Breeding Waders EIP Project

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🎉 First Public Resighting! We’re absolutely delighted to share that one of our headstarted Curlews, AJ, has been spotted at a coastal wintering site in Co. Clare on Sunday, September 21st at 10:45am, thank you Myla for reporting to us. More info at: breedingwaders.ie/headstarting-c…

We had the pleasure of attending the launch of Longford County Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan & Birding Backpack last Thursday, September 25th at Edgeworthstown Library — officially opened by Minister for Nature, Heritage & Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD.

Midlands Mink Eradication Programme: A Collaborative Approach to Protect Irish Wildlife The Midlands Mink Eradication Programme is a powerful example of collaborative conservation in action. For more info visit: minkeradication.ie.

A great first day at the Ploughing Championships, thank you to all who visited & engaged with us today. We’re located in the Climate Action tent in Row 14. If you’re attending over the next two days, make sure to stop by & meet the team. @agriculture_ie @NPWSIreland

🌾 2025 Ploughing Championships We’re looking forward to the biggest agricultural event of the year. 📍 Find us in the Government of Ireland Village in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly (Sept 16–18). We’ll be in great company with our funders and friends from the NPWS.

Where are the Curlew now? If you’ve been following our Curlew's headstarting journey, we’ve got exciting news! Thanks to GPS tagging, we’re now tracking their movements post-release — all thanks to the innovative GPS tags they were fitted with! In this video, Karen and Donal will outline where to find, and how to interpret the information. Why GPS tagging matters: 🔍 Provides a better understanding of bird movement, habitat use, survival rate and integration. 🛡️ Will possibly help identify key nesting sites, which can guide targeted conservation efforts, such as habitat management and nest protection. 📊 Monthly updates are now live on our website — see where these amazing birds have been spending their time! Data such as this will be crucial in defining, and then refining, conservation strategy for Curlew in Ireland. The Breeding Waders EIP will deliver 5, 10, 20 and 40 year strategies for Irish Breeding Curlew. 🔗 Head to our website to explore their travels: breedingwaders.ie/headstarting-c… @agriculture_ie @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland @HenHarrierProj @fotawildlife

🌾 Grasslands Training Day at Lough Ree! Our team enjoyed a grasslands training day on Lough Ree recently. Thank you to Maria Long from the NPWS for visiting us and sharing such valuable insights. Lough Ree is a truly special place for nature and biodiversity. We had to share some of the amazing pictures our team captured on the day. @GrasslandsIrl @agriculture_ie @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland

🌿 Green Sod Ireland Biodiversity Summer School 2025 🌿 Taking place at Kylemore Abbey, Co. Galway on August 30th & 31st, this two-day event brings together environmental NGOs, charities, professionals, community groups, and nature enthusiasts for a weekend of engaging talks and workshops. Topics include: 🟢 Peatlands 🟢 Corncrakes 🟢 Upland conservation 🟢 Invasive species control 🎤 We're delighted that our Lead Ecologist Andrea Parisi will be contributing to the programme with a talk on Breeding Waders on Sunday, August 31st. Interested? Book your spot now on link below: greensodireland.ie/2025/07/31/bio…

A Day to Remember in Mayo 🌿 Here are some team pictures from our Dunlin release day in July — a truly emotional and joyful occasion for everyone involved. The smiles say it all! Eleven Dunlin chicks, carefully reared through our pilot headstarting programme, were successfully released into the wild — a 100% success rate worth celebrating! Thank you to the Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, for making the journey and joining us on site to hear about the project so far — the challenges, the triumphs, and the road ahead. Huge thanks to our incredible colleagues from NPWS and LIFE on Machair for their dedication and collaboration. Though our colleagues from Fota Wildlife Park couldn’t attend, their hard work was deeply appreciated and acknowledged. Special shout-outs to our own Breeding Waders EIP team members — Donal Beagan, Nest Protection and Headstarting Manager, and Andrea Parisi, Lead Ecologist — who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible for our headstarted birds. As we wrap up our 2025 headstarting programme, we pause to reflect and take joy in seeing these 11 healthy Dunlin take flight into the wild. A small but mighty return to the Irish landscape — and a hopeful step forward for conservation. Until next year, best of luck to our headstarted birds! 💚 @agriculture_ie @fotawildlife @LIFEonMachair @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland @COSullivanTD

Dunlin Headstarting 2025 – Part 4: Dunlin move to Mayo release pen Reaching this milestone has been deeply rewarding for everyone involved. From detection to collection, and through the delicate process of rearing, every step has been filled with dedication and emotion. The Breeding Waders EIP and LIFE on Machair teams were thrilled with the condition of the Dunlin returning from Fota Wildlife Park, where they received exceptional care. Before their release, the birds spent around 7 days in the custom-built pen to acclimatise to their natural habitat—an essential step in ensuring a smooth transition back to the wild. This is a retrospective series, documenting the journey from egg collection in May to release in July . (Oops, forgot to post part 4 of Dunlin series on here yesterday 😬) @fotawildlife @LIFEonMachair @agriculture_ie

Dunlin Headstarting 2025 – Part 5: The Release A milestone moment for Irish conservation 🇮🇪✨ We were honoured to welcome Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan to witness the release of our headstarted Dunlin—making Ireland only the second country in the world to achieve this feat. Even more exciting: a 100% success rate for this pilot initiative! Having the Minister on site was a powerful show of support for the teams working tirelessly to protect these rare native birds and their fragile habitats. 🙌 Though we kept human presence minimal to ensure a smooth transition, and the Dunlin’s tiny size made close-up filming tricky, we’re thrilled to report they were in excellent health—walking confidently from the pen and soaring into the wild with ease. This is a retrospective series, tracing the journey from egg collection in May to release in July. Thanks for watching!! @fotawildlife @LIFEonMachair @agriculture_ie @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland

