Dodgy deed at Snettisham? (1 Viewer)

Wife and I decided to take a trip to Snettisham today,mainly because it would be quiter than Cley and co. Despite the murky weather and the longish walk ( no loo for her ladyship!) we had a really good time. Emma just couldn't get over how close the new fluffy things were. Which brings me to the notice at the start of the walk, about keeping off the shingle because of the eggs and chicks. When we started the walk, at the shingle/path there were at least 5 Oystercatchers sitting either on eggs or nests and a few Ringed Plovers (well camoflaged) running about too. So we kept our distance and watched with the binoculars.
Anyway, when we got back to the end of the walk and were at the shingle (theres an Environment Agency Sign) there was a Mercedes Van parked on the shingle beach! And a bloke with a big shovel and a few bags filling them with gravel/shingle and lugging them into the van. My missus was horrified. She was for writing the reg.number until I got the video camera out and recorded him taking the gravel from the beach in the middle of nesting f***ing birds. Now, I might be wrong. But isn't it an offence to take gravel/shingle/sand or whatever from a public (or private) beach? And isn't it an offence to knowingly disturb nesting birds? This bugger was probably inches from the Oystercatchers. RSPB phone call next or leave it? I should have said something to him but I'm at the age now where I let the powers that be sort things out. I don't need a spade over me head! John

Crikey! That's a tough one to answer cugsy!
At first hand, when emotions get the better, I'd be for reporting the incident,together with reg number, to the old bill.
But, after having a breather, a chill pill, and a second thought, I'd probably think differently. His few bags of gravel collecting may well have caused less impact on the environment than the giant hoover that would have been used to collect his gravel from the sea bed, had he purchased it from a builders yard.
I don't have a problem with a bloke nabbing a bit of gravel from the beach, but the timing (nesting season) is way out of order.

Call the RSPB.

Agree, inform the RSPB and leave the ball in their court if they want to persue it. If nothing else they may choose to keep a closer eye on the area, or keep a lookout if they see the same vehicle.

I'd prefer to let the RSPB chew this fella out. No fuzz!

i'd think before letting the RSPB a call.
last time i went to snettisham,the so called RSPB reps were letting the local paper david bailey walk all over the shingle taking snaps and if i hadn't shouted at him to get off he would have trod on ringed plovers nest.
and all i got from the two rspb people was he's ok.
so i think you might get more joy from the enviroment officer??

No offence Dave. But how often do we walk away from something thats blatantly wrong? I'm up for a barney with RSPB over their attitude to this because you can't take the law into your own hands...can you? The bloke walked passed a big enough and obvious enough sign. If a birder was walking down the shingle that close to nesting birds wouldn't you do something?

Residents of Snettisham have been entitled to help themselves to shingle from the beach for many years. I'm not sure if there are any time or date restrictions though.