I came upon this while surfing the net and it worried me.
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/wildlife-photography/1146-bird-nest-photos.html
It's from a few years ago but could it actually be illegal to photograph nests???
Or if not illegal, ill advised?
Pipit
Species on Schedule 1 can't legally be photographed at or around the nest without a licence - and that applies to eggs and chicks in the nest too of course. Schedule 1 species are listed here: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/waca1981schedule1_tcm6-4606.pdf
While it's not illegal to photograph the nests of other species, you may run the risk of drawing predators' attention to the nest site, making the nest more exposed by damaging surrounding vegetation and also disturbing the parents. It all really depends on the individual nest. Photographing a Blue Tit leaving its nest box while you're standing a good distance away seems pretty harmless to me. However, burrowing through a dense hedge to get close-up pics of a well-hidden Song Thrush nest, for example, would carry a real risk of disturbance.
My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/
I think it is unwise to take any pictures of nests or eggs plus the fact that species of bird may be further imposed upon so that their chicks will not survive.
Another issue about photos of nests and eggs show in general that any information of a bird species opens the nest site to egg thieves, and they are another serious issue too. Sadly these individuals are around too, and they will break the law regardless because they have an obsession with egg collecting - like all obsessive people.
Of course the situation with the BoP's, They are persecuted enough with shooting and poisoning and I am sure that information about their whereabouts are passed between people whether it is an innocent poster, e-mail. blog or on a bird Forum or otherwise.
I wholly agree that to have pictures of nests or eggs is a complete no no on any website blog or Forum. Of course as mentioned by aiki the chance of the parent birds abandoning the offspring is high too. So the chicks are preyed upon by other species.
Sorry for the heavy handed appraoch here but these are my views.
aiki: Of course the laws will state any disturbance of birds is illegal and immoral, so well said with your post. The laws are placed for that reason and should be adhered to. I certainly did not know that some species where protected over other species - interesting to know that.
I would say personally that all birds should be off limits to any human disturbance of any sort.
The only time I have intervened was when a tree surgeon cut down part of a neighbours {he is not interested in birds) Tree that had my Blue Tit box pinned to it with chicks and parents intact. I placed the box on the ground in the garden until the tree surgeon had finished. The parent birds where frantic but all was alright in a short period of time when the box was pinned on the same tree once more. {whew}
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Hi Kathy
Thanks for your views. I notice you didn't contribute to either my or Corriepaw's posts of our Blackbird nest photos. I hope you weren't cringing too much!!
I won't speak for Corrie but just to say, I do take your views on board. In my defence, the nest is very near the edge of our bay tree (but well hidden). This tree is about 3 yards from a garden table and chairs. Sat there for a few hours in the sun yesterday and mum and dad Blackbird were feeding happily. I usually have to walk past that nest every day about 6 inches from the sitting parent (quietly of course) and they are very used to that and don't get scared.
I've only taken 4 shots - eggs, newborns and 3 days old and don't even touch the tree. It's so easy to stretch in and snap once the parent has left. I know it's not spooked the parents as they are still busily feeding.
However, I take on board everything you say about disturbance and alerting predators, so I'm going to abandon my photo journal and hopefully next pic will be of the fledglings hopping round the garden.
Thanks Kathy and aiki for your advice
I often film them but I do it with a long photo lens,they are not aware I am there as I arrive before dawn
Hi Pipit
No worries LOL with the threads we are all entitled to do what we feel best for our birds
Glad to be of help in the question department of this thread.
I am pleased to hear that your Blackbirds are doing well and before you know it they will be in your garden area with mum and dad to complete their growing cycle.
Love to hear all about their up to date 'Blackbird' adventures in your other thread. Can you point me in that direction by a connecting link?
Thanks for that Kathy. I did appreciate your knowledge.
Not sure how to do a connecting link, so I'll post an update now which should pop up in 'latest posts'
Cheers
Pipit x
Unknown said:Not sure how to do a connecting link,
To do a connecting link you need to open a new window and find the page that you want to connect to then 'copy' the web-page line along the top of the page by pressing: 'Control + C' at the same time
Then when you type your post you should be able to see the link symbol which is a chain link as opposed to the broken chain link next to it.
Click on the 'chain link symbol' and a box will open, then you 'paste' the link that you have copied by pressing 'Control + V' at the same time, and choose whether you want it to open the link in the same window or a new one.
Best wishes Chris
Click Here to see my photos