Dunlin Headstarting 2025 – Part 3: Release pen build – Co. Mayo The Breeding Waders EIP and LIFE on Machair teams were hard at work building a release pen for the headstarted Dunlin on a stunning machair site in Co. Mayo. 🎥 In this video, Mark Reed from LIFE on Machair gives you a quick overview on the construction of the pen. 🙏 Huge thanks to the landowner for generously allowing access and supporting this vital conservation work. This is a retrospective series, documenting the journey from egg collection in May to release in July. Follow along daily to see how it all unfolded. @agriculture_ie @fotawildlife @NPWSIreland @LIFEonMachair

Dunlin Headstarting 2025 – Part 2: Post hatch care See how these small waders progress quickly throughout their 14 days spent in Fota Wildlife Park under the care of their expert animal care team. Though too small for GPS tracking, each Dunlin was ringed for identification before returning to the Breeding Waders EIP and LIFE on Machair teams for further care and phased release back into the wild. ️This is a retrospective look at a groundbreaking conservation effort. Stay tuned daily to watch their story unfold. @agriculture_ie @fotawildlife @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland @LIFEonMachair

Dunlin Headstarting 2025 – Part 1: Egg collection & measurements Breeding Waders EIP have collaborated with project partner Fota Wildlife Park, and LIFE on Machair to pilot Ireland’s first Dunlin headstarting programme. With fewer than 30 breeding pairs left in the country, every egg counts. 📽️ Follow our 5-part video series as we take you behind the scenes—from egg collection in May to release in July. 🪶 Dunlin are small waders (16–22cm) found in Machair, coastal meadows, uplands, and blanket bogs. They nest in grassy tussocks and typically lay 3-4 eggs per clutch. After an approximate 21-day incubation, chicks spend approximately 14 days under expert care at Fota Wildlife Park before being released back to the care of the Breeding Waders EIP and LIFE on Machair team members for an additional 7 days to rear to fledging stage before being released back into the wild. 🥚 11 eggs were collected—and we’re sharing their journey, one reel at a time. This is a retrospective look at a groundbreaking conservation effort. Stay tuned daily to watch their story unfold. @fotawildlife @agriculture_ie @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting a team of expert gamekeepers and moorland professionals from the Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group — a visit that sparked rich conversations and meaningful exchange. We explored a range of habitats together, from species-rich grasslands to lowland and upland blanket bogs, diving deep into topics like: 🔍 Predation Risk Management 🐣 Headstarting techniques 🪺 Nest finding strategies 💡 Innovative conservation solutions It was clear from their approach that the moorlands they manage are thriving landscapes, supporting an impressive abundance of breeding waders. Their deep-rooted knowledge and practical skill brought fresh perspectives and inspired thought-provoking discussions. Conservation is built on collaboration, and we’re always grateful for opportunities to learn from others. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Moorland Group and working together to protect ground-nesting waders.

A warm welcome to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust! Last week, we were delighted to host their team as they visited the Breeding Waders EIP and Fota Wildlife Park headstarting teams. They're gathering insights as they explore the possibility of headstarting in Wiltshire. Their visit included a trip to Lough Ree and several key Curlew habitat sites, where they got a firsthand look at our conservation efforts. Photo: back left to right – Jon Isherwood, Jackson Hellewell, Katie Prescott, Aurora Gonzalo-Tarodo – Wildshire Wildlife Trust Front left to right – John Smyth, Nest Protection Office and Donal Beagan, Headstarting and Nest Protection Manager, Breeding Waders EIP @WiltshireWild @fotawildlife @agriculture_ie @Notice_Nature @NPWSIreland

🎉 Celebrate Heritage Week with Breeding Waders EIP! Join us for three exciting events running from August 16th–24th, each spotlighting Ireland’s incredible wader species and their habitats. 🗓️ What’s on: 🌾 Managing grasslands for waders in Donegal 🎨 Fun & educational kids’ wetlands and waders workshop in Dún na Sí, Westmeath 🐦 Discover Ireland’s native waders in Clonmacnoise, Offaly 🎟️ All events are free, but spaces are limited — book now to secure your spot! 👉 Full details at breedingwaders.ie/events We can’t wait to see you there! #HeritageWeek #BreedingWadersEIP #WildlifeIreland

Curlew Headstarting 2025: Highlights 🐣 We’ve successfully released 15 Curlew back into the wild this year! 💚 Our video series captured the time, care, and dedication behind headstarting—giving young Curlew the best chance at life. While headstarting is a valuable tool, it’s only part of the solution. Breeding waders in Ireland still face serious challenges. Long-term success depends on habitat restoration, supportive policies, and active, on-the-ground conservation. The Breeding Waders EIP is tackling these issues—working with landowners, protecting nests, restoring habitats, educating the public, and advocating for stronger policies. Awareness is key. The more people who understand the Curlew’s struggle, the more we can all help. 📽️ Watch the full video series:  🔗 breedingwaders.ie/headstarting-c… @fotawildlife @agriculture_ie @NPWSIreland @Notice_Nature

🎥 Missed our webinar on Conservation Action at Mongan Bog? No worries — you can now catch the full recording on our website: breedingwaders.ie/resources In just 25 minutes, you’ll hear from: 🌿 Andrea & Karen from the Breeding Waders EIP team on the importance of Mongan Bog, all things breeding waders and upcoming conservation actions 🌱 Niamh from LEAF on ecosystems, planting, and education 🛠️ Valerie from An Taisce keeping everything running smoothly Whether you're passionate about nature or just curious, you're bound to learn something new! @AnTaisce @agriculture_ie @NPWSIreland