Pissed off of Kirklevington.

[A McLee]

I sometimes wonder why we in the Conservation Committee bother. We go to the trouble of drawing up a helpful and indeed tactful guide to photographers of birds, post it on the club's website to no avail!
I quote 2 recent examples, both involving Redstarts at nest box breeding sites.
The first was at the Sleddale where the club put up a box close to the road (10 meters) to enable birders to view the nest without disturbance from their vehicle. I find, on a cold morning a motorcycling photographer standing by the wall and wondering why the birds were difficult to see at the site and reluctant to approach their hungry brood.
The second location is at Lower Locker, which, after many years of ringing nest boxes of Redstarts and  Pied Flycatchers by the TRG, has become popular with photographers and birders too, who trespass and could spoil the existing good relationship with the local farmer. A ringing colleague found a photographer standing too near a Redstart's nest and remarked " The female is very twitchy". The weather was also cold with drizzle!
I really despair of this behaviour. Either the photographers are to stupid to understand that THEY are the cause of the disturbance or they are so selfish their desire to get a picture, eclipses the well being of the bird. ( It is against the law to wilfully disturb any wild bird at the nest - by the way).
Well I have had my rant. I shall in future give any future similar behaviour "some shout"  as they say. I shall not be posting my Little Owl nest sites for common viewing even from a vehicle.

[Keith Ryan]

That's the way It's going Alistair, expect a lot of supression in the future on the website which is a shame for genuine birders. Also I know it must be so frustrating for our real photographers who know their craft.

[RichardB]

I imagine that education is what is needed here. There is a difference between stupidity and being ill informed. Do you know that the photographer in question got his information from this site and hence had the opportunity to read the guide? It may turn out that he would be horrified, as he should be, to find out that he was causing a disturbance to the site. A quiet word would probably be enough. Everyone should be willing to remind others of their obligations and challenge bad behaviour. Incidentally, I recently visited the Farne Islands for the first time in about 30 years and was appalled by the standard of behaviour that was allowed by the on site "rangers".

[Dave Taylor]

I was also disgusted by what was going on when I visited the Farnes last Summer. The ropes marking the boundaries of public access had in some places been trampled down and visitors were actually standing between Puffins and their burrows when the Puffins returned with food for their chicks. Everyone was happy to move away when I explained what was happening, but WHERE were the wardens?

[Whitfield Benson]

Really good points made by A McLee,

I would like to add that while I accept may photographers have little or no fieldcraft skills, this is also true of many birdwatchers! I speak as a professional photographer with connections and contracts with many leading wildlife organisations. Recently I was at a nest site of a Ring Ouzel which I was photographing for the third occasion, ( not in TBC area ) I was covered over with camo and hidden in the bank of a stream, so comfortable were the pair with my presence that both parents fed the four youngsters on over 30 occasions during my stay. HOWEVER at around lunchtime I noticed the female would not return, after 5 minutes I decided to find out why. Sadly two birdwatchers were stood on a bridge around 80 yards away talking loudly and wearing less than subtle colours.
I broke out of my cover, and went to tell them that if they watched from the far side of the bridge the female and male would appear. Sure enough as soon as the birders moved to partial shelter the Ouzels returned to the chicks. Needless to say I had to abandon my work for the day as a second return would have been to much for the birds. I would love to see more consideration for birds welfare by ALL people not just photographers. Heres hoping that things improve !
Footnote to the Ouzel story was that all four chicks successfully fledged ..... Great !