On the sightings page there is a report of shooting at the alotment pool.
Has there been notification from DEFRA that they are shooting, or is it just an asumption that DEFRA are doing the shooting.
Or could it be that some poachers had a bag full of birds and nobody thought anything about it.
just a thought,
I asked Emma and Toby at the RSPB centre about the shooting yesterday. I was told that defra informs them when they are coming and they have to make the area where they are shooting secure. That is what happened yesterday. I, like many others, dislike what is going on intensly. I also question the ability of the shooters, I find it incredible that over 40 shots were required for aprox. 8 birds. I don't suppose we'll ever know the true number of casualties these people have killed or injured accidently.
I also do not like this as I do not think there is convincing evidence that it is necessary. I believe the next in line for shooting will be the Ring-necked and Monk Parakeets due to drop damage. Makes you wonder how long before they start on Little Owls and Pheasants....
FYI I believe there is no point debating this with local RSPB staff. I know some who worked for them a long distance from here and they were told that they were not allowed to express any personal opinions about this and they HAD to support the official RSPB stance of supporting the cull.
Last year they did the shooting in the middle of the breeding season, That is the breeding season for all birds, who knows how much dammage is done to other wildlife,
that to me seams a very Gung ho attidute.
At least this year they "Should" be able to "Just" eliminate Ruddy ducks
Just to clarify I have not made my mind up as to the Ruddy duck situation, I can see both sides to the argument,
The Club's official stance on the Ruddy Duck cull is that it does not support it because of the methods and timing used. Despite assurances to the contrary from the Central Science Laboratory (which is carrying out the cull on behalf of DEFRA), shooting was carried out at Saltholme last year at the height of the breeding season and during day, when people were subjected to the unpleasant sight of birds being shot. CSI had originally indicated to us that shooting would take place during the very early morning to avoid killing being witnessed. Culling in the breeding season undoubtedly caused distress to other breeding birds when the shooters went into the reed beds to recover the corpses.
The reasoning behind the cull is that, based on DNA evidence, the scientists believe that British Ruddy ducks (an exotic, introduced species to the UK) are contaminating the natural White-headed Duck population in Spain and so they are attempting to resolve the problem by eradicating the Ruddies at source. There are clearly arguments on both sides and it is up to individuals to form their own opinions.
To me, the cull is abhorrent.
Ted, as always, you're so right. If this has to be done according to biologists and ecologists best advice ,let's do it humanely as poss, with professionals, not incompetents. And not in this cavalier way with no respect for us birders and the public who are out and about in the countryside.
Steve