September 2014 – issue 19

Belfast WOW construction underway at last - WOW We are delighted to announce that contractors from Dixons of have been on site since the 1 August. Foundations have been marked out for the new office space and community room. From now until the proposed completion date in mid December, regular update meetings will be held between staff, the project managers and contractors. Work is ongoing on our marketing plan and new interpretation. It is going to be a busy few months ahead but we look forward to the completion of our new improved facilities.

Exciting new role in the pipeline - Belfast WOW Recruitment is underway for a Visitor Experience Officer (VEO). The appointment of this new staff member will help us deliver a high quality visitor experience so that all visitors feel welcomed, valued and better connected with nature. The VEO will also help promote a better understanding of and its wildlife, conservation and the wider work of the RSPB to members and supporters, the general tourism market, educational, community and business sectors. There has been a lot of interest in this exciting role and we aim to appoint someone by late September.

Mixed fortunes for breeding birds – Belfast Harbour The observation room may have been closed over recent months but habitat management and monitoring has gone on as normal. Sadly no breeding lapwing were recorded and there were few breeding ducks, coots and moorhen. On the positive side, 475 pairs of black headed gulls were recorded, an increase of 100 pairs since last year. Common terns proved difficult to monitor, however there were 200 pairs at peak count; figures were down on last season.

Moth trapping reveals interesting species – Belfast Harbour A new programme of moth trapping at the reserve recorded 24 species including the Poplar Hawk Moth.

Volunteers and trainees gain valuable work experience – Belfast Harbour Long-term volunteer Monika Wojcieszek will soon complete a short contract as Assistant Warden. Monika proved to be a tremendous asset to the reserve where she has gained experience in practical habitat and volunteer management. In addition Philip Carson has just completed a one year placement with RSPB, mainly based at Belfast Harbour. Philip was recently successful in his application to become our new Conservation Advisor based at NIHQ.

Success for waders, Irish lady’s tresses orchids and pennyroyal – Lough Beg 2014 is set to become one of our best years for the Lough Beg ASSI following our consistent effort to develop and implement the Lough Beg Management Plan across the area. Breeding wader numbers continue to grow, with 60 lapwing in the reserve area, 20 pairs of snipe, 13 pairs of redshank and 2 pairs of curlew. This year’s count of Irish lady’s tresses orchids within our management area alone produced more than

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340 spikes. In addition, during surveys on the Lough Beg Intake and NNR in May, the sites were described by staff to be “absolutely covered in pennyroyal - the stuff seemed to be everywhere”. One of the highest counts ever for black-tailed godwits was recorded on April 12th with over 1,000 birds in the air above Paddy’s Dubh as they used the site on their spring migration.

Invertebrate monitoring at Lough Beg investigates flooding impact – Lough Beg An informal and exploratory investigation for soil-borne invertebrates was carried out at the Lough Beg Intake in spring 2014. The results are likely to confirm that the vast majority of invertebrate availability and biomass for birds is surface dwelling. This work was carried out as we aim to understand more fully the impact, if any, prolonged flooding may be having on invertebrates in the soil.

Hydrological management report prepared for Lough Beg – Lough Beg The RSPB has prepared a report on the water levels of Lough Beg and proposed a water level management plan for the site, to prevent spring and summer flooding therefore removing the risk to ground nesting birds. The report was submitted to Rivers Agency in May 2014 and took three years to complete as we studied conditions at the site. The RSPB report - Hydrological and Hydraulic Aspects of Spring and Summer Flooding at Lough Beg - aims to help us understand if a system of balancing flows and associated waters can be achieved to maintain levels in Lough Beg below 11.8 m in early April and achieve a very gradual reduction to below 11.7m by the end of June, therefore maintaining a water level that allows waders to breed successfully and farmers to put stock out to graze.

Orchid walk a success despite the downpours – Lough Beg We held another successful guided walk at the Lough Beg Intake area in early August, where approximately 30 people joined us to see the annual display of Irish lady’s tresses orchids. A grey day of constant heavy rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of those attending and the walk was fully booked with some visitors travelling from England especially for the event!

Decision makers impressed by visits to reserve – Lough Beg We recently held meetings with the All Party Group on Country Sports at Stormont, and continued to meet local MLAs on site, including Ian Milne (SF), Pam Cameron (DUP), and Patsy McGlone (SDLP) to discuss the restorative work taking place. They have all been impressed with our work in this area and how our approach has seen an ASSI begin to recover following an unfavourable condition report issued by NIEA in 2008.

