Guernsey's purple sandpiper population declining (1 Viewer)

[Kits]

It seems that dogs walking on the beaches have stopped the birds from returning to their feeding ground which has meant the number of birds on the island has dropped dramatically.

The population of a species of wading bird in Guernsey has fallen by 99% over the past 20 years, according to an environmental and heritage group.

There were about 100 purple sandpipers at Vazon Bay 20 years ago but in 2013 that number had dropped to just one.


Full article here.

 

[MSA]

Thought I'd have a look at this - Purple Sandpiper numbers have been dropping locally for many years, and bearing in mind their habitat preference I'd be surprised if dogs were the whole story. Found this -

http://www.societe.org.gg/projects/webs/wader.php?spp=ps

..which suggests the drop from "about 100 at Vazon Bay" may not be quite accurate...

However, whatever the reason and whatever the true figures "before" and "after", it's a worry, and reflected in so many species.

 

[Kits]

Interesting article, MSA. I see it says

From being an uncommon but regular winter visitor, the massive decline (96%) in Purple Sandpiper numbers has meant that this species is on the verge of extinction as a wintering species.

so it would seem that the birds are indeed in decline, which is the main point of the OP.

 

[dantheman]

Link won't open for me (using firefox)

 

[MSA]

:eek!:

Interesting article, MSA. I see it says

From being an uncommon but regular winter visitor, the massive decline (96%) in Purple Sandpiper numbers has meant that this species is on the verge of extinction as a wintering species.

so it would seem that the birds are indeed in decline, which is the main point of the OP.

Well, sort of, Kits, but one could also argue that the main point of the article is to say that dogs are causing a decline in Purple Sandpiper numbers, which is at best just a theory, and when the numbers involved have been seemingly inflated to underline that point, I do question the motive of the article (but not of your post!).

If I get chance I'll look into average sea temperature changes over the same period - Purple sands are (I believe) at just about the southern extremity of their main wintering grounds in Guernsey, so "global warming" may be an equally valid reason for the decline, which would have greatest initial impact in marginal areas.

Edit - it pretty much says that in my link! Didn't even notice :eek!:

 

[Kits]

Which link won't open, dan?

Interesting points, MSA. I am sure that dogs are not the only contributory factor and will look forward to reading what you can find out. :t:

 

[dantheman]

Which link won't open, dan?

Mark's one (so it doesn't really matter then ... )

Seriously, of course disturbance matters. Quantifying/proving it is probably the tricky bit. I would love for dogs to be banned from my local town beaches - I'm sure the waders would benefit greatly, but I think that's just me being selfish as they are small town beaches in built-up area for humans. (Actually they are banned over the summer.)

 

[Idle Valley Birder]

Dogs control!!!

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=248429

Support 'Dog Control Orders' Please sign petition below.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/An...p_Control_or_Ban_dogs_on_Nature_Reserves_NOW/

 

[DMW]

Can't speak for Guernsey, but Purple Sandpipers are probably the shorebird least affected by dog walkers in Jersey. In 35 years of birding here, I have seen precisely one Purple Sandpiper on a sandy beach. They are birds of rocky shorelines here, which are not typically frequented by dog walkers.

 

[lewis20126]

The declines are probably to do with climate changes, as others have said; there are likely to be larger numbers wintering further north; a bit like Bewick's Swans, Eurasian Whitefronts etc.

I think it is extremely unlikely that dogs have anything to do with it as DMW says; if it were
Sanderling I might believe that - our main Hants flocks get continually disturbed on the Hayling / Southsea beaches.

cheers, alan

 

[Isurus]

The beeb post is I think conflating two stories. We have a general decline in waders of all kinds as illustrated by the Societe's 30 year data:
http://www.societe.org.gg/projects/webs/webs_intro.html
A lot of that is to do with disturbance - specifically dog walking on a few significant breeding/roosting beaches. The wader that has declined worst is purple sand and hence they've picked up on that but as has been pointed out it may be an odd one out in that dogs may not be the sole issue. You'll note Jamie never specifically mentions dogs and purple sands just dogs and waders generally then cites some of the decline.

I should say however I'm not involved in the study so don't take my word as anything other than informed opinion.

 

[dantheman]

Around Falmouth at least over the Christmas period there were a fair few dogs running around the rocks and exposed reefs - including a couple of manic examples. Purple Sandpipers did do a runner at this time.

I'd tend to agree that Purp Sands and dogs in this Guernsey example probably more likely to be other factors, unless there is a similar case of not much rocks and lots of dogs,