Bird Legislation Made Simple – Beach Nesting Bird Edition
With breeding season starting on our coast, it is a great opportunity to give a quick overview of the laws protecting birds. This topic can be dull and difficult to digest; therefore, this month’s blog aims to provide a quick and simple aid for all coastal users.
Let’s begin…
What Do We Mean by Protection?
All wild birds in the UK are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means to intentionally disturb a bird, its nest and eggs, is an offence. Within this act are so called schedules. The Essex Coastline is home to Schedule 1 birds like the little tern, avocet or Mediterranean gull. This affords extra protection for species especially vulnerable to disturbance, persecution and rapid population decline. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 aims to preserve biodiversity and prevent further declines.
What Else is Protected on Our Essex Coastline?
There are three key beach nesting bird species known to the Essex Coastline, you are most likely to see, the ringed plover, the oystercatcher and little tern.
What are we Doing to Protect Beach Nesting Birds?
As Coastal Rangers we closely monitor designated wildlife areas such as Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, Ramsar Sites and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Each site visit strives towards making that site a little more Bird Aware than what it was before. In order to make sites safer for birds, rangers will: monitor disturbances to wildlife; engage with people to educate and raise awareness; provide signage and install temporary fencing for nesting birds; collect data on presence and absence of beach nesting birds, their nests and fledglings. We also collaborate with Essex Wildlife Trust and the RSPB – Check out the ‘Share Our Shores’ protect HERE.
What can You Do to Protect Beach Nesting Birds?
Good news, anyone who visits the coast can protect birds. It is very simple, just give them space. Beach nesting birds are highly sensitive to disturbance and large levels of frequent flushing can increase nest failure, whether that’s due to trampling or nest desertion. If you allow birds to have space, it allows them to display an array of natural behaviours. For instance, courtship, incubation and raising young.
Providing space can show everyone how small actions lead to big impact.
You may be thinking, well how do I know I am giving the birds enough space? As beach nesting birds typically nest on the top of the beach, above the high tide line, we ask visitors to walk as close to water’s edge as possible and to keep dogs alongside. To help you remember, the team has come up with a catchy slogan – ‘On the warm days, walk by the waves.’
As a final message, here is a reminder of our Coastal Code:
If you would like to find out more about our beach nesting birds here in Essex, check out our recent blogs – Meet the Beach Nesting Birds and The Egg-Centric Blog.
– Jodie