[Xenospiza]

A first year Spoonbill which had been given a GPS transmitter to follow its migration route was shot when it was feeding just outside the Platier d'Oye reserve near Gravelines, just across the Channel.
The hunter gave the rings and transmitter to a local ringer – the Dutch conservation organisation that's behind the project suggested it might still work and could be used again.

[hampers]

And the hunter couldn't see the rings and transmitter before shooting the bird. Are Spoonbills a food species? I know there are 2 sides to every argument, and accept people hunting to eat, but I hate hunting and senseless killing. Ready to be shot down in flames now.

Phil

[Xenospiza]

This was a senseless killing... it's a protected species in France (http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Liste_oiseaux-2.pdf). It's not like they don't have enough species to hunt either (66 species of bird, in French only: http://www.roc.asso.fr/chasse-france...-chassees.html)

[Jos Stratford]

Er, if the hunter handed over the ring and transmitter, I assume his identity is known, any idea why action isn't being taken against him?

[Xenospiza]

I don't know if action is being taken. I'll follow the Dutch threads on this to see if anything happens.

[Xenospiza]

I've just read that two Spoonbills were shot in northern France.
One of them did not die immediately, but could not be saved by a vet.
If you want to know why, click on this link (warning: gruesome picture): http://forum.waarneming.nl/smf/index...h=205829;image

France is the main cause of non-natural deaths of Dutch Spoonbills...

[Stewart J.]

Truly shocking picture, reinforces what I hate about using shotguns the pellet spread causes so much damage.

Stewart

[Robert L Jarvis]

They just want to shoot anything that moves or flies. It is all about killing as a so called sport and not about filling the pot. Just like bleeding malta. Using shotguns means essentially one cannot miss.

[hampers]

It is just sickening!

[Pam_m]

Originally Posted by hampers

It is just sickening!

Absolutely!

[John Cantelo]

Years back Platier d'Oye area was notorious for trigger happy hunters - sadly things don't seem to have changed much since. I recall reading many years back of a massive stand-off between hunters (who, so it seemed, claimed the right to blast anything pretty much anywhere in the dunes) and protesting conservationists who were trying to protect the reserve area. The whole area between Gravelines and Calais remains riddled with hunter's blinds overlooking small dune slacks

[scfmerlin]

Having been to Oye Plage for over twenty years and with visits in the hundreds, nothing has changed and never will unless the French attitude changes??
The same in Picardy and the Somme with decoys(live ducks) with string tied to one leg thrashing around to attract others.
Then the 'brave' hunter shoots them from five yards away.
It also can be quite an intimidating place to be as a birder sometimes.
However, lots of French people are and do object and attitudes and behaviour do seem to vary drastically by region.

regards
Merlin

[hampers]

Maybe if they hang the birds for long enough before eating, I'm giving them the benefit that its not just senseless killing, lead poisoning will ensue!

[Hanno]

I always did wonder why Malta got so much attention, the French hunters are no better. I'd be surprised of the guy who blew away the Spoonbill will be prosecuted; no French politician has dared to take on the hunting lobby (and if one did, thousands of hunters marching on the Champs Elysees quickly changed his/her mind).

[Wimpy]

Yeh those spoonbill make tricky little targets - move faster than a jack snipe!!!

[saker83]

It is really shocking Pic. Unfourtunatly it does fit with a rumour and a big debate in my country; that we are protcting migratory birds whereas they are being hunted in Europe!!!
It doesn't make any sense. How could we convince people in the presence of such horrible Pic?

[Xenospiza]

Originally Posted by saker83

It is really shocking Pic. Unfourtunatly it does fit with a rumour and a big debate in my country; that we are protecting migratory birds whereas they are being hunted in Europe!!!
It doesn't make any sense. How could we convince people in the presence of such horrible Pic?

I think first of all it should be made obvious that shooting these birds is a crime (even in France).
Most of the Spoonbills in Mauritania come from the Netherlands where they have been protected for at least 80 years and high on the list of birds-to-see. The successes of protection in Mauritania are being noticed in the Netherlands: Spoonbills are a lot more common than 30 years ago, so the actions of brainless French hunters are a bit less serious than they used to be.
Of course, the people in the Netherlands are a lot richer than those in Mauritania, so the "luxury" of not hunting is easier, but I hope the value of places like the Banc d'Arguin can be put forward. For common migratory species, some hunting should not be too much of a problem, but in return large sanctuaries should be available for birds to rest and escape!