Kent Wildlife Trust, with the support of Natural England, is embarking upon a major scientific study into the effects of human disturbance on the birds of Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate.
Sandwich & Pegwell Bay, managed by the Trust, was declared a National Nature Reserve by Sir David Attenborough in 1999, and is home to internationally important populations of water birds such as turnstone, sanderling, grey plover and bar-tailed godwit. These long distance migrants come from as far away as Canada and Siberia to spend the winter here for its rich supply of invertebrate food such as marine worms, shellfish and crustaceans.
Tony Swandale, Kent Wildlife Trust’s Coastal Warden for East Kent, said: “There has been growing concern over a number of years about the impact of certain commercial and recreational activities on breeding, feeding and roosting birds. Every time the birds get disturbed by people or dogs, they waste vital energy which can only be replaced by finding more food. This can potentially reduce their chances of survival, especially in winter.
“Human disturbance can disrupt the feeding and roosting patterns of birds and, in extreme cases, drive them away completely. Single disturbance events are rarely fatal – however, the cumulative effect of repeated disturbance can be.”
A study of turnstones wintering around the Thanet coast in 2000/2001 revealed their fat reserves were noticeably lower than expected. The Thanet turnstone weighed on average 25.4% less than those of the same species at another less disturbed site in Scotland at the same time of year – and therefore a source of concern because of their need for fat reserves to make long migrations.
This has implications for the conservation of birds at a global level. Birds which nest in the open on the beaches or in the marshes are also very sensitive to the continual disturbance. The rare little tern abandoned Sandwich Bay in the 1990’s and numbers of breeding ringed plovers have dropped from double figures to only a single pair.
Kent Wildlife Trust is not only concerned about the plight of birds. They are also aware that visitors to the area have their enjoyment ruined by motorcyclists, off-road drivers and a minority of dog owners who allow their pets to chase the birds, often in full view of the public bird hide. The impact of these and other activities such as bait digging and kite surfing, will form part of the study.
The study, which will take two years to complete, is being funded by Natural England, GrantScape and Kent Wildlife Trust. The data for the study is being gathered by professional ornithological surveyors and is being overseen by the Disturbance Study Working Group consisting of Natural England, Kent Wildlife Trust, RSPB, the Environment Agency, British Trust for Ornithology and the University of Kent.
The findings will be used to inform the future management of the site.
Source: Kent Wildlife Trust
