A new wetland for waders at Airds Moss

Last winter we wrote about our plans for the creation of a new wetland area at Airds Moss, funded by the Nature Restoration Fund. The wetland forms part of the work we are doing to manage the nature reserve for some of our key priority ground nesting waders, such as Curlew and Lapwing. We wanted to create a new wetland with a mixture of pools, islands and scrapes, designed in a way that we could manage the water levels manually. This way we could maximise the area for potential nesting sites during the breeding season, while also allowing access for grazing and machinery at different times of year. Wetland areas have been disappearing across the UK and are increasingly vulnerable to drying out caused by climate change.

We are pleased to say it has been a busy autumn/winter at Airds Moss and our new wetland is now finished!

The before and after shots show just how big a difference the new wetlands make to the nature reserve. Credit: Tim Lill

The work began at the start of November and over the next 4 weeks we battled both torrential rain and freezing temperatures to get the work done. To guarantee that everything worked as we planned, we had to ensure that all the new infrastructure was put in at exactly the right levels for the wetland to work and give us control over the water levels. We installed three new bunds with water control features, dug a foot drain which connects and runs through the area, dug out lower-lying areas and created islands from spoil. All this has helped develop a varied mosaic of habitat features.

Installing the new pipe that will allow us to control the water levels. Credit: Tim Lill

The new foot drain will carry water through to fill the new wetland. Credit: Katie Horton

We are really pleased with the result, and we are already seeing the area attract wildlife, with Teal enjoying the new pools, Snipe and Jack Snipe foraging along the wetland edges, and we now have a flock of Lapwing using the area daily which we hope will stay with us into the spring. Having more control over the water levels now means we can hopefully hold water right through the breeding season, when normally these wet features become increasingly scarce within the wider landscape and give the wildlife the best chance of success in the spring.

This project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Header image shows a Curlew in flight, by Christine Hall.