Having visited a local site for at least seven years, I am dismayed by not only what I see and hear, but now also first-hand have experienced.
Fairburn Ings has been my favourite weekend destination, where me and my partner go to feed and observe the birds. However, this area of the site is also where there are three raised platforms rented by an angling club.
In all the time I've been going there, these platforms have been used both by swans, ducks, coots et al, and people with/without chidlren either for the purpose of feeding, filming, or just blissfully bird-watching...
Now, however these platforms have been raised and levelled over with wood-chippings, so that the bird population can't access them from the water, and having seen it being done as I was there today, I proceded to do what I normally do on the middle platform which as yet hadn't been started on. no sooner had I put the first bit of food down on this platform, I hear, and I quote: Oi, throw your bread in the water not there as that is what's making it like it is. (apart form a few small holes at the end where the boarding was for this platform, it had remained much the same as it had annually been). Not a polite request as one might have expected, but from what I've heard, the norm for this crowd.
While I respect that anglers have a right to be there too, if only to provide extra income for the site, their diligence as mob-handed workers is rather apathetic as to their diligence from overseeing anglers who use that area too!
In the past year, a major number of swans there have died from lead-poinoning (lead weights being the culprit at a guess). People have stopped using the site in that area to feed birds after being verbally abused by anglers. And most importantly, it seems that anglers using that area go there armed with crossbows and fire bolts at the birds to keep them away.
So all in all, it make me pretty angry that despite it being a RSPB site, birds & the people who bother to take an interest in their well-being have been penalised by anglers who think it belongs solely to them!
Going past the right-hand side of the visitor's centre, and along the road aways, there is another RSPB Carpark, overlooking part of the lake where these platforms are. And quite frankly, the amount of space left to sprinkle seed and vegetables bits isn't a lot, as what's left of the bank there tends to get occupied by hungry swans.
Thank you for all your comments. The area concerned is not actually on the reserve but an adjacent fishing pond. However if you wish to discuss this issue with our staff in the area then please contact Darren Starkey on 01977 628194.
I noticed a comment regarding the use of crossbows, if you do see anyone using a crossbow to harm wild birds then please report this incident to the police as soon as possible as it is a criminal offence to intentionally cause harm to wild birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
Ian,I thought I was right about it not being part of the reserve,pity the birds do not know.A couple of years ago we saw a couple of guys with air guns down that end,the police responded very quickly and I think the case went to court so the local constabulary do take it seriously.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Just to bring this upto date.
We have given up feeding the birds at that side of the road altogether and now feed them on a small area of the pond that runs to the side of the RSPB carpark at that end of the reserve.
There is now polythene sheeting completely obscuring any views of the lake and birds from cars at the side of the road, ruining what was a lovely place to just sit with a cuppa or two and watch the wildlife there. We have been lucky to see many species around there when you can just sit quietly in comfort in the car all weathers ..... very few places now you can do this when you are disabled.
We have watched the birds pairing up, the day to day squabbles between the resident groups, swans geese and ducks flying in and out, the mulititude of gulls and terns, plus flocks of wagtails, a handful of robins, fleeting glimpses of siskins among the regulars this winter and a few passing migrants too. Many due to the harsh conditions have been feeding happily within feet when you are quiet. Even recognise a few regular characters like the whooper (we think!) swan Victor Meldrew who is always grumpy with the rest, and one of the cygnets who sticks his head literally in the open car window politely, but 'doesnt do crusts from sandwiches only the soft middle tyvm'. just for 2 examples. We have watched (and photographed) the summer sun and a wintery sun set reflecting on the lake, taken photos of this from in the car which is rare again when you cannot walk or stand some days. The shoots of springs, the new life with the youngsters hatched there, the autumn colours and the whole lake save one small 'puddle' almost being frozen solid. A lot of sitting and just watching. We personally will miss this as will countless others am sure.
