RSPB NI is bringing a dose of nature and shining a spotlight on one of Northern Ireland’s most endangered species, the curlew, through its latest webcam project, Curlew LIVE.
With more people than ever being connected to nature and the well-known psychological benefits of birdwatching, the charity is offering nest side seats to Northern Ireland’s first ever curlew LIVE webcam, which has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. RSPB NI wants to encourage people to take a break from studying, home working or daily routine and take time to tune into nature.
With a recent YouGov poll reporting that two thirds of people in the UK said nature was a source of solace during the pandemic, with more than half of those surveyed in NI (58%) believing watching birds and hearing their song added to their enjoyment during this time and increasing popularity of white noise and calming sounds, the charity hopes that Curlew LIVE webcam will prove popular with audiences of all ages.
Neal Warnock, RSPB NI’s Senior Conservation Officer, said, “Over the next two-weeks, we’ll be bringing you a bird soap opera following a curlew nest in the Antrim Hills. Be prepared to laugh out loud at the antics that are going on, be captivated by the male’s impressive ‘bubbling’ song and watch on tender hooks as we wait for the eggs to hatch. With their amazing long curved bills, long legs and evocative calls, curlews are one of our most charismatic birds, but their numbers are in steep decline. The call of the curlew was once a familiar sound but sadly is fading into memories, as breeding numbers have fallen by 82% since the mid-1980’s. Through our up-close, real time and 24/7 footage, we want audiences to fall in love with this species and support our work to help save nature.”
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Posted On: 09/06/2021