This Volunteers Week, Thijs Claes, Curlew LIFE Project Officer, reflects on his amazing team of volunteers, and all the work that wouldn't be possible without them.
I take a short break from updating spreadsheets with survey efforts, nest and chick records and avian predator sightings. To stay focused, it was needed to put my phone on “silent” mode. The WhatsApp group of the Volunteer Monitoring Team is always firing through new records and interesting discoveries. I take a moment from the exciting breeding season to reflect on the importance of our volunteer team.
The first volunteer helping me out with some trail cameras was Joel. I remember it very well. Green as I was in the first breeding season, Joel and I spend quite some time looking for Curlew nests, armed with our map of historic curlew records. I dipped my toe in monitoring breeding Curlews, and it was great to have a passionate volunteer, and later good friend, to share this experience with. From then on, I was convinced the Curlew LIFE project at RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes could deliver a lot more with help from local volunteers.
I started with looking for two volunteers dedicated to check 13 camera traps across the reserve. They were installed to monitor the mammal predator activity throughout the 4-year project period. The guys doing this work deserve a special mention. Colin and Nolan, who was replaced by David in 2023, make sure the cameras are functioning correctly and enter the data every couple of weeks, without a miss. On Insh Marshes, that sometimes means literally facing wintery blizzards, icy floods, or scorching hot walks through difficult terrain. Thanks to their efforts, the reserve now has an incredibly detailed database filled with information on mammals across the reserve, including seasonal and daily activity patterns and some prey and productivity information.
When approaching the second breeding season in the spring of 2022. I tried my best to come across as an experienced surveyor. The reason? I was training four more local volunteers willing to give up their spare moments to help me look for curlew nests and chicks throughout the season. It’s an activity that requires more patience, dedication and luck than skill. Luckily my team turned out to have all of it. In the second season we found 16 Curlew nests, almost 250% more than the year before. It allowed us to start seeing pattern of nest density and hatching success appearing across the reserve and identify some of the factors decreasing the fledgling success of curlews on the reserve.
Furthermore, I also envisioned a Curlew LIFE internship, offering a brilliant opportunity to gain experience managing a project on a stunning reserve whilst delivering ground-breaking curlew conservation work. Callum was the first to take on the challenge. Thanks to his contribution, we managed to complete 64 avian predator surveys, allowing us to get a grasp on another element impacting curlew productivity. Callum also put his craftsmanship and charisma to use during our first “Curious Curlew Mornings”. Events designed for visitors and locals to come learn about Curlews, see them laying their nests and raise their broods throughout the breeding season. Corry McCurlew 2.0, is our well-beloved mascot, drawing attention in the streets of local communities during every World Curlew Day.
Curlew LIFE intern Martine demonstrating radiolocation technique to visitors on one of the Curlew Curlew Mornings at RSPB Insh Marshes. Corry McCurlew 2.0 is always present. RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes nature reserve.
2022 was a good year. The large amount of information gathered started drawing attention of other curlew monitoring and research project, and new opportunities for collaboration and more detailed monitoring emerged in 2023. But who is going to do all that work? You guessed it… some more amazing volunteers. The Curlew Volunteer Team has now outgrown the reserve management team by two-fold. They apply their wide variety of skills and knowledge to the Curlew LIFE project, delivering way more than I could ever have imagined. Martine for example, our intern this year, producing life-like replica curlew eggs and engaging more locals than ever before. Local independent journalists publishing photo stories about the project, and most importantly, we found 26 nests to monitor this year already!
I feel incredibly privileged to work with all these people offering their free time, skills and knowledge to improve the project and I am certain we will create more good memories and deliver even more results next year.
Keep an eye out for our events on http://www.curlewlife.org to meet some of our lovely volunteers and figure find out what else we have discovered about the Curlews breeding in the UK’s largest functioning floodplain at RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes. Or join the Curlew Volunteer team next year to discover what it is all about for yourself.
Thanks to all our volunteers: Joel, Chris, Morwenna, Nolan, Colin, David, Callum, Helen, Martine, Shirley, Kelly, Alan, Joana, Martin and Amanda, Luke, Adrian
Trainee warden Adrian improving curlew breeding habitat by removing shrub in late winter.
Main image: Aerial view of RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes nature reserve. Kate Stevenson