Photography and disturbance of rare breeding birds

It is pretty much common sense that we don't disturb breeding birds rare or otherwise and I'm sure we are all sensitive to their needs.

Birdguides have now imposed a total embargo on all photos of species in the list below between March and June. As we are a much smaller forum, it is much easier to make judgments on whether photos have been taken in sensitive areas and to advise members on what is and isn't permitted by law and common sense, so will not echo their complete embargo. We ask that all precautions are taken to eliminate any potential disturbance to breeding birds of any type and their nest sites or approaches to said sites, in any case for schedule 1 birds a licence is required when photographing at nest or near dependent young.

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima..._tcm6-4606.pdf

Avocet
Barn Owl
Bearded Tit
Bee-eater
Bewick's Swan
Bittern
Black Grouse
Black Redstart
Black Tern
Black-necked Grebe
Black-tailed Godwit
Black-throated Diver
Black-winged Stilt
Bluethroat
Brambling
Capercaillie
Cetti's Warbler
Chough
Cirl Bunting
Common Crossbill
Common Rosefinch
Common Scoter
Corncrake
Crested Tit
Dartford Warbler
Dotterel
Fieldfare
Firecrest
Garganey
Golden Eagle
Golden Oriole
Goshawk
Great Northern Diver
Green Sandpiper
Greenshank
Gyr Falcon
Hen Harrier
Hobby
Honey Buzzard
Hoopoe
Kentish Plover
Kingfisher
Lapland Bunting
Leach's Storm-petrel
Little Bittern
Little Gull
Little Ringed Plover
Little Tern
Long-eared Owl
Long-tailed Duck
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Warbler
Mediterranean Gull
Merlin
Montagu's Harrier
Nightjar
Osprey
Parrot Crossbill
Peregrine
Purple Heron
Purple Sandpiper
Quail
Red Kite
Red-backed Shrike
Red-necked Phalarope
Red-throated Diver
Redwing
Roseate Tern
Ruff
Savi's Warbler
Scaup
Scottish Crossbill
Serin
Shorelark
Short-toed Treecreeper
Slavonian Grebe
Snow Bunting
Snowy Owl
Spoonbill
Spotted Crake
Stone Curlew
Temminck's Stint
Velvet Scoter
Whimbrel
White-billed Diver
White-tailed Eagle
Whooper Swan
Wood Sandpiper
Woodlark
Wryneck

see i can understand this, its good to empose guidelines with regards to these photos - does this cover people who have the right legal licence and thus are pros and take care with these pics. Also is this just them on the nests, or in breeding areas or a total ban on these photos??

It's a total ban between those months.

well id fail that got me a barn owl the other night!! lol i can tick 10 of those off having seen them and photographed em, ill keep them just for me!!

It's a ban on that site, not everywhere and I think it's a tad draconian, but it's up to them what they do on their site, also it doesn't stop people taking photos, nor twitchers getting closer than they need to.

I suppose that it also takes the 'competition element' out of it, i.e. "..if he got a xxx on the nest then I should go out and find one".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rolf

It's a ban on that site, not everywhere and I think it's a tad draconian, but it's up to them what they do on their site, also it doesn't stop people taking photos, nor twitchers getting closer than they need to.

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no that is true, i dont go after the nest persay unless im in a hide and its near me. But is it a sign of a change of attitudes for things?? i agree sarah it might reduce some of the i got this in the nest - though some will never stop that -- look at the extream bird watchers!!