ID help please

Hi GeoDave

It's a male Stonechat. No need to feel embarrassed.

Thank you both - I still have so much to learn.

RSPB Newport Wetlands Nature Reserve - on my way to a conference and had a couple of hours to spare so diverted off the motorway, grabbed my camera and had a really nice walk in the sunshine. Also saw my first ever Bullfinch but no decent photo - he hid very quickly. A nice reserve, not been there before.

Also visited the next day the WWT reserve at Llanelli but was very disappointed. Some of the exotic ducks in pens appeared stressed - not what I'd come to see. More like an expensive Duck Park or mini-zoo. Wouldn't visit again.

I have Martin Mere WWT near me. I went once or twice until I discovered they pinioned a lot of their birds. I won't go again.

I don't understand why this cruel practice isn't against the law.

Is that really what they do? That is horrible. Why would an organisation that is supposed to protect and preserve birds do that? Having recently addedd WWT membership to my RSPB membership, I'm not so sure now that it was a good idea. Is any of this documented anywhere?

It is only the birds in the "collection" that are pinioned and I understand these are rarer breeds used for conservation and research purposes.The bulk of the birds are genuine wild free flying birds.

I'm sure that is the case. Nevertheless I don't approve of it.

I too abhor the act of pinioning birds, but do actually accept the reasons given by the WWT for it's use, as these birds do form the core of the WWT's scientific and conservation work.  

I do not support the keeping of pinioned birds for mere show in Zoos, except where they too are part of a conservation project.

The birds in the WWT collections are pinioned as youngsters for the purpose of preventing them from escaping into the wild, and mixing with our wild species.

The other way of preventing flight is the simple removal of strategic flight feathers, unfortunately this has a major issue as the feathers grow back, and the birds can recover their power of flight.

A case in point of this is the situation with the Ruddy Duck which is the subject of a controversial culling project to protect the Native White Headed Duck in Spain, The British Ruddy Duck population is the result of escaped birds from a collection in the late 1940's, though of course vagrant wild birds from the USA can occur.

This is part of a statement provided to parliament some years ago to explain the WWT use of Pinioning ...

"  4.  A pinioned bird is one which has had the metacarpal bone and the phalanges of one wing removed in order to render that bird permanently flightless. Pinioning may be deemed an act of mutilation. However, WWT, along with the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland, believes that the welfare of captive wildfowl and flamingos is not compromised when they are managed in the pinioned and flightless state. Birds are pinioned when aged under two days and do not experience significant or lasting pain or distress. "Flightlessness" is a state all free-living wildfowl and flamingos undergo for between three to 10 weeks each year (during their annual wing moult). Furthermore, almost 60 years of experience shows WWT that pinioned wildfowl and flamingos survive, grow and reproduce well in the conservation exhibits established at WWT centres and zoos in general."

The full submission is available here ...

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmenvfru/52/4091509.htm