The people who manage Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath and Putney Lower Common are asking dog walkers to take five minutes for their first dedicated survey of how the Commons are used on four paws.
The Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC) cover 11 questions, from how often you visit and which areas you use to whether you walk dogs commercially and how familiar you are with the byelaws. The results will shape how WPCC manages the land for dog walkers in future. Take the survey here.
Dogs on leads until 31 July
Breeding season is under way, and WPCC is asking dog walkers to keep their dogs on leads in The Plain until 31 July. The Plain is the area of open grassland on the Commons, clearly marked with posts and notices.
Skylarks and Meadow Pipits both nest on the ground in long grass, where their nests are almost impossible to spot. A dog running loose in the area can disturb a nest without either dog or walker realising, disrupting breeding at a critical point in the season. The requirement runs from 1 March to 31 July each year, and the WPCC guidance page includes a map of The Plain boundary.
Found a fledgling? Leave it alone
May and June are peak months for fledglings on the ground, and the instinct to help is understandable but usually wrong. A fledgling with most of its feathers has left the nest intentionally (this is normal) and cannot fly yet, but its parents are almost certainly nearby and still feeding it.
Keep dogs and cats away, leave the bird where it is, and check on it from a distance. If it is in immediate danger, move it to a sheltered spot nearby (no more than a few metres), so the parents can still find it. An injured bird needs a local wildlife rescue centre or vet.
The RSPCA has full fledgling guidance if you need more, and our January guide to visiting the Commons responsibly covers the wider picture.
