Wildlife trust takes step to protect ground-nesting birds

Five years ago no nightjars were recorded at Snelsmore - last summer four or five nesting males were found, the trust said

A wildlife trust is urging people to stick to paths at two nature reserves to protect ground-nesting birds.

Walkers and their dogs, cyclists, and horse riders can only use the main paths at Greenham & Crookham Commons and Snelsmore Common in Berkshire.

The step is being brought in to boost skylarks, Dartford warblers and nightjars by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).

Wardens have been brought in to patrol the sites from 1 March until 31 July.

Wardens have been brought in at the reserves through the ground-nesting season

Roger Stace, BBOWT Berkshire land manager, said: "People and dogs don't mean any harm, but it can cause birds to abandon their nests, leaving their chicks to die.

"One person or one dog probably won't make the difference, but if it happens again and again it definitely will. That's why we are asking people to come on board with what we're doing."

The trust said at Greenham Common last year there were just two nesting skylarks recorded - in 2009 a survey recorded 32, it said "this decline is partly down to disturbance by people and dogs".

At Snelsmore the trust said its staff are hoping to protect the nightjar after last summer saw "four or five nesting males" compared to none five years before.