I do hope that the Walton Angling Club feels very proud of taking this away from the many (elderly and disabled in particular), for the sport of just a few as there are only 3 landings that are right beside the barriers there. Maybe they would like the price of those 3 offered to keep those just for the birds and bird watchers. Community spirit ........ hmmmmm.
We havent been back to update this as have a family crisis atm with someone terminally ill, but will certainly give the number Ian (?) gave a call when things are a little more 'normal' again. Even happy to work in with him to assist with any projects of disability inclusions he may have, if he wishes too. The disabled loo there is always clean and tidy and a credit to the site I may add :)
I do not suffer from stress ....
But I am a known carrier ;)
Cerberus64 said:I proceded to do what I normally do on the middle platform which as yet hadn't been started on. no sooner had I put the first bit of food down on this platform
Hi all
Sadly, I'm going to have to play devils advocate here for a moment.
I have read all of the posts on this page and I have to admit I was left wondering why people would prefer to throw bread specifically on wooden platforms rather than throwing in the water near to it?
It seems like at least some parts of this site need to be shared by birdwatchers and anglers, and these three platforms are rented by an angling club. So if you look at it from the side of the anglers for just one moment, would you like it if you were trying to fish and people were throwing bread on a platform right next to you so that ducks and geese would all start coming out of the water onto the platform? I wouldn't like it.
We have another birdwatcher, who posted a thread about the fact that he can't even sit in a hide and watch birds in peace without reams of people with children coming in and throwing bread out of the hide to feed fish and water birds below.
In reserves as in life, sometimes you have to be considerate of other people who are all sharing the great outdoors with each other.
Best wishes Chris
Click Here to see my photos
To be perfectly honest here too Woodpecker, in the whole of the last year I would think the anglers have only been present twice at most when we were there. We respected they were fishing and did not feed the swans. Other folks were there and were using the platform furthest away from them and not noisily either.
I have fished in the past so this is not a biased opinion, but if it was so apparant that passers by had been feeding from the roadside for many years, plus a large number of birds hang out there, being fed or not, surely it is not the best place to put a landing stage nor to want to rent it. Most the anglers we have seen there have always been polite, but they are using stages on the other areas of the lakes.
When something is so apparantly open to a roadside with passers by who can legally park up beside the road there, you will get traffic noise, folks pipping, the idiot brigade who shout out windows, and quite legitimately passers by on bike on foot with children, dogs the lot ..... noise there is going to happen, bird feeders or none.
I will also add its only been during these harsh conditions we have fed them too. Who will other years I wonder .... The birds are sitting on those platforms and the roadside bank hence thats where the feed goes!
One problem is that the angling club pays for the fishing rights and so presume,rightly or wrongly,that they have first call on the site,whereas we birders do not pay anything towards the upkeep of that site.It was always a good spot to take those not so nimble on their feet just to sit and watch the wildlife,in better days we often did that with the aging in-laws and it is great shame that people cannot do that now.
Is it not best to feed birds well away from where anglers are. Anglers hate swans and ducks swimming in an area where they are fishing. Not only that there is a good chance of the birds swaqlowing hooks.
I used to take the kids to this area and there was an icescream van and a farm across the road with rare breads of sheep and of course we fed the birds.
The onlything I can suggest is feed the birds well away from anglers You won't beat the anglers.
But the anglers could show a bit of respect.
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Already having mentioned the fact that I respect the fact that anglers have to be there too, at the time of the event in question, there were no anglers, and if there are anglers, then it's common sense to give them a wide berth as far as feeding is concerned.
As for the matter of putting bread on the platform, as the swans tend to go for all food thrown in the water, the bread on a dry area is left for the ducks, coots & other smaller varieties who quite happily used to advance on it and leave nothing once we sat back in the car..
We've now found that there is a better area of land surrounding two quarters of the RSPB Carpark nearby, with plenty of room for them to eat, and unless the anglers want to jump over the fence or bramble patch at the roadside with their angling gear, the birds won't be disturbed.
So... problem solved, well for those who know and use the carpark for distributing seeds and the like for them, hope those who used to use the layby come to realise that it's also available for the same.