This post is from Claire, who worked over the summer monitoring the Lapwing breeding.
Over the last 3 months RSPB Loch Leven has provided the scene for drama, excitement and disaster. As the 2014 residential volunteer (lapwing assistant) I have been lucky enough to follow the wardens, Vicky and Tommy, as they monitor the breeding success of the reserves most handsome birds, the lapwings (Vanellus vanellus).
The season appeared to begin slowly. The first nesting attempt unfortunately failed within three days. Lots of mating displays, scrape building and amorous calls followed but no nesting attempts to be seen until 7th April when three nests were discovered.
Finding nests is a skill within itself. A keen eye and patience are required. Observing the way that individuals are acting is the first step. Do they look like they are acting sneakily? Do they keep returning to the same spot? Are they just resting or are they sitting on a nest? Very often individuals were showing signs of nesting behaviour but after watching them continuously for a period of time they would fly off and not return. This intensive observation was very rewarding though. Studying a particular species allows you to learn behaviour, begin to understand their calls and form an understanding of their preferred habitat. It also allowed for long periods of bird watching which resulted in several more ticks to my bird count list. This included the infamous Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) that has remained at the reserve for the entire period of my placement and can still be sighted.
The nest count began to quickly increase by the middle of April and by the end of the month 29 nests had been discovered as well as a little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) nest. Following the success of the little ringed plover pair in 2013, who managed to fledge two broods at the reserve, everyone was glad to see them return.
The beginning of May saw the first lapwing chicks hatch. Watching the little balls of fluff running about for the first time was incredibly exciting. Young or old, everyone can appreciate the wonder of seeing the first broods out in front of the hides.
Lapwing will only begin incubating their nest properly once a clutch of four eggs has been laid. This ensures that all chicks will hatch at the same time and be of a similar size allowing for better survival. However this year there was an exception to the rule. The two chicks pictured below are from the same brood but for most of the season remained completely different sizes. It was always a worry when the smallest chick was not spotted during the daily checks as they became quite an interesting brood to watch. Earning the names “Little and Large”, Little eventually grew and both chicks fledged at the end of June.
Sadly throughout June lapwing nests began to fail rapidly and despite our nesting count increasing, the number of nests failing began to dominate. Various ground and avian predators can be suspected such as crows (Corvus corone) and a frequently sighted fox (Vulpis vulpis) which made its way onto the reserve.
Another little ringed plover pair appeared at the reserve in May and began nesting. Unfortunately they continually chose precarious nest sites including the frequently plodded cow path and the small gravel island covered in nesting black headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus). The pair failed four times during incubation in four separate nesting sites but still nested a 5th time just before I finished my 3 month placement. Fingers crossed it is 5th time lucky! The first little ringed plover pair to nest managed to hatch a single chick but after a couple of days of visitors being able to watch the chick feeding very close to the Carden Hide, the chick sadly disappeared.
By the end of my stay at Loch Leven we had counted 52 lapwing nests with only 15 nests hatching. This may seem low but this is common for the species. The reserve is providing perfect habitat for nesting waders and if each breeding seasons can produce a handful of fledglings then the population will remain stable.
Alongside the lapwings and the persistent little ringed plovers we had a couple of nesting oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), a common gull (Larus canus) nest and plenty of squabbling black headed gull chicks. Various shoveler (Anas clypeata), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), coot (Fulica atra) and moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) broods could be spotted all over the reserve. One moorhen adult began rebuilding their nest while still feeding young in front of the Gilman hide. Moorhens can raise two broods of chicks, possibly three, and adopt an unconventional breeding tactic. The first-brood chicks help to feed their younger siblings from the second nest. This relieves the burden on their parents and allows some practice for their future breeding attempts. A few shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) broods successfully hatched as well. In one case there were two adults brooding nineteen chicks. Shelduck pairs will often crèche broods together for safety but occasionally one of the adult pairs will unceremoniously disappear leaving their chicks behind. We believe this unfortunately happened to this pair. The adults were very attentive though and still had all nineteen chicks after a fortnight from the first sighting.
As well as helping the wardens, I was also able to take part in the surveys that are undertaken by the regular volunteers. There is moth trapping twice a week which allowed me to see a variety of species I had never witnessed before including some very impressive Elephant Hawk-moths (Deilephila elpenor) and the Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) (pictured below). Within the first couple of weeks we found a Pale Pinion (Lithophane social) which is unusual in the area.
Another regular survey undertaken by the volunteers is a butterfly and bee survey. The early bumblebee (Bombus pratoru) and the common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum) were showing well amongst the fast growing vegetation. Down at the education ponds beside the Gilman hide large red damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) were basking in the sun.
Spend a day at Loch Leven and you will be most certainly rewarded. Though the breeding season is slowing down and the birds are beginning to molt there is still plenty to see at the reserve. The swallows (Hirundo rustica) nesting in the visitor centre are constantly zipping around the courtyard. Young swallows can be watched around the hides waiting for food laden adults. Peregrine juveniles (Falco peregrinus) have been spotted getting flying lessons on the cliff behind the visitor centre. An elusive kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), who I was lucky enough to see right in front of the Gilman hide, is still popping in and out to use the pools.
Even if the weather is terrible and the birds are hiding, the café has the world’s best apple and cinnamon scones and unrivaled views over the loch. RSPB Loch Leven is most definitely worth traveling miles for.