Birdwatchers raise concerns over powered paragliders on Wirral's coastline

Known as the simplest of all powered aircraft the paramotor consists of a small motor which drives a propeller providing thrust for take-off and is worn like a backpack under a paraglider wing.

Local wildlife groups are campaigning that much of the borough’s wetland wildlife are being left to find new homes after disturbances to their natural habitat caused by these powered paragliders.

Deemed as a Special Protection Area the Dee Estuary is home to many birds such as the bar-tailed godwit, marsh harrier and redshank, but according to Dee Estuary website manager and keen birdwatcher Richard Smith, 67, from West Kirby, we run the risk of saying goodbye to these birds if something isn’t done to protect the Borough’s wildlife.

Richard told the Globe: “Today many thousands of these birds are driven from vitally important feeding areas by these paramotors that fly 10 to 30 feet off the ground. Over the Christmas period many hundreds of birdwatchers come to the area to see the magnificent spectacle so it’s a shame when there’s no birds to be seen.

“The wildlife around the Dee Estuary is crucial so when people use paramotors around our shores it’s a massive disturbance as the birds believe they are much bigger birds of prey.

“Many of these birds can die in cold weather and it’s very unlikely that they will return here even though we have the most important wetland here as a habitat.

“In Parkgate they’re flying just a few feet from the marsh which is teeming with birds who have nowhere to go so all the birds fly up in the process and scatter.

“There’s a huge risk to the public too – the thought that they could crash into crowds with them going out nearly every weekend and bank holidays in cold weather makes you think something terrible is easily going to happen.

“Paramotors have also been spotted taking off near Leasowe Lighthouse on Council owned land which they’re not permitted to do – it’s very hard for the council to prosecute or track down the people using these devices as there are no license plates and they’re so easily derigged and dismantled.

“This activity has been going on for years but it’s become particularly bad over the summer with many people now using Leasowe Common to take off. There are occasionally a few months when you won’t see them due to bad weather but they are becoming more and more frequent - something just has to be done to protect our wildlife.”

Chairman of the North Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, Jeremy Hazzard added: “I must say first of all that the North Wales HGPC is involved only in non-powered soaring flight by Hang Gliders and Paragliders (PGs) from sites within NE Wales – for example, the Dee Valley and Clwyd Range.

“The only site we have outside Wales is at the Thurstaston Country Park when wind conditions allow, but all flying here happens within the narrow band of lift formed by the wind rising over the cliff edge and for a few hundred metres north and south from take-off. To fly seaward out of the lift band is inviting a muddy wetting at least.

“Being powered, often by two-stoke engines, PPGs attract more attention and criticism than unpowered PGs which are as good as silent in flight.

“We are aware that there is a group of individuals who fly PPG's on the Wirral, and I know that there have been other complaints about about their activities: but we do not know who they are or if they are in any form of club or organisation. One hopes that the individuals might be members of the sport’s governing body, the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (BHPA) but I am sure many are not.”