Thrill of the Hill - Where Waders Wander

Welcome to The Thrill of The Hill. Today we're talking about one of Scotland's most iconic groups of farmland birds – our waders. Species such as lapwing, curlew, redshank and snipe have long been part of the Scottish farming landscape. Their calls and displays are synonymous with springtime on farms and crofts across the country, yet many of these species have experienced significant declines over recent decades. Toby Wilson from RSPB Scotland joins us to discuss what is driving these changes, what practical management can help reverse them, and how current funding schemes can support farmers and crofters who want to make space for nature alongside productive agriculture. Timestamps01.17 Introducing Toby Wilson (RSPB Senior Conservation Officer) 02.43 How agricultural landscapes fit into wider wildlife conservation 04.23 The importance of farmers and crofters for delivering nature conservation outcomes 06.44 Farm Wildlife Walks 10.02 The Forth Estuary 15.18 Habitat value of coastal marshland for waders 16.55 The importance of a supporting mosaic of habitats 19.24 Wader numbers in Scotland and some of the main pressures affecting waders 25.55 Habitat connectivity specifically for waders 29.22 What gives Toby hope 33.51 Nature Scot – Nature Restoration Fund 41.50 The future for waders in Scotland 44.34 Toby’s take home messages ResourcesRSPB Scotland Working for Waders Making a difference for waders in the Cairngorms Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) | NatureScot New strongholds for wader recovery proposed | NatureScot Agri-Environment Climate Scheme Farm Wildlife Walks 2026 | Helping farmers in Scotland [email protected] For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: [email protected]