Operation Lapwing

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Operation Lapwing: 2007 winner

Steve Mumford (L) receiving his plaque from Bill Jordan, Chairman of Jordans Cereals
Steve Mumford receives his prize from Bill Jordan

Operation Lapwing aims to support the conservation work of many farmers and encourage others to take action for lapwings on farmland across the UK. This involves an annual competition to reward the very best examples of lapwing-friendly management and identify a Lapwing Champion.

During 2007, there were 300 participants and more than 135 pairs of lapwings bred on the seven farms that progressed to the final. However, Steve Mumford, who farms nears Kings Lynn in Norfolk, won the title of Lapwing Champion for 2007 (and received £1,000 for his troubles).

Steve manages the farm to provide nesting and feeding sites for lapwings and all cropping decisions are based on the birds as well as economics. Steve harvests all year round so has fields suitable for nesting throughout the breeding season. Some fields can be left fallow for longer if they attract high numbers of nesting lapwings. Three fields have been converted back to pasture, where Steve is trialling the most appropriate grazing and wetting regimes to benefit lapwings. 

Chemicals are used sparingly, resulting in high numbers of lapwing prey items, while nest sites are marked and avoided during cultivation operations. As a result of the work, lapwing numbers on the farm have jumped from 30 pairs in 2002 to 54 pairs this year.

Rob Wainwright, who farms on Coll, came second, and won £500. Rob, who farms organically, has reintroduced spring-cropped oats and barley, and switched from sheep-dominated to a mixture of sheep and cattle to graze on the 1,200 ha farm in Argyll. The spring crops next to wet grassland are very popular with nesting lapwings. He successfully combines lapwing habitat management (requiring short swards) with corncrake management (requiring tall swards).

Henry Edmunds came third, and won £250. Henry has a mixed organic estate in Hampshire where lapwings nest in spring crops and on fallow plots. The spring crops are adjacent to areas of grazed chalk downland, providing an ideal combination of nesting and feeding habitat.

All three farmers supplement their habitat management with some form of predator control, depending on the circumstances on their farm.

The project is sponsored by Jordans Cereals. Both the RSPB and Jordans Cereals are delighted to be working together to promote wildlife-friendly farming techniques.

For more information, please e-mail: lapwings@rspb.org.uk or telephone 01767 680551.

Last modified: 03 September 2007

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