I expect Sigrid Rausing to get a letter from the Countryside Alliance in Scotland, and a write-up in the Shooting Times, for suggesting that the lack of eagles in some parts of Scotland, and on her estate in the Monadhliath, is due to the fact that sporting estates bump them off.
But it is what I believe too.
Trimbush it does seem almost certain that just like farmers having bad eggs in basket that RSPB seems keen on letting us know about not improving farmland bird numbers,which by the way just has to be a massive RED HERRING as probably 95% of all birds not just farmland birds have declined,then by the same token which is really sad the RSPB must have some employees who are helping people commit wildlife crime and I am not trying to put the boot in it must be a fact of life that amongst all groups a few bad eggs are in that particular basket.In fact I sympathise with them as it must be extremely difficult and really galling for the 99.9% of their staff who do fantastic work.
Lets hope they realise how we feel and indeed the shooting fraternity and gamekeepers that are are completely innocent but get tarred with the bad ones.
Trimbush. RSPB Policy on Badgers and bTb: see www.rspb.org.uk/.../badgers.aspx
You may not agree with it but it is there and available on the website.
I am a Countryside Alliance member (surprise?) and to say it is better run than the NFU, for example, is a vast understatement – it stays focussed on its mission.
I wish it had got deeply involved with the subject of TB in wildlife – but apart from stating its view – it hasn’t been active – unlike - say the CLA which allocated expertise, attended meetings, produced reports etc etc.
But don’t get me – when the CA was being ‘managed’ rather badly I resigned and had an article published in the Farmers Guardian – accusing both the CA and the NFU – amongst other things – of ‘appeasement’ in respect of their ‘passive’ dealings with the then New Libor regime.
These organisations tend not to tread on the toes of other similarly viewed organisations
I guess that’s why I bang on re bTB and the RSPB’s naïve (but commercial view) – which – incidentally - as far as I can see - is not specifically referred to in its Policy section on its website (is it Gert?)
I’ve read the RSPB’s policy on Wind Farms. Has it produced a map suggesting the best – better – optimum sites for wind farms in respect of birds that it would support – or does it state its friendly policy and routinely object to most projects as they come along?
Sooty – I think a corporate law should be passed so that if a rogue RSPB reserve staff member is enticed to sell some ‘rare eggs’ the CEO of the RSPB should go straight to jail – seems only fair – doesn’t it?
And bordercollie - I know you are right !
You summed it up very well Sooty.
Well this just seems to get worse and worse,this lady must be very frustrated as the chances of her wish being successful seem zero.What a mess,I believe Scottish Heritage which surely must be connected to Scottish Nature are funding reintroduction of Sea Eagles while at the same time passing wind turbines in prime Eagle country that will surely have casualties with no economic benefit unless subsidised to make a few people rich and conform to some really silly agreement that Tony Blair set up knowing he would go to rich pastures and not be accountable.Seems everyone at risk from relatively new law making owners responsible for their keepers think it a joke as first you still have to prove the keeper guilty of the crime and we all know how difficult that is.The outlook for raptors does not seem to improve much and in some cases the outlook terrible.