given us any
indication as to how the population is faring. However, we did keep an eye on
Inishee as much as possible and we know that thirteen pairs of Lapwing successfully
hatched chicks and we know that three fledged chicks. We also know that there
were four pairs of Redshank, two pairs
of Snipe and two pairs of Curlew with chicks. This is a great result given the
year that was in it.
We will be back
on the island next week to open the gaps and carry out some more vegetation control.
Thanks to all the volunteers who have helped out this summer and to those who
are going to help out next week. Hopefully we will have some good weather!
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© K. Bismilla
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© K. Bismilla
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Over the summer
we visited the other sites and I have to say the farmland in the Callows is really
lovely. I was very impressed to see such a rich floral diversity in the
meadows. Coming across beautiful orchids was a real highlight!
On a late June
visit to Inchinalee (where the new predator fence has been erected) we saw two
pairs of Lapwing, one of which had successfully fledged a chick, and seven pairs
of Redshank. We were surprised to also find a Lapwing nest so late in the
season.
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New feeding habitat on Inchinalee (©
K. Bismilla)
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This year for the
first time ever there were no Corncrake heard in the Callows. This devastating
news has really saddened the locals, farmers and all of us here at BirdWatch
Ireland.
Working with
BirdWatch Ireland in Banagher has been a fantastic experience and what was particularly nice was getting to
meet the farmers involved in the Breeding Wader Grant Scheme. Really lovely
people who without a doubt care about the survival of our rare breeding waders.
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Lapwing and chick © R. Kennedy, RSPB
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Hopefully
next year will bring more favorable weather for breeding waders!
