'Quite dramatic' negative impact on wintering birds in Mayo explained

SOME wintering bird populations along Clew Bay are being negatively impacted by human activity.

The change in recent years was described as 'quite dramatic' by Graham Cawdell, a member of Mayo County Council's environment and climate change strategic policy committee.

As part of the I-WeBS survey, he has undertaken surveys of birds around Old Head and Bertra that migrate to the Mayo coast for the winter. They arrive here tired and in need of feeding up, after a long migration.

When he first started he was 'amazed' at what he was seeing, but the change at both locations in recent years has been 'quite dramatic'. And, in his view, it is due to alterations in human activity.

Mr. Cawdell explained how at Bertra, for example, people once exercised their dogs along by and in the dunes. That is now discouraged and they are going in the opposite direction where there are lots of different waders, along with geese and ducks.

It's not the dogs that they are frightened of, he added, it's the humans.

Councillor Harry Barrett wondered is there much damage being done by taking a predetermined path through dunes and would it be better to use them, as opposed to having the unintended consequences of upsetting the birds along the beach.

Mr. Cawdell commented on giving people advice, referring to the need for information boards around bylaws and responsibilities that was also raised earlier at the meeting.

Some people are proud that their dogs are chasing birds, he added, and that should be discouraged.

Members were told the advice is to keep off the dunes.

Efforts have been made in recent years to protect and restore the fragile sand dunes at Bertra, with the public urged to stay off the dunes.

* Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.