Autumn Roundup

Working for Waders is still very active behind the scenes as the project approaches Christmas. We’re busy with plans for the new year, but it’s important to mention three new publications and releases from other groups which our supporters might find interesting.

A fantastic new video on curlew conservation has been released by filmmaker Billy Clapham entitled Keeper of the Call. The film contains some beautiful footage of curlews breeding on farmland, balancing a tale of loss with some encouraging hope for these birds in the stunning Welsh Marches and is well worth a watch.

Mike Smart’s full write-up of September’s Scottish Curlew Conference was published on the Curlew Call website. This is an excellent summary of the wide ranging, though provoking talks which took place at Battleby.

Building on the success of the various curlew conferences across the UK, Simon Lester published an excellent article in November 14th’s Country Life magazine which examined the challenges facing curlews across the UK. Simon was headkeeper at the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project between 2008 and 2017 and has a unique perspective on wader conservation. The article was also accompanied by comment from HRH The Prince of Wales, who praised curlews for their “wonderful, brave and irresistible” charm.

Working for Waders promotes conservation for many species of wading birds, and we are really pleased to see attention being drawn to the curlew’s plight over the last few months. At the same time, we are looking forward to progress of our own in the coming year, and we are committed to promoting and encouraging activities which prevent the loss of Scotland’s wading birds.