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The RSPB on the Lagan

11 August 2009

The woods, meadows, wetlands, parks and farms along the Lagan are alive with wildlife. 

The incredible variety includes many of the most endangered birds in the UK and Ireland. We’re working to protect these birds and other wildlife to prevent further declines and make the Park a safe place for them to feed and breed.

A helping hand

Laganscape, the Lagan Valley Regional Park’s co-ordinating body, and its many stakeholders, is engaged in a major bird conservation programme with the RSPB, supported by the Lottery Fund.

A survey was carried out to identify the birds in the park and find out if any of them need protection. We developed a plan for their recovery and our aim is to improve prospects for vulnerable birds by using simple methods easily put in place by the Park's partners, including homeowners, farmers and councils.

'The incredible variety includes many of the most endangered birds in the UK and Ireland.' 

The recovery project will run from 2009-12 and involves selecting locations for nestboxes, choosing specialised nestboxes and tunnels for each species and organising their construction and installation.

Ongoing work includes surveys to identify future nestbox locations, monitoring progress, protecting sites and relocating boxes where necessary. 

Park rangers and volunteers are working with local landowners, builders and homeowners in environments ranging from woodlands to wetlands and waterfronts, old buildings and water meadows. Close to 140 nestboxes and nest tunnels will be installed by 2012.

In addition, two hectares of ’giant bird tables' will be planted.

A giant bird table?

Let us explain. They're large areas which have been sown with seed-rich plants such as oats, barley, flax and wildflowers. Instead of being harvested, they're left over the winter to create pockets of seed rich areas that birds like linnets, tree sparrows and yellowhammers can eat during the coldest months of the year when food is scarce.

Long grasses also provide food and shelter for many small animals that barn owls eat. The wildflowers attract insects which in turn feed the swallows and swifts over the summer.

We'll review the seed mix and planting methods to make sure we get the best results and continue to assess locations. You can check out our wild meadows at Laganlands East, Lagan Meadows and McIlroy Park.

Taking action

Here's a list of what we have done so far:

• We've installed nestboxes for swifts under the eaves of our Belvoir Park HQ.
• Installed nestboxes for lots of other birds.
• Bird table plantings are well underway.

We've also found the following birds in the park. 'Species recovery action plans' have been created and are being carried out for each one. Click on the birds to find out more about them including their conservation status of red, amber and green, flagging up whether it is of high, medium or low conservation concern. 

Barn owl With heart-shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white underparts, the barn owl is a distinctive and much-loved countryside bird. Widely distributed across the UK, and indeed the world, this bird ... More...

Kingfisher Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds of slow moving or still water. They fly rapidly, low over water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the w... More...

Linnet A small, slim finch, widely distributed, and once very popular as a cage bird because of its melodious song. Males are attractively marked with crimson foreheads and breasts, females much browner. It ... More...

Reed bunting Sparrow-sized but slim and with a long, deeply notched tail, the male has a black head, white collar and a drooping moustache. Females and winter males have a streaked head. In flight the tail looks b... More...

Skylark The skylark is a small brown bird, somewhat larger than a sparrow but smaller than a starling. It is streaky brown with a small crest, which can be raised when the bird is excited or alarmed, and a wh... More...

Spotted flycatcher At first glance, spotted flycatchers might seen dull brownish-grey and - well - a bit boring. It's better to think of them as beautiful in an understated way. Watch them for a short period and you'll ... More...

Swift The swift is a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flier. It evens sleeps on the wing! It is plain sooty brown, but in flight against the sky it appears black. It has long, scythe-like wings a... More...

Tree sparrow Smaller than a house sparrow and more active, with its tail almost permanently cocked. It has a chestnut brown head and nape (rather than grey), and white cheeks and collar with a contrasting black ch... More...

Yellowhammer Males are unmistakeable with a bright yellow head and underparts, brown back streaked with black, and chestnut rump. In flight it shows white outer tail feathers. Often seen perched on top of a hedge ... More...