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Appeal for volunteers to watch over Ribble's rare birdsLast modified: 10 March 2010
An appeal has been issued to people in Lancashire to help safeguard some of the Ribble’s rarest wildlife, which will soon be returning to the marshes on the Ribble Estuary from Africa and southern Europe. Black-tailed godwits are tall elegant wading birds whose numbers are threatened across Europe, primarily due to habitat loss and persecution by egg collectors. Currently, fewer than 60 pairs of the long-legged birds breed in the whole of the UK and the godwits on the Ribble are the only ones that nest in north west England. For more than ten years, the RSPB has worked with Lancashire Police, Fylde Bird Club and local landowners, providing a 24-hour guard on their nests with the aim of deterring egg thieves. With just 1-2 pairs breeding on the marshes each year, godwit numbers have not been able to increase to a sustainable level. Last year, there was a breeding attempt but it was unsuccessful. Carol Coupe the RSPB’s Godwit Nest Watch co-ordinator said: “We were disappointed that last’s year’s breeding attempt failed but we are hopeful the godwits will return this year and breed successfully. “If this does happen we need to be ready to watch the nest around the clock, which is why we are asking for people to support us by giving a few hours of their time and volunteer for the nestwatch. With so few of these birds nesting in the whole of the UK, the Ribble Estuary birds need all the support we can give them.” If you would like to find out more about volunteering to help Lancashire’s black-tailed godwits, come along to the Ribble Discovery Centre, Fairhaven Lake, St Annes at 7pm on 22 March 2010, or contact Carol Coupe on 01524 581008 or e-mail carol.coupe@rspb.org.uk. |
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Curlew feeding in grassy field - Steve Round
Red admiral on Michaelmas daisy - Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
Bird illustrations by Mike Langman (RSPB)