Local children learn about our work in their area – Lough Beg We received final figures from our colleagues in the education team to confirm that the RSPB delivered a very successful Schools Project earlier in the year to 26 schools around the Lough, delivering landscape-scale conservation messages to over 800 local school children. This approach was part of a partnership between the RSPB and the Lough Neagh Partnership.

Lough Beg National Nature Reserve – Lough Beg Negotiations have continued with the Environment Agency (NIEA) to attempt to have a management agreement in place for the Lough Beg NNR that is fit for purpose, is sustainable and ensures favourable condition for the ASSI long-term. The intervention management that the RSPB has led on at Lough Beg now needs a

2 long-term solution to ensure landowners can continue to maintain the site and its features effectively (breeding waders, Irish lady’s tresses orchids, pennyroyal etc). We have assisted NIEA staff to draft a management plan that can be aligned with future management.

Reserves and landscape-scale conservation - Rebuilding the Countryside We have prepared and agreed a vision for our landscape-scale approach in the Lough Neagh area. This was presented to the Land Acquisition Group (LAG) earlier in the year, and received their support. LAG felt that the approach being taken at Lough Beg is an example of how our Futurescapes programme should look. In addition, an assessment carried out by the Land Management Group (LMG) at HQ – looking at the place of reserves in landscape-scale conservation - linkages between RSPB reserves and Futurescapes - rated the Lough Neagh and Lough Erne Futurescapes among the highest priority for the RSPB. This essentially means that within these two areas, the RSPB can identify reserves that are/could be most critical for achieving our reserve management plan ambitions, and translation into the wider landscape.

Partnership working – Rebuilding the Countryside We continue to build an effective and strategic partnership with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to deliver reserves and landscape-scale conservation in the Lough Neagh area. This has included exploring options for partnership projects with NIEA. One project that is developing is the Lough Neagh Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded by HLF and led by the local Lough Neagh Partnership. We joined the committee to oversee this project in June 2014. This will help deliver a vision of holistic management around Lough Neagh, adding value to the Lough Neagh ASSI. The RSPB will continue to lead on landscape-scale conservation of wet grassland and peatland in the area, while working in partnership with others to shape approaches for other equally important habitats, such as wet woodland.

A partnership approach between the RSPB, Planning Service, NIEA and a local peat extraction company has resulted in an agreed restoration plan being put in place for a peat extraction site east of Lough Beg, once again building the landscape-scale approach from this area. The restoration plan will remain in place while extraction ends, and will be delivered by the extraction company as part of the existing plan in ten years time.

Habitat restoration at Newferry – Rebuilding the Countryside Following the drain blocking and scrub control that was carried out by the peat extraction company at Newferry (north of Lough Beg) last year, water levels appear to have remained at surface level to re-wet the peat. This should start to provide the opportunity to re-introduce Sphagnum so that this, and other plants, can begin to re- colonise the site. Our aim is to continue to monitor progress and gather information that will inform the restoration of the whole site at Newferry. In addition, this should help to inform the habitat restoration potential of similar peatland sites in the wider Lough Neagh area.

Following the scrub removal, drain blocking and increased water levels, and the rush cutting/removal carried out in 2013, up to four lapwing arrived to breed on the small section of restored peatland in 2014. It is believed that young lapwing were reared here this year, given the presence of birds throughout the breeding season. Further observation will be made in 2015 to ascertain if the species is establishing.

Reserves and landscape-scale conservation delivering ecosystem services in the south Lough Neagh area – Rebuilding the Countryside

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As part of our targeted approach to reserves and landscape-scale conservation in the south Lough Neagh area, we are working with colleagues across teams to develop and implement a Health & Nature ecosystem service programme. We aim to have our work in the south Lough Neagh area measured for its Natural Capital (what it does for people and their health and well being) and have the results presented to government to support our calls for more to be done to join up approaches for health and the environment.

New ways of working - business plan for machinery operation Rebuilding the Countryside We secured the support of Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) to prepare a business plan that looks at our machinery resource in the Lough Neagh area, and matches it with the capacity for us to provide a machinery operation on our own sites, and under contract to others. The plan has been approved under Invest NI’s Social Entrepreneurship Programme. We wish to offer our skills and expertise to manage wetland habitats and carry out other duties that match our skills and expertise in this area. This will include developing the operation alongside the RSPB Biomass to Bio- energy initiatives. Next steps for us are to consult with RSPB colleagues to finalise the trading structures that the machinery operation will follow, ahead of putting this business plan in to operation to deliver our core objectives whilst raising valuable funds for our work where we can.

