Keeping Watch

Now that it's April and the nesting season in full swing, it would be nice to see a successful breeding repeat of last years Swans and ducks. It's good to know that many local residents keep a watchful eye on our river wildlife and are quick to report any wrongdoing that they see. Our local Police will also be keeping a close eye on the Swans too, with CCTV coverage of the area.

Ignorance is often the cause of wildlife deaths and disturbance, with some dog owners allowing their dogs to run freely and hunt the riversides. For that reason I have printed out some small information slips which I occasionally hand out to passing dog owners. Naturally all dog owners feel that their dog would never harm anything, and 95% would probably be right. The information slips however, show that even your friendly Labrador is capable of causing serious damage !

The information on the wildlife panel at the island, pertaining to the feeding of Gulls or attempting to feed ducklings from now until July, again holds true and was put there for good reason. Switching the Gulls into a feeding mode around ducklings will only result in the ducklings being killed. Also - Swans when nesting virtually stop eating until the cygnets are hatched, so PLEASE don't throw bread onto the island for them to eat - it will only attract gulls !