Wader Engagement

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Our first virtual engagement event took place on Twitter on May 15th, where people were invited to engage with a general discussion about wader conservation in various parts of Scotland. Posting under the hashtag #FarmWaderClub, a wide range of conservationists, farmers and gamekeepers contributed stories and ideas around the theme of farmland wader conservation, with comments on oystercatcher nest sites, lapwing breeding behaviour and the impact of livestock wormer treatments on wading birds. Over 7,500 engagements took place during the course of the event, and this created a useful platform for future discussions. 

Elsewhere, conservation-minded farmers were invited to send in videos to update others on how wader breeding season was going. The first of these videos featured Colin Strang Steel, who farms near Galashiels and has been a stalwart supporter of the Working for Waders project. More videos will soon follow thanks to support from SAC and the Nature Friendly Farming Network. 

Alongside this work, Working for Waders drew together a podcast made up of interviews with conservationists across Scotland, from Aberdeenshire and Invernesshire to the Scottish Borders. You can listen to the podcast HERE, and it makes an interesting update on how the wader breeding season has gone so far. 

More “virtual engagement” work is still underway in the next few weeks, and we would love to hear your ideas on how to get people talking and thinking about wading birds this spring, particularly at a time when many people have missed the experience of being out and about because of the Lockdown.

Working For Waders