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.

Timestamps

01.17 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

Resources

RSPB 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

toby.wilson@rspb.co.uk

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