Disturbance - What to do about it.......?

[TobyAW]

I think the word 'confiding' can be quite misleading when talking about wildlife. There is an assumption that if something is confiding it means that you can get close to it but there has to be a mutual trust between the two parties. Obviously we know we aren't going to harm them, but does the bird/mammal/dragonfly know this? Always best to earn their trust and let them come to you.

Waxwings are a classic case of using the spiral approach if necessary. Slowly approach at an angle, not directly, to the tree they're in and watch them constantly. If their behaviour changes stop immediately and wait till they return to feeding/behaving normally. Be aware that you are now on their radar and it is then down to your conscience whether to get closer or not. 

Without meaning to stir things further and answer Jaybee's question about standing yards from a barn owl box with a camera and scope, it's not what you call him but what he was doing at the time that's important. Being that close to the box there's a good chance his scope would be no use to him at all so wouldn't be using it and I would lean towards them being that close to take photographs. At the end of the day the terminology used to describe someone or the equipment in use by anyone is entirely irrelevant if they are causing disturbance. If they had no equipment or had a dog I would treat them just the same and go over and have a chat and explain the situation.

To try and combine Jaybee's and Alistairs points, I think Jaybee has a lot of experience in doing what he does (and does very well) so maybe when you are on the reserve or out and about you can be a champion of good practise? I don't want to put you on the spot but you might want to let people know where you'll be and when and that you'll have a chat with other photographers and pass on some tips and advice? That would mean wildlife photographers are getting assistance from other wildlife photographers rather than getting lectured by irate birders. I would also encourage the same practise in the birding community as well where both field craft and identification can be discussed by experienced and novice birders. Hopefully this approach will encourage more communication amongst us all at a personal level and lead to interactions across the range of wildlife enthusiasts. We don't want people being lectured or told what to do so need to encourage and support those that want to share their knowledge.

It's good to see some ideas coming through about what to do about the issue of disturbance and would like to stress again that this is the issue, it doesn't matter who does it, it matters that they are doing it and we, as the wildlife loving community, need to work together to educate and encourage best practise across the board.

[Jaybee]

Toby give me a new set of lungs, a new heart and replace the blocked femoral artery in my left leg and maybe I could get out and about.
Otherwise good practice from me would require the need for to take my car along the likes of Greenabella or around Saltholme.
To a lesser extent try and get rid of the stupid bollards preventing access to Greenabella and I might be able to reach the place and continue my voluntary work with INCA building up a photographic database of the seals.

Putting aside my futile attempts in earlier posts and being accused by ColD of not contributing to the debate here are my thoughts.
Please note that this is just me thinking out aloud and in no way means I condone any type of disturbance etc.
Also reference to laws is down to a a quick Google on what I thought may be relevant.

First of all I have to wonder how much of the bad behaviour reported is in fact bad behaviour or simply our annoyance or frustration at what some one is doing.
We have all had people walk directly in front of us when we have been trying to view/photograph something.
We have sat on a mile long empty beach waiting for waders to come towards us when a dog walker decides to walk straight towards the birds.
Annoying certainly but not something we can do anything about other than complain.

As to what someone may be doing "in the field" so to speak I would suggest it can be broken down into two categories.
1) The behaviour/actions of the person are illegal.
2) The behaviour/actions of the person are not illegal.

The first is easy and requires no action our part other than phoning the police (or landowner in the case of tresspass) and reporting the matter.
I have done so with regards fly tipping on a reserve and illegal pheasant traps and the system works.
Hopefully the relevant authority will deal with the matter swiftly.
I would add that there is a need to be 110% certain the activity is illegal because I think there is such a thing as unlawful accusation.

The second is far more tricky as if it is not illegal activity then it follows that it is lawful activity regardless of how annoying it is to others.
You could approach the "offender" and have a word and he may be very obliguing and say that even though what he is doing is in no way wrong he is happy to conform to your request.
Or he may politely (or not so politely) tell you to bog off and mind your own business.
From that moment I would think you are going to be on the back foot.
If you continue to try and persuade him either on your own or with others however politely then (and if I am wrong I'll gladly stick my foot into the appropriate opening) things like intimidation, his right to lawful pursuit of his chosen activity and his right for you not to impose your beliefs/morals etc on him could come into play.

