Aims & Achievements

‘The preservation for the public benefit of endangered species of wild birds, their environment and habitat, in particular but not exclusively lapwings’

In Wales, as in the rest of Britain Lapwings are dying out. They are a ground nesting bird and with the explosion of fox numbers over the last fifty years, they simply get eaten. Foxes have increased due to the emigration from the land of agricultural workers, smallholders - who did not tolerate foxes killing their free-range chickens, large forestry blocks which provide a haven for them, and the demise of the rabbit catchers with their gin traps. In Cross Inn even forty years ago they were so rare that the school teacher walked the children a distance to show them a fox which had been caught in fencing and killed by the road men.

Curlews, a bird once common to Cardiganshire, as a breeding bird are now virtually extinct, for the same reason.

In managed R.S.P.B reserves Lapwing survival in a good year is 0.5 chicks reared per pair; the population continues to decline by 20% per year.

In Cross Inn the twelve survivors of the once large population, (500 plus), would spend the late summer and winter on fields near Ty Gwyn Garage. The owner Charles Grisedale thought he would like to help them, so in 1999 on the favoured twenty-three acre field, drains were blocked and furrows ploughed to attract nesting Lapwings to the bare earth, livestock were kept off the field. In spring 2000 three pairs reared eight chicks; no chick being raised by the other three pairs which disappeared to other nesting sites.

In 2001 six pairs nested, but disaster struck, the eldest three chicks were safely on the wing when foxes moved in and ate the rest of the chicks and some of the nesting hens, leaving a flock of twelve.

In spring 2002 Charles Grisedale fenced in the twenty-three acre field to exclude all mammals – six feet high with electric around the bottom. Nine pairs nested, rearing 27 young birds. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers also successfully reared two young, which are a great rarity in this part of the world.

In 2003 nine pairs nested again, but unfortunately in the spring they became the target of Goshawks leaving three pairs which reared twelve young.

In 2004 - solution to Goshawks – encourage a large population of pheasants as a form of buffer feeding; ten pairs of Lapwings reared thirty-five young.

The environment has benefited from a total of 150 Lapwings so far produced at Cefngwyn Hall, which is now a large proportion of the population of Ceredigion. The main breeding area only holds 25 pair territories so our surplus birds nest elsewhere with tragic results. In 2008 an adjoining 48 acre wetland was purchased with enough breeding territory for another 40 pairs. This is now fox fenced and is also suitable habitat for Curlew (if there are any left).

Two hundred and fifty acres, being the farm of Cefngwyn Hall, is now fox-fenced for Lapwing expansion, habitat is to be improved to provide more safe nesting sites for future generations of Lapwing. We envisage at least 100 pairs being able to use this site.

The Cambrian Lapwing Recovery Trust, (C.L.R.T), has been formed to take over this project and develop it further and with more land made suitable for Lapwing breeding and other endangered species.

As stated earlier Mr Charles Grisedale is a keen ornithologist and has spent £50,000 + of his own money conserving Lapwings in particular. The 12 Lapwings of 1999 have increased in number with 85 chicks fledged since that year; against a national decline in every other reserve.

Bizarrely the money spent has come from Game-bird shooting he organises on the property. There is of course a precedent to this in Sir Peter Scott, who developed Slimbridge property. The policy of removing or diverting predators of Lapwings is obviously a key element in their success.

We as a Trust would like to be in a financial position to take over the whole area as a bird reserve with unlimited access to our members.