Golden plover are one of our most charismatic and threatened upland species. The small population in Wales now represents the extreme south western edge of their breeding range. Upland designated sites within the North Wales Moors are a stronghold for most of the remaining breeding Golden Plover in Wales.
Credit image: RSPB-images.com
In Wales, golden plover breed on blanket bog, heath and acid grass habitats on unenclosed moorland, often sensitive and protected habitats in their own right. Various heights of vegetation is essential for golden plover as they require short sedge-like grass to place their nests, but they also need some longer grass which will be home to insects that the golden plover will feed on. This longer grass also provides cover for adults and chicks from predators. This mix of vegetation heights is not achieved by usual moorland management so direct intervention is needed.
We are now working in close partnership with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to agree management methods which don’t negatively impact on the sensitive habitats which golden plover nest within.
We have identified the best golden plover habitats, based on mapping the quality of the habitat, and identifying the presence of previous records of breeding golden plover. Using this information, we have been able to identify habitat management areas where cutting management will take place, and those areas where cutting will not take place. This will allow precision management to be undertaken, and allows areas to be better managed using livestock in future as cutting the vegetation will improve stock access. The sites which we managed were selected using the findings from this work.
As the habitat is sensitive and protected, in agreement with NRW, we are testing the affect of the cutting management on the vegetation itself by measuring the response of positive and negative plant indicator species which indicate when blanket bog is in favourable condition. The arising (the cut material) is removed from some of the most sensitive areas, so it does not smother the sphagnum moss or other characteristic peatland flora like bog rosemary and sundew.
Summer monitoring in 2014 revealed golden plover using these managed sites, and the first monitoring visit in April this year showed they are again showing an interest in the sites. Fingers crossed they'll breed! To find out more about this work please email martin.clift@rspb.org.uk or call 01248 672 850.