Appeal for dog walkers to help protect birds on Northam Burrows

Dog walkers have been urged to make sure their pets do not chase or disturb the many bird species currently using Northam Burrows as their winter home.

The Burrows rangers are reminding people to make a special effort not to allow their animals to disturb the birdlife, as the birds need all their energy to feed and survive the cold weather and rest with as little stress as possible.

In particular, birds are likely to be a lot closer to the shore around high tide, so sticking to the designated paths and having your dog under control is advisable at these times.

It is also a great time for bird watchers and at this time of year there will be many Scandinavian and Northern European bird species escaping the harsher winters found in their homelands.

Winter favourites include species such as the curlew, golden plover, lapwing and noisy native oystercatchers.

Shelduck are also abundant and many of these species like to spend the winter months on the tideline around the salt marshes, sand dunes and sand banks of the Taw and Torridge estuary, which borders Northam Burrows.

It is also a great time for nature lovers to observe all the exotic visitors, which also include snow buntings, and Brent geese.

Another way to get involved with nature this winter is to take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch which runs from January 26 to 28. People can register on the RSPB website from mid-December and spend an hour recording the birds they see in their gardens, on their balconies or in their local park on one of the designated days.

It is a vital snapshot of how the UK’s garden birds are faring, which species are doing well and which are struggling and has been running for more than 40 years.

Councillor Lyndon Piper – lead member for leisure at Torridge District Council, said: “We’re lucky in Torridge to live in an area that has such an abundant variety of wildlife and natural habitats to support them.

“While the coastline is also a great place for residents to escape outdoors with their pets we just need to be a bit more vigilant than usual during the winter months and don’t allow our dogs to chase after the birds that flock to our shores.

“It’s important that they recuperate and build up their energy reserves so they make it back safely to their spring breeding grounds and their numbers are preserved or improved.”