Dog owners are being warned to follow signs meant to protect wildlife, amid fears that not everyone is following the rules. Dogs have been seen roaming freely at Churchtown Farm, near Saltash, where people are being urged to keep their dogs on leads due to nesting larks.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) east Cornwall conservation officer Stuart Matheson said there were “many breaches” and “the worst-case scenario is that the chicks will be killed”. Peter Kent, CWT’s east Cornwall reserve manager, said disturbances by dogs “could lead to adults abandoning their nests”.
One dog owner said he had seen signs about larks but chose to ignore them, leaving his two large dogs roaming loose. Due to “recent dramatic population declines” in the UK, the RSPB said the lark is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and as a “red list” species.
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Stuart, a reserve officer, is a dog owner himself, but “always keeps his dog on a leash in the area south of the railway at Churchtown Farm.” This is where signs are posted and larks are nesting.
He said: “Please help protect skylarks by keeping your dog on a leash under railroad tracks from March to August. Even if dogs do not attack birds, chicks or nests, they can attack nesting birds. Dogs near birds, nests, or chicks may cause adult birds to abandon the nest site.
“There are nine signs in the area south of the railway requiring dogs to be kept on a leash during nesting season, but many people are not complying. They can sniff out a lark’s nest, and in the worst case scenario, the chicks may die, but even low-level disturbances can affect nesting birds.
“It’s historic. People like to walk their dogs in this area, and there’s an area at the top on the north side of the tracks where it’s okay to take your dog off-leash. The bottom area is where skylarks nest, and small changes can make a big difference to their survival.”
Kent explained: “Although we have not observed successful breeding by larks in the reserve, they are incredibly good at hiding their nests. Every spring we see roosters singing over the fields. It is safer to assume that they are building a nest in this location.
“Disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon the nest (though this becomes less likely once the eggs hatch), the feeding of the birds’ chicks can be interrupted, and breeding attempts can fail. There is a possibility.
“On February 24th, Friends of Churchtown and Cornwall Wildlife Trust staff held an event to promote responsible dog walking within the reserve. Throughout the spring and summer, volunteers from Wardens and staff will be talking with visiting dog owners about how they can help protect this endangered species while enjoying a walk around the grounds.”
Signs posted state that the nesting season for larks runs from March 1st to August 31st. Dogs must therefore be leashed in areas south of the railway during this period.
The sign reads: “The dog is leading south of the tracks. There’s a skylark nest here! Populations are declining across the country. Please help us keep disruption to the nest to a minimum.”