Award-winning project on the Garron Plateau – Rebuilding the Countryside Working with colleagues in conservation we initiated a partnership with NI Water to restore part of the Garron Plateau ASSI in Co Antrim, while delivering a Sustainable Catchment Management Programme (SCaMP). A management plan was prepared and is being implemented by NI Water, including lowering the grazing levels and blocking drains in the deep peat on their land. Our partnership approach with NI Water was recognised in May 2014 when the project won the Business in the Community Biodiversity Awards at a ceremony held at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

Lighthouse work delayed – Rathlin The proposed refurbishment of the West Lighthouse Seabird Centre has been delayed as it took longer to secure planning permission and procure a contractor than originally envisaged. The Commissioners of Irish Lights has informed RSPB that planning permission has now been secured and a contractor appointed. It is estimated that the builders will go on site towards the end of August/beginning of September. Buses have still been taking visitors to the lighthouse, but overall visitor numbers seem low. NIEA have a barrier on site for closing the road when work commences.

Walkers, film crews and cruise passengers enjoy summer visits – Rathlin The programme of eight walks to Roonivoolin has been largely popular bringing in an income of £280. Two other requested walks have netted £40.00 and a further walk with University of the Third Age is booked for later in August with donations expected. Three cruise ships visited the Island, Mike Dilger filmed Irish hares for the BBC’s One Show and a group of forty animators came to assess Rathlin’s potential as a base for a new children’s book and possible TV show, ‘Puffin Rock’.

Calling corncrake heard at last but.....Rathlin One hundred tons of mushroom compost was transported to the Island and the nettle and game crop planting completed. The early cover in all the fields was impressive this year and after all the hard work of recent years, on May 22nd, we had a calling male crake in one of the early cover plots! Over the next eleven days there was much

4 excitement and talk, both on and off the Island and in the media about this good news. Sadly this came to an abrupt end when, on June 1st, a private helicopter landed right in the middle of the uncropped hayfield the bird was calling from. We asked them to leave immediately but the disturbance was too much and crake was displaced and not heard again, despite playing recordings to rouse a response. This was the first year in over thirty years (albeit for eleven days), that corncrake and chough were present on the island at the same time.

Another successful chough season – Rathlin More success with our chough, after monitoring them closely over the season we can report that three young were fledged on June 10th. Two attempts were made to catch the birds with mist nets and lures - once with the adults and once when the young were fledged. They were very interested and agitated by the lures but were too cautious to come close. The family of five continue to be seen travelling all over the island to their favoured feeding sites.

More success for skua and lapwing – Rathlin One pair of lapwing successfully reared one young on Roonivoolin – the first for three years. Six snipe territories were recorded. The pair of skua, Northern Ireland’s only one, have fledged two young on Kebble NNR near the west lighthouse.

RSPB meets with local farmers – Rathlin A meeting was called by some island farmers in mid-August, to discuss their concerns about habitat management and RSPB’s forward work plans. This went well and it is hoped there will be further meetings.

Alleged hare shooting causes concern – Rathlin An issue has recently arisen in the last week or so, regarding an allegation of shooting hares on farm land. This has resulted in a private petition campaign to Minister Mark H Durkan being launched to reinstate the ten-year special protection status that was given to hares on Rathlin in 2002. RSPB has prepared a position statement with regard to this and we are monitoring the situation.

Seabird numbers slightly up – Rathlin Overall, seabirds had a slightly better year this year, with numbers showing an increase on plot counts and productivity was up. The season is ending later than ‘usual’ with puffins still here into the second week of August.

Rare orchid discovered growing at reserve – 114 spikes of Irish Lady’s Tresses orchid have been found growing at Portmore since early July. They were discovered on our main breeding wader meadows to the south of the viewing platform. This population of the orchid along with a further 350 spikes at Lough Beg make up a significant amount of the national population.

Breeding wader news – Portmore Breeding lapwing and snipe returned to Portmore this spring and bred on the site until early summer. During the early part of the breeding season lapwing abandoned one compartment of land when a drain edge collapsed and created a breach in the predator fence. Badgers and foxes are thought to have scared these birds off. They didn’t return to breed this year. Results of the Portmore annual breeding wader survey are currently being collated and should be ready for the next batch of Reserve Notes.

Funding sought to improve visitor facilities – Portmore

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The reserves continue to attract visitors, 6,500 people came to Portmore between January and June 2014. We continue to receive complimentary feedback and are constantly looking for new ways to keep returning visitors engaged. We are currently seeking funding through the Alpha Resources Management programme to upgrade our pond dipping facility at Portmore. We will know on Sept 24th whether or not our application is successful. Our family fun day ‘Birds, bees and bugs’ took place on Saturday August 16th and was enjoyed by all who attended.

