Please see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8286034/Magpies-and-crows-to-be-culled-to-protect-songbirds.html
This is bad on an epic scale. A hugely undesirable precedent, interfering with natural processes on the basis of bad science (or no science at all), a tiny pressure group apparently driving the agenda, and no apparent action by the authorities to, at least, explain what is actually going on (though the Telegraph might have missed it).
This is indeed a black day for biodiversity.
Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?
I think its time this thread was closed.
Fee Fi Fo Froll, I smell the stink of a rotten troll.
Davidbinos, if you are so anti rspb and their methods why are you persistantly posting to just one topic on their community website having recently joined.
It's both what you do and the way that you do it!
You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren. William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)
Here is the blog - http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/southwest/archive/2011/02/03/saving-songbirds.aspx
Regardless, not all of those 800 birds there are now were released and they are now successfully breeding in the wild from a very low number of individuals. Using an alternative food source to distract a predator would be a good idea regardless - otherwise new birds would just move in anyway and I do think it is important that they are around their natural predators.
IF predators are having an impact, I don't think culling predators (except in extreme cases for critically endangered species where preventing predators may be crucial to ensure the species survival in the wild) should be the main train of thought. The main priority should be to find out WHY predators are are taking more than usual because without sorting out the problems behind any issues culls are pointless. As I said earlier, prey don't sit around waiting to be eaten they have techniques of avoiding predation and keeping their chicks safe - environmental factors though such as food and available cover. It is these problems that need to be solved otherwise all that will happen is that culls will go on year after year and whole areas will become predator sinks and we will be back to the days when anything with a sharp beak was persecuted, and then probably back to songbirds becoming so numerous that they are then considered pests again...farmers will be shooting sparrows instead of crows for raiding their crops.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Not big on tact are you davidbinos?
I think you will find if you bother to read the user policy for the community it nowhere says that ex members or non members of RSPB are not allowed to join or post.
Why do you assume that anyone who goes against the party line and challenges misleading statements, bad science, and double standards is a troll. Any person concerned with the facts rather than propaganda should be open and able to debate the issues.If you are so sure of the rights of your stance, then enter the debate and prove your point.
"lack of tact"
Yes, mea culpa. Sorry.
davidbinos said: I think you will find if you bother to read the user policy for the community it nowhere says that ex members or non members of RSPB are not allowed to join or post. Why do you assume that anyone who goes against the party line and challenges misleading statements, bad science, and double standards is a troll. Any person concerned with the facts rather than propaganda should be open and able to debate the issues.If you are so sure of the rights of your stance, then enter the debate and prove your point. "lack of tact" Yes, mea culpa. Sorry.
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
" Using an alternative food source to distract a predator would be a good idea regardless - otherwise new birds would just move in anyway and I do think it is important that they are around their natural predators."
Agree with that KatTai. A method that has been used to very good effect elsewhere.
No, you're not sorry at all. You're rather proud of it I suspect. Me, I'm one of those 'little old ladies' you were patronizing yesterday, although I'm not even remotely 'sweet'. The only answer is to skip over your posts, ignore you completely and eventually you'll get bored.
Unknown said: I think you will find if you bother to read the user policy for the community it nowhere says that ex members or non members of RSPB are not allowed to join or post. Snip "lack of life" Yes, mea culpa. Sorry.
Snip
"lack of life"
Don't you have bridge to be under........
No where did I say you shouldn't be able to join or post, just that this topic is done to death.
Everytime the topic drops so that its not interfering with others you bring it back up.
It's not that its not topical or subject that doesn't matter it, but is it really the only thing you have to post on.
Have you no sightings, other questions even replies on other posts... That is the grounds for the troll comment nothing to do with the subject or not toeing the party line.....
"It's not that its not topical or subject that doesn't matter it, but is it really the only thing you have to post on."
As you say, it is topical, and It is an issue that concerns me enough to join the forum and post. Also, the RSPB stance and reporting on this issue is representative of the sort of nonsense that made me and many others leave the RSPB and stick to SOC & BTO for our birding involvement and SWT for our conservation work.
" just that this topic is done to death."
in your opinion.
Don't you have bridge to be under........"
If you have anything more pertinent and mature to contribute, please do. Even if you are not interested in this issue, I am.
A species that proves resourceful and successful really is intolerable to some people isn't it........? Curse those upstart Magpies - they need taking down a peg.
One day the Red Kite stands to be our commonest raptor - Heaven help them then............
JBNTS