Cage saves rare birds at Torr Quarry

Nesting little ringed plovers get protection from predators in one of the UK’s largest quarries

A SPECIAL cage has been used successfully to protect rare nesting birds at Aggregate Industries’ Torr Quarry, near Frome, in Somerset.

The regionally rare little ringed plover (pictured, courtesy RSPB Images) has tried to nest in the quarry for a number of years, but both the chicks and eggs have regularly attracted the unwanted attentions of local crows.

This year, with the assistance of local birdwatchers and the RSPB, Aggregate Industries installed a special cage over the nest. This has an opening that is big enough for the plovers to get in and out, but small enough to keep out the much bigger crows.

To install the cage, a special licence to disturb the birds was obtained by local RSPB conservation officer Richard Archer, and within 15 minutes of the cage being pegged on top of the nest, the plover was back incubating its eggs.

Simon Wiltshire, Aggregate Industries biodiversity and restoration advisor, said: ‘Over the next few weeks we kept a careful eye on the cage. Crows were seen trying to get at the sitting plovers, but the cage did its job and four chicks hatched successfully.

‘We are always keen to support wildlife on our sites and we are delighted that the cage proved to be a success. We hope to continue working with the RSPB and local birdwatchers at Torr Quarry, and hope to find more nests next year.’