I think approaching an individual is fraught with possible repercussions and (not an opt out ) I am of the opinion that the eastiest thing to do is just have a good moan/rant and hope he isnt there next time.

Other ideas forwarded.
Password protected members area on forum - never worked and never will work when members are happy to give out the password to non members. Durham bird club have a password protected forum and sighting page that quite honestly is a joke as getting hold of the password is so easy.
Taking a photograph of the person in question or naming and shaming on the forum. Hope you, the club and the webmaster are prepared for the fall out on that one even if the persons activity is highly illegal.
Allowing photographs etc but not mentioning the location of a bird on the forum. Bit like telling people a garage has knocked 50p off a litre but not telling them which garage.
If he happened to be a bird club member you could exclude him from the club but on what grounds? Getting better views than us.

A lot of this behaviour has to be put into perspective.
Each day I imagine tens of thousands of people are out in the countryside. Out of those maybe one or two behave in an annoying way. It isnt an every day occurance and certainly isnt the bulk of people doing it.
Count on one hand virtually the number of posts on this forum since it started that relate to "bad behaviour"

Sorry if the post is so negative but to be frank unless the behaviour is illegal and something tangible can be done all the effort in the world is not going to work unless the person is responsive.
Articles in photographic magazines, posters on fence posts, educating people are never going to deal with what we might see as bad practice but what the "offender" may have every right to do.

As a side note
I suppose the best guide to how someones presence is affecting a bird/birds/animal is to see what affect it is having on that bird etc.
Lets suppose we are all ranting about a "photographer" (legally) stood in the middle of a field when we are all stood 100 yards further away which we think is a more appropriate distance.
If the guy is happily taking photos of birds immediately around him then it has to be presumed that he isn't disturbing them in any way. If that is the case then on what grounds could we possibly try and educate him??

[TobyAW]

Sorry to drag this up again for those thinking they'd seen the back of it but needs must I'm afraid. Have had a couple of reports of 'nature enthusiasts' not following the TBC code of conduct - http://www.teesmouthbc.com/Main/VolGuide.aspx  and ignoring all three guidelines at two different sites in the last couple of days.

The Nightingale is back at Cowpen Bewley and reports have come back of tape luring as well as strying off paths and into the vegetation to look for it. The wardens have a hard enough job there with the council cuts and reduced man power without having to police the area for reckless and irresponsible behaviour from those that should know better. Nightingales are by their nature a very skulking species and also not much to look at so why anyone would go to such lengths to see one and risk disturbing a potential breeder at the northern limit of its range is beyond me  Nightingales have declined by 91% in the last 40 years and a fascinating research project was done a few years ago to study their movements - http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u27/downloads/bw-nightingales.pdf  If it's the same bird as the last two years then there's a good chance this bird has flown a minimum of 25 THOUSAND MILES!! I don't think it has gone to all this trouble just for someone to get a good view or play a tape for it. If you have time, go and listen for it and enjoy it for what it is, a fantastic vocalist.

The second incident is the accessing and viewing of the Great White Egret on Cowpen Marsh. This bird has shown perfectly well, though distantly, from the easily accessible gate at the triangle turn off. The gate isn't hard to see as it is red and has a 'No access to unauthorised personnel' sign next to it. We are managing the marsh to try and encourage breeding waders back onto the site after many years of neglect, overgrazing and drainage and already we have seen an increase in both Lapwing and Redshank in the last two years as well as a doubling of Yellow Wagtail pairs. By walking across Cowpen you are potentially disturbing these species while actively disturbing the Egret as the bird was flushed. Fortunately it didn't fly very far but could just as easily have lifted and left the area completely. Once again no consideration was given to the welfare of the bird, the habitat, or the experience of others who may have wanted to see it.
 
As a few of you may know I won't be around for much longer as I've taken up the warden's post at the RSPB's Lincolnshire Wash Reserves (Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore) so you won't have to put up with me for much longer 

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the Teesmouth Bird Club and all its members for being so welcoming and hospitable towards both the reserve and myself over the last four and a half years. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and it will be a shame to leave you all but I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead, though I don't think they will be anywhere near as tricky as trying to convince Messrs Grieveson and Dunnet that we know how to manage our habitats....

Thank you again and hopefully see you down in Lincolnshire soon

T