RSPB Northern Ireland is celebrating a successful year for threatened birds on its Lower Lough Erne Islands nature reserve.

The results of a recent survey have revealed that 260 pairs of breeding waders made their homes on some of the 43 islands the charity owns or manages in the Fermanagharea this year, a 12 per cent increase on 2013.

An RSPB spokesman explains that "breeding wader species, including curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe, have suffered population crashes in recent decades, largely due to habitat loss."

They thrive in wet grassland habitat where grazing is carefully managed. Because they nest on the ground, it’s important that rush is controlled and varying lengths of grass cover are present to allow them to nest and raise their young successfully.

"This summer 47 pairs of curlew were recorded on the reserve and a fantastic 68 per cent of those pairs hatched chicks," the spokesman says. "The reserve now holds around ten percent of the all-Ireland breeding population of this species.

"Lapwing and redshank were up four and five pairs respectively and the total number of snipe was up to 51 pairs. It is worth noting that the advisory work RSPB has been undertaking with farmers across Fermanagh off the reserve has also shown increases in breeding waders for the fourth year in succession - further proof of the benefits of co-operative working.

"There was also an increase in the number of Sandwich terns joining Lower Lough Erne’s unique inland colony, up from 56 pairs last year to 124 pairs this summer."

Meanwhile over on the Aghatirourke Reserve, part of the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, 2014 has seen the highest recorded densities of breeding meadow pipit and skylark since the establishment of the reserve.

RSPB NI area manager for Fermanagh, Brad Robson, commented: “These results are testament to a great deal of hard work by site staff, volunteers, farmers, graziers and local contractors on the ground.

“It is wonderful that we are beginning to see breeding wader species in the sort of numbers that were present in Fermanagh in the late 1980s.

“However there is still some way to go before sustainable populations are established so we’ll keep working hard to ensure the reserve is in the best condition possible to provide sanctuary for breeding waders and lots of other birds and wildlife too.”