Concern over ground-nesting birds on Arran
At this time of year Arran’s meadows and beaches are used by many species of birds for nesting, and they can be easily disturbed by walkers. As Arran’s well known wildlife guide Lucy Wallace says:
“I have a plea to nature lovers and dog walkers to be aware of and respect the space of ground nesting birds. It’s a particular problem on popular beaches such as Kildonan right now, which are also special places for wildlife. I’ve seen a few folk in the last few days trundle through nesting oyster catchers completely unaware, often with a set of binoculars around their neck so clearly nature lovers who mean no harm. Sometimes the signs of nesting are hard to spot for the untrained eye as they deliberately camouflage themselves. It’s good to be on the safe side, so please stick to the path, and keep dogs on a lead. If birds are being noisy, it can be a sign of distress. Some of the bigger beaches such as Brodick and Blackwaterfoot are less sensitive, (especially at the village ends of the beaches), and better places to give the dogs a run.”
I’m not having a moan, I think these things are about gentle education and encouragement, we all love nature and want to continue to enjoy it.
