Re: Walking the dog is bad for birdlife

["Graham Turner" <>]

The fact that the birds return does not mean that they are not affected by 
the interaction.
The best example is waders. Every time they are disturbed they are not 
feeding and are using up energy. Once or twice may not be an issue but 
regular disturbance may mean that the birds do not put on as much weight as 
they can, may have trouble returning to their breeding grounds and may have 
reduced breeding success.
I'm sure similar things happen with sedentary birds but as to what impact 
this has is worth further investigation.
Cheers
Graham Turner