There is always plenty to see at RSPB Ham Wall and this time of year is no exception with the breeding season well underway and insect life starting to thrive. Unfortunately it has come to our attention that a few visitors have been going off the marked trails to try and seek better views of some of the wildlife. This means trampling of vegetation where other creatures live and disturbance to other wildlife trying to nest or feed in certain areas.
In particular, visitors have been going off the main path to the Avalon Hide and into the small wood where the tawny owl chicks have recently fledged. Despite us putting up barrier tape and increasing the size of the natural brash pile barriers, some visitors have continued to make their own paths around these and into the wood to get right up close to the chicks. Not only does this disturb the chicks themselves but also everything else in the wood that could be at critical nesting stages. Signs are now going up to strengthen our message out on site but please do not leave the main tracks to seek closer views of the tawny owls, they are quite often visible from the official track or the Avalon Hide and can be enjoyed from these locations.
Another current attraction are the large four-spotted chaser dragonfly roosts that are present in certain locations. If you encounter one of the roosts please do not trample the surrounding vegetation to get closer, as you could be destroying some of the site used by the dragonflies themselves as well as other wildlife. Signs are also going up in these locations to strengthen the message out on site.
We appreciate it is only a small number of visitors who are causing this disturbance but as our attempts to stop it so far have failed we have felt it necessary to try and make our message louder and clearer. We all get great pleasure from seeing these and other wildlife spectacles at Ham Wall so please respect the wildlife and their homes and ensure that others can continue to appreciate the magic when they too come to visit.
The Royal Photographic Society has produced a useful 'Nature Photographers' code of conduct'. It gives guidance around photographing nature and highlights the laws which applies - a useful source for beginners and experienced photographers. The link to the code can be found here: http://www.rps.org/adminuploads/external/images/nature@rps.org/Nature%20Photographers%20Code%20of%20Practice.pdf