Don’t let your dog chase birds at coastal beauty spot, council warns

Dog owners visiting Northam Burrows have been warned to take extra care and keep their pet under control around the many migrating birds that have arrived for the winter.

The burrows has welcomed a large influx of Scandinavian and Northern European bird species that have travelled south to escape harsher winters.

Visitors and residents are being asked by the burrows ranger team to make sure they stick to designated pathways and keep their dogs under control around the bird flocks, which are likely to be much closer to the shore at high tide.

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If dogs chase flocks of birds that are overwintering or migrating, it can affect their chances of staying healthy enough to survive and breed, especially if they are already exhausted or short of food.

Torridge District Council (TDC) has produced a leaflet to raise awareness of this issue and encourage everyone to act responsibly when visiting sites on the Taw and Torridge estuary. This will be made available at tourist information and other visitor centres.

Councillor Lyndon Piper, lead member for leisure at TDC, said: “We’re fortunate in Torridge to live in a place rich with wildlife and diverse natural habitats.

“While the coastline offers a wonderful escape for residents and their dogs, we need to be extra mindful during the winter months. It’s crucial that dogs don’t chase the birds that gather along our shores.

“These birds rely on this time to rest and restore their energy so they can safely return to their spring breeding grounds and maintain healthy populations.”

Above: The burrows are popular with many visiting bird species. Credit: TDC

Despite the need to be extra vigilant, it is a great time of year for nature lovers to observe all the new visitors, including snow buntings and Brent geese. Winter favourites include species such as the curlew, golden plover, lapwings and noisy native oystercatchers.

There are also many shelducks spending the winter along the tideline of the Taw and Torridge estuary, which borders Northam Burrows. They gather around the salt marshes, sand dunes and sandbanks.