Suns Out, Paddles Out
Sunnier days are finally here! For many of us, that means we can finally get out on our coastline for some paddle sports. Falling off your paddleboard in the July sun is much less unpleasant than in February! It’s also a crucial time for beach nesting birds. In this month’s blog, we invite you to learn more about how to act along the coastline to protect vulnerable birds.
This map shows the ‘Special Protection Areas’ along the Essex coast – as you can see it’s pretty well covered! These areas are protected for rare, vulnerable and migrating birds.
It’s best to plan your route before you go to be aware of any sensitive wildlife sites. Most of the estuaries and coastline of Essex have legal designations protecting them because of their nationally and internationally important animals and habitats. For example, this time of year there are redshanks nesting in saltmarshes. You can also read up on the habitat protections of where you want to go here. Most rivers and canals in England require a waterways license/insurance to canoe, kayak or paddleboard. You can purchase site specific day or annual licenses online. Get a license for the Chelmer & Blackwater here. Don’t forget to have your license on you in the paddle craft.
Launching
Where possible, prepare your equipment in an area away from wildlife. This could be in a safe area of a car park, or behind a sea wall. There are often commons just behind beaches – this is a perfect place! It’s best to use established launch/landing points as this will minimise damage to riverbanks and vegetation. It also limits any disturbance to just this location, as everyone will be using the same spot!
On the Water
If you do come across any wildlife, try to stay far enough away so that they don’t notice your presence. Binoculars are an asset to any trip on the water – all the enjoyment of the wildlife without the risk of disturbance! Don’t remain in a sensitive area for longer than fifteen minutes. It can be tempting to paddle into the saltmarsh areas, but this habitat is particularly vulnerable to disturbance due to nesting and high tide roosting. The key is to aim for a peaceful activity, without sudden movements or loud noises. Keep low when watching wildlife! On a paddleboard, kneel rather than stand and when kayaking/canoeing it’s best to have a low paddle angle.
The Signs of Disturbance
Most people would never intentionally try to disturb or harm birds and their habitats, that’s why we encourage people to follow our coastal code:
Look out for birds: Remember we are sharing these picturesque natural locations with the birds, and that it’s their home.
Move away if they become alert: It’s great to know the signs of disturbance. You might hear the birds before you see them – defensive birds can be very vocal. Birds that have been alerted by your presence may start looking at you. They may start flapping their wings and stretching, an indication that they are preparing for flight. They may start moving, or swimming, away. We want to give them lots of space to prevent them having to flee the area. This should help them to feel safe once more.
Keep dogs alongside you: I love nothing more than seeing a pooch in a buoyancy aid at the front of a paddleboard! You know the abilities of your dogs, so make sure they can be trusted to remain on the paddleboard and not tempted to chase wildlife.
Follow requests on signs: Water bodies are usually abundant with signs and byelaws to keep both you and the wildlife safe. Keep to speed limits and don’t enter any restricted areas.
Causing a few birds to fly off might not seem like a huge deal, but if everybody thinks it’s ‘just a few birds’ multiple times an hour, then the cumulative impacts really stack up into something hugely detrimental to wildlife.
When You’re Done
Like anywhere outdoors, you should leave a place how you found it, taking any litter and equipment home with you. Exit the water in the same place you came in, or another established access point.
By demonstrating this responsible behaviour, you can become a wildlife champion, and hopefully others will follow in your footsteps out on the water. If you do see any concerning paddle sport behaviour – let us know! You can email us at info.essex@birdaware.org. We can then increase our visibility in that location and promote responsible behaviour.
Part of a water sports club? We can also come to your club to give site specific guidelines on how to be bird aware on the water.
– Bronwen