A running happy dog is a truly sweet sight. But during bird migratory and fledging periods, they can do irreparable harm to a species’ habits and habitat. The past two months at Fern Cove have seen flocks of migrating waterfowl, shore birds, osprey and two newly-fledged eaglets whose first shaky flights land them on the beach where they ratchet up their nerve for the trip back to the nest.

Recently, I watched a Cove visitor’s three off-leash dogs chase the eaglets into the brush and then scatter a group of brants who were feeding before continuing their migration. One dog’s person reassured me that her dog “never catches one.” A bird that has to expend energy avoiding dogs after flying thousands of miles (with thousands more to go in some cases) is a bird at risk.

Flock sizes have diminished in the years we have lived here. I’m sure there are a lot of reasons for this. There are also simple things we can do to mitigate that trend. Most Vashon dog lovers I know love their pets and also care deeply about the environment. In this spirit, and for the birds, please keep your dog on a leash in sensitive areas.

— Kate Thompson