Donal Hickey: Birds know how to share the shore — do dog owners?

If wading birds are constantly disturbed, they use up energy reserves while flying around trying to find other spaces and waste valuable feeding time

Research shows that well over 50% of coastal bird disturbance involves a dog — mostly dogs which are off lead.  Shorebirds need all of their time to feed, preen and rest in order to survive the winter. Being disturbed can harm their chances of survival

As hundreds of thousands of wintering waterbirds begin to arrive on our shores, people are being urged to be careful not to disturb them.

Experts such as waterbird ecologist, Lesley Lewis, are becoming ever more concerned as a result of increasing recreational use of coastal habitats and other wetlands, including Cork Harbour, as the human population grows and large centres of population further expand.