[shark]

https://twitter.com/northlees/status/732120173403066368




Earlier this month a ring ouzel nest with eggs between Apparent North and the Cowperstone was abandoned and there was fresh chalk on the nearby bouldering. There were signs posted nearby saying the area was restricted.   


In the upcoming Peak Area newsletter Henry Folkard has written:

At Stanage there have been problems with boulderers disturbing ring ouzels in the Cowper Stone area, causing a nest to fail within a restricted area. As well as being bad news for the birds it is potentially bad news for climbers and boulderers too.

Restrictions are only put in place where it is deemed necessary, and are always agreed by Adam or, if he is away, by me. For the majority of nests restrictions are not necessary, and none is applied. The system of voluntary restraint has worked well for some years now, and has resulted in a really good deal for climbers because it has resulted in much less restriction (which could be legally enforced) than would be the case in its absence.

There is a huge amount to loose, so please, where an area is restricted please stay away for the couple of weeks it will apply. On site signage is the best, and only, guide at Stanage. The position is pretty fluid, particularly at changeover time between first and second broods so changes are not posted on RAD.  Signs are always taken down as soon as a restriction can be lifted.

[tomtom]

I am probably mistaken bit from my Twitter stalking wasn't this best actually found out to be disturbed by stoats/weasels etc..? It was also pointed out (on Twitter) that the chalk looked old and was in places where it wouldn't readily wash off?

[dave]

Yep, those holds have chalk on most of the time just due to position of the holds, and the lip on in the crack is very incut.

[shark]

Good knowledge - I will report back to Henry

[SA Chris]

As slackers points out - correlation isn't causation.

[cofe]

Think we had rain from the east that week, which might have cleaned them up a bit. Though I'd prefer to think it wasn't climbers.

[Bonjoy]

I pointed this out to the original poster on Twitter. The photo shows chalk on the prob but it could well be older than the restriction, especially given the steepness and aspect of the boulder problem and the mostly dry weather prior to the reported disturbance. The restriction notices had only been up for "a week, or two", and it's not unusual for chalk to persist on steep rock for much longer than that. I'm not entirely sure how else a non-climber would determine that the chalk was "fresh", unless they had of course noted it's absence earlier on during the restricted period, but I haven't heard this to be the case.
So, could be climber disturbance, or could be a non-climber putting two and two together to make five. Given the typical good behavior of climbers in this regard and the ambiguity of the allegation I'm inclined to give climbers the benefit of the doubt. Still worth reminding folk how important it is to respect the restrictions though.

Edit after Cofe's post: True, more like snow/hail from what I remember, but I noticed chalk on a new prob I'd done on a NE facing block which was not washed off during this period, which is what made me think perhaps that the birders where mistaken.

[andyd]

Most people would respect the signs. Knob heads wouldn't. Stopping climbers from accessing the area is ludicrous, but more importantly, a pointless exercise. Have all foxes, mink, birds of prey, cancers and illnesses (bird flu?!) been ruled out? How about drone enthusiasts (which appear to have their fair share of knob heads)?


Out of interest, and not related I guess, how do you make the decision that it's ok to check/disturb the nest at this early stage?

I think it's pretty irresponsible to suggest the correlation with climbers because of chalk marks in the initial post. It smacks of someone with an axe to grind, rather than someone who wants to get to the truth of what has happened. It has to be a place for everyone or no-one; Climbers/bird watchers/walkers and even drone users!

[shark]

I think it's pretty irresponsible to suggest the correlation with climbers because of chalk marks in the initial post. It smacks of someone with an axe to grind, rather than someone who wants to get to the truth of what has happened.

No - it was posted by Bill Gordon, the soon-to-retire Stanage Warden who is an ally.   

[andyd]

I think it's pretty irresponsible to suggest the correlation with climbers because of chalk marks in the initial post. It smacks of someone with an axe to grind, rather than someone who wants to get to the truth of what has happened.

No - it was posted by Bill Gordon, the soon-to-retire Stanage Warden who is an ally.   

Ok. No axe
The irresponsible statement stands; Correlation/causation and all... Just because he's an upstanding person in your local area doesn't mean everything he posts on social media is correct or well thought out.