Call for beach measures to protect waders

Birders in Jersey have called for restrictions on beaches to allow migratory waders to forage without disturbance.

Mick Dryden of Jersey Birds said he would like to see parts of two or three of the island's beaches set aside so birds from northern climates could safely feed without fear of being flushed.

He said that could involve dogs being kept on leads as the birds expended much-needed energy when disturbed.

Ruddy Turnstone is one of the species of wintering wader that suffers from disturbance on Jersey's beaches (Jane Rowe).

Wader disturbance

Species including Ruddy Turnstone, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Eurasian Curlew arrive in the island during autumn from countries such as Canada, Iceland and Russia to feed up on seagrass before they return to their breeding grounds.

Mr Dryden said: "They're all coming here for one reason – and that is to survive the winter. These birds are dependent for their survival on being able to feed at these places.

"If constant disturbances are preventing them from doing that, then the birds can't be in a good enough condition to migrate the thousands of miles back north where they're going to breed – and the end product is that they don't.

"If their time is spent flying around because people are disturbing them then they're not feeding and are burning up energy instead of gaining it."

He added that he would like to see a part of Grouville Bay protected during the winter for feeding birds but other parts of a couple of beaches during the summer months when some species breed.