The latest figures from the Breeding Bird Survey show that four of our breeding waders have reached their lowest levels since the survey started in the early 1990s. Volunteer birdwatchers reported particularly low numbers of Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Snipe and Curlew during the spring of 2011.
Kate Risely, BBS organiser at the British Trust for Ornithology, said “It is very worrying to see sharp declines in numbers of our breeding waders. BBS results are crucial in understanding the causes behind bird declines, and we owe this information to dedicated volunteer birdwatchers across the country”. .