DOG DANGER !

Today I found one of our Mallard Drakes dead beside the Merryton bridge. By all accounts it seems to have been a dog attack with paw prints around the carcase.

The nesting season is now underway and it is common for ducks and drakes to be scouting the riverbank for possible nesting sites. The Drakes hang around the area and are sometimes slow to move particularly if they are under a tree and unable to take off easily, this one was under a tree.

I have consistently asked some dog owners to keep their dogs under close control, especially at this time of year through until July at least. The Scottish outdoor access code stipulates this advice.

Some people are determined to ignore this advice and will be reported to the Dog warden and the Police if spotted by Trust members. 

One such woman consistently allows her dog to chase the birds, in spite being asked time and again not to allow it to do so. The River Nairn Swans and Waterfowl Trust exists to protect the river birds. The vast majority of dog owners are no problem, but some couldn't care less about other species. Fifty per cent of Scottish birds are ground nesting and will not leave their nest when sitting on eggs, even when the threat to them can be fatal.
The Trust only asks that dog owners keep a wary eye on their dogs, and keep them close by in an area where wildlife abounds.