Save our kingfishers
The word ‘Kingfisher’ was removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in 2015.
They are disappearing from our waterways too.
Their scarcity has led them to become protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means it is illegal to take, kill or injure a kingfisher or its nest, eggs or young, or to intentionally disturb the birds during the breeding season.
The royalty of British birds - with its beautiful colours and iridescent blue feathers - is a well-established resident at Balderton Lake. Kingfishers are very short-lived. Many young will not have learned to fish by the time they are driven out of their parents' territory.
Human disturbance of nesting birds is a serious problem since the broods fail if something upsets the feeding routine. If human presence close to a nest prevents these shy birds from entering the nest for too long, the chicks may weaken enough (either from cold or hunger) to stop calling. This makes the parents wrongly assume that they are well fed and will not feed them. As a result, the chicks will perish.
Balderton Parish Council has granted YMCA permission to put kayaks and canoes onto Balderton Lake in group sizes of up to 18, up to 4 hours a day. This includes during the Kingfisher’s nesting season. The pontoon YMCA wants to build would replace peg 16 which is very close to where the kingfishers live. Surely this is a wildlife crime?
Please keep our lake protected for kingfishers. Please keep our lake protected for all the diversity and multitude of wildlife that uses this site. Please keep our lake tranquil for our health and mental wellbeing.
Take action
1) WRITE A LETTER OR EMAIL TO BALDERTON PARISH COUNCIL (office@baldertonparishcouncil.gov.uk) AND YMCA TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS ON THE USE OF BOATS ON BALDERTON LAKE.
2) SIGN THE PETITION CALLING ON BALDERTON PARISH COUNCIL TO KEEP BOATS BANNED ON OUR PRECIOUS WILDLIFE JEWEL.
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