Full, five-visit breeding monitoring surveys carried out in 2007 and 2008 covered between 60 and 70 square kilometres, involving between 1,850 and 2,000 fields across about 160 farms.
In 2007, the baseline year, 88 breeding pairs were found, to the north and south of Mynydd Hiraethog, but only 14 large young were located. As most of these birds and young were found to the south of Mynydd Hiraethog, it was decided to concentrate the project in this area.
In 2008, in this smaller area, 80 pairs were found (a slight increase, in the same area) and 30 large young. In addition to the breeding lapwings and their chicks, a wide range of information is recorded on habitat characteristics, livestock and predatory bird numbers,.
The Countryside Council for Wales provides some funding towards the costs of monitoring, for which we are grateful. During the winter of 2007/8 a large amount of habitat management took place in core lapwing breeding areas.
This consisted of the following: Half a square kilometre of rush cutting to improve nesting areas; the provision of 125 small, shallow pools and the re-profiling of 2400m of ditches (making edges less steep, but leaving some steeper banks for water voles) to provide more chick feeding areas, mostly carried out by local contractors; the coppicing or pollarding of more than 500 trees and bushes to reduce the potential impact of predators (perching, nesting or hiding places), carried out by farmers and local contractors.
In addition to the RSPB's own money, additional funding was gratefully received from Conwy County Borough Council (EU Objective 1) and Environment Agency Wales, who continue to support the project. Further habitat management was carried out in the winter of 2008/9, as follows:
- Half a square kilometre of rush cutting, carried out by farmers and local contractors, as well as by contracted specialised low-ground-pressure machinery;
- Half a square kilometre of damp grassland received additional autumn cattle grazing to create a more attractive ground surface for nesting birds;
- A further seven small, shallow pools were excavated;
- Across both years, this work took place in 61 fields (totalling about 3.5 square kilometres) on 12 farms. Although it is too soon to say how effective our efforts have been, especially when ‘external' factors are taken into account (eg weather conditions, predation, etc.) early signs are encouraging. None of the above could have taken place without a great deal of co-operation and goodwill from the farmers.
The role of farmers in maintaining some areas in attractive condition, without the need for additional work, is also gratefully acknowledged. Staff from the local Tir Gofal teams have also been particularly helpful, as have staff from the National Trust's Ysbyty Estate and the Snowdonia National Park Authority.