The giant excavator introduced by the RSPB to create new wetlands in Oxfordshire and encourage wading birds is already producing results, writes PETER BARRINGTON

Lapwings and golden plovers have been flocking to the new wetland habitats created in the Cherwell Valley in the early autumn. A giant American rotary ditch cutter excavated about six miles of wet pools, ditches and scrapes to encourage scarce species like the lapwing to feed and breed.

Seven farmers joined the initiative run by the Central England regional office in Banbury of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Water meadows in the Cherwell Valley and beside the River Ray, which flows close to the RSPB's Otmoor reserve, were chosen for the first phase of the RSPB's Upper Thames tributaries wader project, which is funded by the society, the Waterways Trust, Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty/Cotswold Conservation Board, Cherwell District Council and the Environment Agency.

Nick Droy, RSPB conservation officer for species and habitats, said: "We have been down on the site in the past fortnight and have seen around 500 pairs of lapwings and a smaller number of golden plovers in the region where we cut new ditches and scrapes.

"The water levels are now quite high to encourage them in. It has all been very successful and gratifying for everyone who did so much work."

He was particularly pleased to see golden plovers, which are not so numerous in this country.

"Golden plover winter in this part of the country before going on to breed in northern England, Scotland and Scandinavia," he said.

The new wetland habitats were intended to help the lapwings to breed and bring on their young before they too move off next spring.

"It has been very heartening for everyone involved to see the numbers of lapwing and golden plover in the Cherwell Valley," said Nick.

The rotary machine is also to be used to create similar ditches, pools and scrapes in water meadows of the rivers Thame, Evenlode and Windrush. The ditcher was imported by the RSPB and it is the only one of its kind in Europe.

The project was perceived as a way of improving the habitat for the waders because over the past 50 years most of Oxfordshire's wet meadows have disappeared due to development, land drainage and changes in agriculture. The population of wading birds has declined as a result.

Nick explained: "Oxfordshire is well placed in the whole of our region, which covers 13 counties, to encourage and maintain breeding waders, such as redshank, lapwing, curlew and snipe, because of the network of river tributaries to the Thames.

"We work with farmers and help them in the management of water levels for the waders."

The seven farmers in the Cherwell and Ray areas and also those in the later phases of the project have entered into ten-year agreements with the flagship project run by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. They are working at what is known as the higher stewardship level, which attracts funding.

Nick said: "Sometimes farmers have worked off their own bat and have come to us for advice as they have noticed a decling in lapwings and other birds and want to know what they can do to reverse the drop in numbers."

In addition to using the rotary ditcher, some farmers are collaborating together to make more extensive improvements.

For example, Jeremy Taylor and George Fenemore, who farm along the River Cherwell, will be working with neighbouring farmers to create a 50-hectare complex of wet grassland to encourage the return of lapwings and redshank and also attract more over-wintering golden plover and snipe.

Mr Taylor, of North Aston, will also be protecting the high flora content of a site of special scientific interest on his land.

David Honour is the farmer involved on the Ray where it flows over Otmoor towards Islip where it joins the Cherwell.

At another site in the south east of Oxfordshire four neighbouring farmers will join together to create 94-hectares of new habitat for wading birds as part of the wider River Thame project.

With curlew and lapwing already in the area, new scrapes should provide additional feeding grounds and enable more pairs to nest successfully.

For those bird watchers who have seen lapwings nesting in shallow scrapes on open ploughed and harrowed fields already sown with spring crops, Nick has an explanation.

"While lapwings will nest in fields, water is never far away and they will take their young to the water. Lapwings are opportunist birds and we anticipate they will colonise the new scrapes we and the farmers are providing.

"We feel we have a very positive story to tell in helping waders to recover.

"For example, at our Otmoor reserve, which has been going for almost ten years, we have increased breeding waders from half a dozen pairs to almost 100."

Drew McVey, RSPB Upper Thames tributaries project officer, added: "Our vision is to see Oxfordshire's special wetland landscapes being restored. Wading birds using the meadows this winter will be a great thumbs up for the project and farmers' hard work."