Tern rafts on the move – Portmore During April 2014 the tern rafts were towed in to new locations in front of the bird hide. This was done in an attempt to improve the viewing experience for visitors but also to aid with surveying activity on the rafts. A new fence was then erected to the right of the hide to screen the approach of visitors in order to limit disturbance to the colony.

The old set of three rafts first installed in 2007 were cut and braced together. This created one large raft which enables effective predator proofing whilst slightly increasing the nesting area. Fences around both rafts were then electrified using a solar fencing unit mounted on the hide with an insulated cable running under the water and connected to electric wire surrounding each raft. We can report that this year common terns are up from 78prs to 90prs and black-headed gulls up from 32prs to 41prs.

Hot summer weather brings mixed blessings – Portmore Low water levels on the reserve along with unusually hot weather during June and July baked the ground surface and evaporated much of the water from the drains. The baked ground surface made much of the surface too hard for young chicks to penetrate, however the drains managed to retain some moisture in most cases leaving long muddy edges from the field to the water’s edge. Unfortunately the drains which retained most water had steep sides (as these drains were principally designed to retain water on the reserve during hot dry spring seasons) and as such were of limited use to breeding wader chicks. However, the dry weather resulted in good conditions for removing our species-rich grassland crop to be used as winter fodder for our neighbouring grazier’s cattle.

Bridge safely in place – Portmore The nine metre x three metre steel bridge which was purchased early this year with a grant from NIEA has been put into position and now spans the Navvies drain connecting the reserve areas safely for people, machinery and livestock.

Environment Minister impressed by our work – Portmore Local MLA and long-term supporter of our work at Portmore, Dolores Kelly invited the new Environment Minister Mark H Durkan to the reserve in July. This perfect summer’s day was the ideal opportunity for him to meet new Director Joanne Sherwood in the company of Richard Weyl of NIEA. The Minister had the opportunity to learn more about the impact the reserve has on educating young people while delivering health benefits to individual visitors and groups. After an all too brief visit, the Minister was awestruck by the beauty of the reserve, the konik ponies and the work, dedication and commitment which he could see went into creating this precious nature reserve.

A great year for invertebrates – Portmore With the excellent weather this summer, numbers of butterflies and dragonflies are on the rise at Portmore. A banded demoiselle, a far wandering species of damselfly was recorded on the reserve this year for the first time since 1996. In addition,

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Butterfly Conservation chose Portmore to launch their Big Butterfly Count Nationwide Survey on July 19th with BCNI’s Catherine Bertrand. Children and adults alike were treated to some spectacular moths trapped over night on the reserve and challenged to chase and identify butterflies on the meadows.

Managing invertebrates on reserves training was held at Portmore, delivered by Mark Gurney, a Lodge-based Ecologist. Volunteers and staff from across NI reserves were given a valuable insight into the needs of invertebrate residents on our sites.

New homes for nature gifted to RSPB – Fermanagh We are pleased to announce that we have recently accepted a gift of two islands in Lower Lough Erne. Owl and Goat islands sit side by side and are the 42nd and 43rd islands to be added to the list, which together with some mainland sites comprise the Lower Lough Erne Islands RSPB Nature Reserve. Owl is 12.7ha and Goat 2.5ha bringing the total area of the Reserve to 435Ha (1,075 acres).

Owl was formerly grazed (we have inherited a cow which has lived wild on the Island for a couple of years) but has gradually become overgrown through a lack of management. It also has several structures including a slowly deteriorating summerhouse, a boathouse and a generator shed. It formerly supported breeding curlews and our plan is to reinstate a grazing system and remove a considerable amount of scrub and field boundary trees to provide suitable habitat for breeding lapwing, curlew, redshank and snipe. The Island is also home to breeding garden warblers and there may be other, as yet undiscovered hidden gems. Goat Island is entirely wooded and will be surveyed in advance of any potential management decisions being made.

There has been a long history of contact between the owners and RSPB NI over management of the Islands (at one point they were put on the open market for more than £1million) which has finally led to this transfer. The Director has written to the family to thank them for their very generous gift and plans are already in motion to begin restoration, which will offer more homes for nature and assist breeding curlew recovery.

Local woman appointed to HELP Project – Fermanagh We have recently appointed Sarah McCaffrey to the post of HELP Project Officer to complete the remaining seven months of the contract formerly undertaken by Giles Knight. Sarah is from Galloon Island in Upper Lough Erne and brings a wealth of local knowledge. She graduated from Queens and studied for a MSc. on birds in Short Rotation Coppice Willow. She has worked for the National Trust at Crom Estate Fermanagh where she gained experience in habitat management for breeding waders and subsequently she has been managing the beef herd on her family farm.

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