Ringed plover have been nesting on Lindisfarne since the 1970’s, with the raised areas of shingle creating the ideal habitat for nest building. The delicate, speckled eggs sit in shallow scrapes and are perfectly camouflaged amoung the scattered pebbles and seaweed. The area of shingle surrounding the Limekilns is particularly well suited as the land sits above the spring high tide mark, meaning nests are protected from flooding.
Sadly, the number of ringed plover breeding on Lindisfarne has severely declined since the 1970’s. In 1977, 45 breeding pairs were recorded on the island, compared with just 15 pairs in 2017, representing a decline of 67%. This is a trend which has been experienced not only on Lindisfarne but across the country, leading to the ringed plover being placed on the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) red list.
The population decline on Lindisfarne can be largely attributed to two factors; the sanding over of shingle and the increase in visitor numbers. This has led to loss of suitable habitat and higher levels of disturbance, especially in instances of dogs off leads. In an attempt to combat this, we will be roping off an area of shingle to the south east of the limekilns at Castle Point, providing a disturbance-free zone and allowing these characterful waders the best possible opportunity to breed successfully. The rope fencing will be erected at the beginning of May and will remain in place until mid August, as ringed plover have the capacity to raise up to two broods each season. It is also possible that if disturbance is kept to a minimum then other species such as oystercatcher may also be attracted to breed in the area.
