Hi there
A retired schoolteacher charged with possessing wild birds has accused the RSPCA of “intimidating” bird breeders across the country. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norfolk_...ation_1_809170 A retired schoolteacher charged with possessing wild birds has accused the RSPCA of “intimidating” bird breeders across the country. Edward William Easter, 71, appeared at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court yesterday for the start of his trial on six wild bird charges....... Now this to me just takes the biscuit, or is it the taking mick of the rights of all wild birds the right to have a free life, and it is illegal - end of story! I'm in shock!!!! Regards Kathy and Dave
Hi barman
It is the RSPCA bringing the case not the RSPB.
Rachel
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But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.
KatTai said: Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Until the court decides, we don't know whether the birds were wild caught or not and with the newspaper article we don't know what evidence the RSPCA have. We could be condeming an innocent person who has true captive bred birds because shock horror, they do exist. Though if he is found guilty, he should be made to reveal the names of others to the police.
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Until the court decides, we don't know whether the birds were wild caught or not and with the newspaper article we don't know what evidence the RSPCA have. We could be condeming an innocent person who has true captive bred birds because shock horror, they do exist. Though if he is found guilty, he should be made to reveal the names of others to the police.
Hi Kat
I read the newspaper article on Kathy's link, and as far as I can see the person has neither plead nor been found guilty. So he is innocent until proved guilty. Perhaps we can put a hold on the lynch mob for the time being. :-)
If he is innocent, I would expect him to sue the RSPCA for intimidation, and he stands a good chance of succeeding.
Best wishes Chris
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If someone has wild birds legally would think they would have a license or paperwork as evidence as surely falcons etc have these licenses I believe.
Hi Sooty we had post's covering this yesterday, not all Birds of Prey require licences, only if they are hunting birds or from a specific list.
If he has been taking wild birds he should feel the full force of the law, but his identity should have been protected until conviction. If he is innocent he's had some nice free publicity ......
It's both what you do and the way that you do it!
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Hi Sooty
You know I was thinking the same thing as yourself.....about having a licence to keep 'wild' 'captive' birds - even if it is a licence to nurse injured bird such as the mentioned 'Shrikes' back to health
Currently, you need a licence to keep BoP's, a licence for ringing birds (you need training to ring birds), nursing birds back to health ie vet, and it is against the law to disregard this in any way.
Yes, no-one knows this man's history at al other than he used to teach, and he has Goldfinches, Garden Warblers and Shrikes. Is he a professor who is an expert on wild birds of any description.
It is easy for any person who is of a certain mindset to take a bird from the wild and turn it into a captive bird with the right attention - like an egg collector would. It is an obsession with that person.
This whole thing puzzles me and it does not feel right what he is doing. How many people do we know who has a Goldfinch for a pet?
Just strange all round
Regards
Kathy and Dave
I am no way in favour of the hobby of keeping wild birds as captive pets, but would emphasise that this man denies the allegations.
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Sooty and Blackbird, Regarding licences they are not needed unless the bird on a particular schedule of the WCA Act. This means that (in layman's terms) unless the bird is rare you can keep it in captivity without any 'licence' provided it is bred in captivity. This also applies to non british Birds of Prey and even to BoP like Owls and Kestrel etc.
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Hi Bob
Thank you for your answer
Could you explain all about how the schedules work - how many levels are they?
Is it that some birds takes pretence over overs - how about the Shrike for example?
Is there any birds that no-one should go near for any reason other than for injuries of the bird in question?
Is there a link I could read?
what we dont know is if they are european wild birds that get imported into britain for breeding by british bird breeders, this is allowed after quirentine has been done, but what really gets me is the RSPCA allows kent farmers to net thousands of our british wild birds and send to europe for pickiling and eating as they are a delicously and classed as vermin in orchards here. RSPCA double standards, do the person who looks after the birds, and leave the big money companys alone to keep on netting. um! i wounder how much the RSPCA gets from these companies in charity.
micky,
Think most wild birds must need a license if in captivity as it would be impossible to stop someone taking them from the wild and claiming they were captive bred,suspect this person should have had some paperwork that would have stopped any action against him and for certain if he did not notify someone of his activity he was risking exactly what has happened.When I have looked up all the information I can find it looks like almost all wild birds need licenses even perhaps when nursing injured ones more than 24hrs but the law does look confusing,the old saying however to anyone keeping birdsmust be ignorance of the law no defence.