IGNORANCE OR WILFULNESS?

I’m absolutely livid that, about an hour ago, we had three human intruders who thought it was acceptable to walk out to the nest and then stand and chat directly under it before sauntering off again after about 15 minutes. Augusta was circling and alarming, having flown off as they approached, and then was joined by Samson who had just been on a fishing trip.

I wondered at first if it was agricultural workers who may not have been aware of the nest, especially as the field is let to a separate farmer for potato growing this year. However, at least two of the threesome had binoculars and it was clear that their interest was primarily the nest and the birds.

There are signs around, although the pertinent one may be obscured by foliage at this time of year, but the fact that they clearly knew what they were looking at means that they should also have known that they were disturbing the birds. Augusta would have been distress calling by this stage, and they seemed not to care. None of us were down there at the time to stop them, which might have been lucky for them as my language would have been less than temperate and diplomatic.

The disturbance constitutes an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 but the very real danger of this incident is that the chicks are now getting close to fledging. There is lots of wing flapping and some helicoptering going on. Something like this might easily have led to at least one of the chicks attempting to fly the nest, with disastrous results. Luckily it didn’t, but no thanks to these (at best) ignorant people.

I doubt that we will be able to identify the intruders, but I will nevertheless try. In the meantime, it is a timely reminder of visitors to the area to stick to the path. You can get great views from there (better than from where these men were) and the birds will not be disturbed.

If anyone is able to identify these people or could give further information, you can drop me a note on the comments section that you have information, and we can chat directly. Despite my temptation to name and shame, I would want to hear their side of the story first.

The good news is that both parents returned to the nest after the perceived danger was passed, and the fish that Samson had in his talons soon occupied their complete attention.