A reminder about protecting scarce breeding birds

With the breeding season still under way can I ask all readers to refrain from posting details of rare breeding birds from the North Wales area, and rest of the UK for that matter, on any web-based services, unless at well publicised sites where there is permanent protection in place.  This is to assist the safety of birds which are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and are threatened by general disturbance/illegal activities in the breeding season (including photographing and prolonged or repeated disturbances). Scarce UK breeding birds clearly on passage/migration in the North Wales area are fine e.g. Dotterel, Greenshank, Little Gull etc, but please consider whether a bird might be breeding before making it known elsewhere and if unsure contact your county recorder in the first instance.

For further information on schedule 1 breeding bird species please see:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwor ... birds.aspx
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/PDF/waca1981_schedule1.pdf

Please consider that the bird’s safety comes first.  In Wales, any photography at a breeding site or intended disturbance must be carried out under licence from NRW.

Rob