Buddies travail on the shale of Smeale

Works underway to protect nesting birds

For the first time since April, FIM Capital Beach Buddies will return to a stretch of coastline which has been off-limits all summer during the bird nesting season.

They're meeting at Smeale beach today (Sun 2nd), one of the most sensitive areas on the Island’s coast for a wide variety nesting birds such as oyster catchers, terns, plover and curlew.

This time last year, the Buddies found the remains of several nests which had been lined with small pieces of plastic and fishing line, collected by parent birds from the beach.

The plan is to remove as many of these as possible during the autumn and winter months.

The intention is to progressively cover a long stretch along the coastline between Kirk Michael and the Point of Ayre in a series of events aimed chiefly at cleaning up this bird nesting zone.

It will be a first outing for the group's new Honda Pioneer ATV, which has been funded by SkyWind Group and Manx Radio DreamCatcher.

The backing has allowed Beach Buddies to team up with the sponsors to 'adopt' a 20 mile stretch of beach between Glen Mooar and the Point of Ayre, where thousands of seabirds nest every year.

As usual, new members are always welcome - there will be large Beach Buddies’ signs on the coast road between Andreas and Bride - those who get lost can ring 496 560.