The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I went today and it was locked , I thought it was not suppose to be ever locked .

Rob.

Earlier in the year the RSPB said this winter this particular gate (to drive alongside the pool and park car) would be locked because "they don't want cars eroding the marine bank". As the marine bank consists of hard core underneath the grass and has been a pleasurable spot for folk to park their cars, picnic, feed the ducks for many many years, well as long as I can think back, maybe 40+ years and the marine bank is unchanged it doesn't sound like that is the real reason.
This area has been a pleasurable spot for folk for a long time but now yet again the RSPB have found an interesting birding spot, put up their signs and stopped us all enjoying ourselves in our various pursuits. I don't deny the RSPB do a lot of good but we will soon find ourselves in a situation where there will be no good birding spots anywhere in the UK for us to put hides up etc that are not bristling with "verboten" signs.
I think it's time the RSPB and our local MP's took a second look at this kind of thing and cut the public some slack.

The overflow car park is locked over part of the winter period to stop a right of access being claimed by the public for vehicles. It will be reopened in the new year after a suitable period. This area is owned by the RSPB and we have the right to close the gate at any time we feel it is required to protect the land holding.

There is still access to this area and the bank via the new bridleway which the RSPB worked with the local council to put in place, so hardly blocking access. There is still plenty of parking at the fitties car park on the hardcore.

In terms of damage to the flood bank - unauthorized access by vehicles has been causing damage and this has been raised by both the Environment agency and council.

In terms of the wider saltmarsh there has never been public access onto the wider area since the reserve was created back in the 1970's and in many areas the site is dangerous to access because of the danger of high tides.

So the question is what do birders want - access for all to the saltmarsh and no breeding redshank and roosting waders and damage to one of the best saltmarsh communities on the Humber. Or do they want us to control access and try and preserve what's left? I seem to have just replied to a question asking why don't we stop people walking their dogs etc on the forum?

Also - not sure what else you would see Colin by having free access to the marsh so you can put up a hide?

Pete Short - RSPB Humber Sites Manager

As it happens I was the person who contacted a Mr Day, RSPB reserves officer back in the 70's to alert them of the little tern colony of which they had no knowledge. He actually came up to have a look (I wasn't aware of his visit) and replied he could not find the little tern colony! (There were 55 pairs there at the time). They did make a return visit and found them. So, as far as I have been aware the RSPB's interest was just the little terns, clearly this now seems not to be so.
I have never since interfered with the terns there since but I always thought I would be ok to put a hide up for a few hours on other parts of the marsh to photograph waders, no one has ever said anything up to now and obviously the last thing bird photographers want is to disturb the birds. I can well understand verboten signs for what was the tern colony area but my feeling is if things carry on like this with signs all over the best areas in the UK tell me, where are bird photographers going to be allowed to put their hides up? Photographing from hides is universally the choice of a great many photographers from all over the world and the BIRDS magazine must use plenty of images taken from hides.

Of course salt marshes can be dangerous but experience makes things much safer.
Of course dog walkers can be much more than just a nuisance but I can see that folk enjoy walking their dogs and personally I don't like to spoil other people's pleasure even though, for a while they will have spoiled mine. Someone did mention dogs flushing the waders, heck waders take fright several times a day for all kinds of reasons, peregrines, harriers, foxes, I have used hides on Tetney marsh and other marshes since mid 60's and even I know this is normal and the waders will return within 30-60 minutes.

Naturally I am aware there are purpose made hides such as those at Far ings and Frampton but sometimes these can get too crowded.

My intention is not to invite arguments but to flag up a growing conflict between the RSPB and bird photographers who surely should be allies?

Ah so my reading between the lines was correct then Colin.

Not wanting to make myself unpopular on here (again) but Colin, is that conflict similar to the growing one between photographers and non-photographing birders?

Lighting the blue touch paper
James

Tetney Marshes has been managed for much more than little terns for many years and is important for its quality saltmarsh, roosting waders, feeding wildfowl and nesting redshank population (plus much more too). And yes there are not any breeding little terns now but see my last post on this subject. It is SSSI, SPA and SAC habitat/designation particularly for its saltmarsh communities - the RSPB as landowner has a legal responsibility to maintain these to as good a standard as it can. I also thank and applaud Colin for his past action regarding helping to draw attention to the little tern colony at Tetney so the RSPB could protect them at this time and for then limiting his photographic activity of a Schedule one species.

As said in my last post about Tetney we aim to work with people walking their dogs and not to spoil their enjoyment. However disturbance of birds from people and dogs is not exactly the same as that by peregrines and harriers which is natural. Interestingly dog walkers and public pressure does have an effect on the saltmarsh and it is quite clear that the breeding redshank population has deserted the area adjacent to the fitties and moved into the center of the marsh. So people with dogs, just as birders (and I include RSPB staff in this) and photographers all need to be mindful of their actions.

People walking out onto the Marsh is increasing year on year and eventually this will have an effect on the wildlife. Not easy to limit at all with over 47,000 people using the Fitties car park. 40 years ago a few people walking out was not so bad, now we even find women out with high heels out on the marsh and people allowing up to five dogs to run around all over the saltmarsh during the breeding season, as well as motorbikes out on little Hilbre - no wonder little terns go to Easington where to be honest they are currently better off.

In terms of birders and local birders I'm not aware of the RSPB during my 16 years on the Humber being particularly strong armed about anyone walking where they want to bird/take photographs within reason. However it would be good for all birders and photographers to respect the site and its wildlife and to remember it can be dangerous with several people drowned over the years. However, just to also clarify here - the Saltmarsh and beach around Tetney is not officially open to public access and does not have any public footpath running through it, mainly to help protect the site and its wildlife from excessive public access.

In terms of photographers I would say that overall the RSPB and other conservation organizations have done a great deal of work to support this past time over the years and yes many of the quality photo's are taken on RSPB reserves as well as off. However, in respect, being a birder, a photographer or a dog walker does not give anyone license to do what they want on nature reserves (or on other peoples land) that are there to protect the wildlife without permission. Everyone has a duty of care to be reasonable in their approach to their pastime and the conservation needs of the sites - hopefully everyone can understand the need for some basic principles to how we as individuals help protect sensitive sites and wildlife for the future.

If people carry out this basic principle then I see no problem or conflict.

Thanks for info.

Rob.