The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Look north last night
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/v242d/

SEAL COLONY AT DONNA NOOK

For many years, keen and experienced wildlife photographers visited the small outer seal colony at weekends when the RAF was not making use of the beach as a bombing range. The seals in this colony are about a mile out across the mudflats and conditions on this exposed east coast beach can be extreme.



The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust no longer condones or encourages access to these seals.



Increased pup mortality rate in this part of the colony, 6 times greater than the main colony, was recorded in 2009. This is thought to be the result of disturbance caused by the increased numbers of photographers and casual visitors.



Whilst some of this disturbance is the result of atrocious Behaviour by a few individuals, the sheer weight of numbers of people now going to the outer colony at weekends is also a factor. As a wildlife conservation body, the Wildlife Trust has to try and reduce activities that are causing seal pup deaths.



Uncontrolled access to the outer colony is also spoiling the enjoyment of the thousands of visitors who stay behind the fence. The Wildlife Trust knows that they don’t like to see people walking about on the beach and potentially causing disturbance and stress to the seals.



The viewing area at the foot of the sand dunes was established to reduce disturbance to the seals and ensure the safety of visitors. It is possible to get good quality photographs from the viewing area. From this location the full spectacle can be witnessed from cute seal pups and interactions between mother and young to the powerful and brutal fights between the males.



As with photographing any wildlife subject, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust would hope that people follow the Code of Practice produced by the Nature Group of the Royal Photographic Society and in particular remember that:

· The welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph.

· Photography should not be undertaken if it puts the subject at risk from disturbance, physical damage, and lessened reproductive success, or if it causes the subject anxiety.

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Regards
Dean Eades



Take nothing but photos - Leave nothing but footprints - Waste nothing but time

My website: http://www.birdmad.com
https://www.facebook.com/dean.eades1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdmad/
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk
http://www.Canon.co.uk

Saw you on the telly!

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JH Birding
http://jhbirding.blogspot.com

I am pleased to see there is a Code of Practice outlined by the Royal Photographic Society Nature Group. I would be interested to know if any contravention is enforcable and by whom? Can any of you photagraphers enlighten me?

Deano,

I saw you being interviewed by Look North and didn't you say that you in the past had ventured out to the distant sands but wouldn't be doing it any longer?

Regards

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

During the week, Monday to Friday the Red flags are flown due to the bombing range being in use by the RAF, and the public are not allowed on the shore, so there must be a legal frame work which allows this, so why not fly the flags at a weekend and also extend the fencing much further down the coast to stop public access.
Just a suggestion,
Mike Surr

Michael,

It's a good suggestion but it won't keep those who are adamant who want to get that special photo will it.

Volunteers to oversee the running of who goes where, but then if a photographer gets a bit shirty and kicks up a fuss, then it's back to square one.

Cheers

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Better fly the white flag then,
Mike Surr