Mid-Summer Madness

Today was a good day on the river, the Swans are looking good and the injured cygnet is recovering well. Earlier today I chatted to people from Portugal, Canada and other holidaymakers from different parts of the UK. They were admiring the river scene, the Swans and ducks, and saying how lovely it all looked.

This evening that all changed dramatically when 4 canoeists started grinding their way up the river , chasing every single bit of wildlife away!

I was fuming at the thoughtlessness for the wildlife, particularly since I asked the leader of the group earlier down by the tail end of the creek how far they were going up river? I explained not to go past the island, that some ducks were still nesting just beyond the island close to the bank, and that there were lots of birds close by.

He said they were only going "up a little ways."

After returning from the harbour 20 minutes later, I find the 4 of them in a few inches of water and one canoe only a few feet from the ducks nest near the merryton bridge !

This is the same duck that lost 16 ducklings earlier in the year.

The 40 or so ducks that were feeding in the creek area had all been scared away.

Not a single bird between the bailey and merryton bridges to be seen, for the sake of 4 canoes using poles to propel themselves over a few inches of water.

I am pretty sure the new access to the countryside act, states that disturbance to wildlife has to be avoided, these people had no interest in that, the exercise was obviously how to pole their way over shallow water.

I hope the Nairn River Community Council makes a protest, and stops any further distubance to our wildlife and major tourist attraction. I'm sure the Nairn Angling Association will not be pleased in the middle of the salmon run to have this lot disturbing the creek either.

Why did'nt they use the river last week when there was a raging spate ?

Written on the side of the canoes was MAD RIVER CANOE , how Apt !