A Dog's Life

A late start today had me heading off to Elland to try to film Sedge Warbler. Never an easy bird to see, let alone film, but the reward would be worth it.
After an hour or so with no visual sign, a passing Labrador decided to jump into the water in front of the reeds, so I had a polite word with the owner who explained that "....he only goes in that bit" but, nevertheless, understood my point of view.
We chatted a while about the sensitive nature of the site, the rare birds that inhabit the reeds, about the Roe Deer he had seen, and I explained that he had not seen a pair of Golden Eagles flying over the area but that they were in fact Buzzards.
After he left, I spent a couple of hours waiting for the "herimbutnoseeim" bird to pose for the camera......with no success.
Three Carrion Crows distracted me by having a fight on the path behind.
A pair of Mallard were feeding in the reeds just in front of me. Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Wrens were singing away. Coot, Little Grebe and Tufted Duck were enjoying the calm and seclusion of the lagoon.
Then...........all of a sudden.............Crash, Splash, Crash, Splash......something moving noisily and clumsily throught the reed bed.......Crash! Splash! Crash!......A Roe Deer or a Fox perhaps? Crash Splash Crash......A flutter of wings.....Mallards were airborn. A Blackbird bolted for cover. Alarm calls went up.....Crash! Splash................the reeds parted as a brown and white Springer Spaniel ploughed through the reed bed.......first left, then towards the centre, back to the left, then right...zig-zagging through the reeds sending birds all over the place. I called to it several times trying to draw it towards me but it was having too much fun trying to catch whatever it flushed. The dog clearly was not responding and there was no sign of any owner. Was it a poachers dog, deliberately put into the water to catch vulnerable wildfowl? It had a collar and name tag, so perhaps not. Finally it bolted and I set off in pursuit, tripod and camera over the shoulder, intent on catching the owner.
I came across some other dog walkers round the corner. "I suppose you were expecting a couple of birds to be posing on a branch for you" asked one. "No! I'm looking for the irresponsible owner of a Spaniel that's just been causing havoc in the reed bed" I replied. "Did you see where it went". "Over the bridge" was the reply.
I shot off but the perpetrators were long gone.
Returning to the lagoon, I took stock of the situation.......After a while the noseeum bird started singing from further across to the left. No sooner had it done so when........Crash! Splash! Crash!.....this time zig-zagging through the rest of the reed bed along the side of the birch lined path that connects the river bank to the canal......Crash! Splash!....all the way across to where I stood.....not an inch of reed bed was left undisturbed......How many Reed Bunting nests will have been trashed by this wayward hound?......I tried calling the beast in but it cocked a deaf 'n and totally blanked me. Still no sign of any owner. The dog bolted.............I followed.............heading towards the lock gates.....passed an angler on the path....four dogs in sight.......through the stile........4 dogs and grey-haired couple were already half-way down the tow-path, backlit by the low sun...........Was that the dog? looks like it.............ignoring its masters voice and legging it down to the next bridge. Need to make sure I've got the right hound. I quicken my pace and catch up with the couple as the besodden culprit returns to re-join the pack. "Is this your dog?" I enquire breathlessly.
...."Ay, it is"...
.."Do you know its just been wreaking havoc in the reed beds where we've got sensitive breeding birds?"
"Ohhhhh You lot are a self-righteous bunch..........Don't bloody lecture me..."
"'scuse me, but I will lecture you...Do you know it's a criminal offence to knowingly disturb breeding birds......
"Don't lecture me or I'll push you in the canal......2
"Are you threatening me?"
"Threatening you?.....Yes!........"
"Well I'll take that as an admission of guilt then"
"I've been coming here for 40 years....."
"It's still an offence and you should keep your dog on a lead if you can't control it."
"This is the only place I can let it off the lead......What will it take to shut you up?"
"Make sure it doesn't happen again......."
The exchange was heated with much ommitted but you get the gist of this guy's attitude v/v "My dog can go where it wants and I don't give a toss about rare breeding birds"
There are hundreds of, largely responsible, dog owners using this area but the damage that can be caused by one irresponsible idiot is irreparable. This is supposed to be a nature reserve but we are failing to educate the idiots that walk amongst us and the reed bed area is one area that needs to be kept dog free.
Is it any wonder that species like Reed Warbler, Water Rail and Sedge Warbler are virtually non-existent in Calderdale?
Perhaps some sign-age which mentions offences and penalties, or some dog-proof fencing may help.
If this level of disturbance is the norm you may as well give up, fill the lagoon with concrete, turn it into a car park and shove an ice cream van on it!