[John S. Armitage]

The RSPB has put out a Press Release and various Blog entries today announcing actions relating to restoring the English Hen Harrier population much depleted due to deliberate persecution.
Take a look at the Press Release and Martin Harper's ( RSPB Director Conservation ) Blog, more details and explanation about which are on my own Blog ( see today's entry, http://www.birdingodyssey.blogspot.com/ )

I suspect the forthcoming months will need us all to advertise our concerns and support in different ways if we wish this iconic raptor to regain its deserved position within England's breeding birds.

[June Atkinson]

Originally Posted by John S. Armitage

The RSPB has put out a Press Release and various Blog entries today announcing actions relating to restoring the English Hen Harrier population much depleted due to deliberate persecution.
Take a look at the Press Release and Martin Harper's ( RSPB Director Conservation ) Blog, more details and explanation about which are on my own Blog ( see today's entry, http://www.birdingodyssey.blogspot.com/ )

I suspect the forthcoming months will need us all to advertise our concerns and support in different ways if we wish this iconic raptor to regain its deserved position within England's breeding birds.

Since I had the privilege of seeing a family of hen harriers a few years ago, in Northumberland, I have admired these beautiful birds.
The female may not be spectacularly coloured, but she had done a wonderful job in raising her five young, who all looked confident fliers.
I was in awe when watching the male. I was surprised that he was so different from his mate. The elegant flight and his delicate silver blue colouring won my heart.
I do hope that all the efforts to restore them in good numbers will remind people that our support is essential.

[Robin Edwards]

Well played to George Monbiot from the Guardian. At last some straight-talking in the national press.

Our Hen Harriers desperately need all the help they can get.

http://www.monbiot.com/2012/06/04/th...t-aristocracy/

http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/

[Mary]

Thanks for that link, Robin. Interesting read. My OH asked Benion for name of person/organisation calling for the cull, under the Freedom of Info act, and was told it would be forthcoming. Needless to say it's not arrived!

[John Cantelo]

A good start would be to reassign the £375,000 earmarked for the Buzzard 'research' for Hen Harrier related work. Monbiot's article,incidentally ,is a 'must read',

[Robin Edwards]

I'm not surprised Mary.

I wrote to Richard Benyon and CC'd my MP Alistair Burt who had one of his elves acknowledge my email and inform me that he would provide a full response in due course. I've heard that before as the full response is rarely forthcoming which is why he and his party will never get my vote. Mr Benyon didn't acknowledge and hasn't responded so far but I guess it's very time consuming being a toff.

If you ever find yourself needing to write to HRH, say for instance if an alleged Hen Harrier should inadvertantly bump in to an alleged member of her family, you will get a full response from one of her royal elves. Doesn't change very much though.

[davercox]

Originally Posted by Robin Edwards

If you ever find yourself needing to write to HRH

Again (sigh). The Queen is not HRH, she is HM.

[Clive A]

Excellent article by Monbiot. It's time the RSPB got behind the e-petition to support vicarious liability in England, still a pathetic 9,600 votes.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/23089

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by davercox

Again (sigh). The Queen is not HRH, she is HM.

As if it really matters what obsequious form of address we use - Mrs Windsor will do fine for me. Deference to the traditional hierarchy is part of the problem when tackling the abuse of power as exercised by the owners of those large estates who are, to a large degree, responsible for the decline to extinction of the Hen Harrier in England,

[Robin Edwards]

Originally Posted by davercox

Again (sigh). The Queen is not HRH, she is HM.

Dave - you are of course correct but in the context of this thread, does it really matter (sigh)

[MJB]

Originally Posted by Robin Edwards

Dave - you are of course correct but in the context of this thread, does it really matter (sigh)

Robin,
This thread's title includes the words 'the fight-back begins', and so if there is to be a campaign, it's worth trying to get every detail right, because otherwise you risk presenting the opposition an opportunity, however slight, to counter the campaign. Although no-one can get every detail right, if every supporter tries to be helpful when details are incorrect, then I appreciate that, so my thanks go to Dave!

John,
I'm a little surprised at your response, because I reckon you to be one of the most interesting of BF's contributors, for you are thoroughly measured in your views - perhaps I read you wrong in this case, but it seems to me that to resort to name-calling at such an early stage, whatever one's views on how the UK's head of state ought to be appointed/elected, doesn't help in the thread's campaign. It might have made you and I feel better, but if this campaign is to succeed, it's got to attract support well beyond BF circles...
MJB

[John Cantelo]

MJB,

Thank you for your very kind comment.

Apologies for my somewhat dyspeptic response, I suspect that what I regard as the OTT coverage regarding the Diamond Jubilee was grating with my republican sympathies. That said, I don't think I was name-calling as you suggest, but rather than observing a) that the exact form of address for the Queen was irrelevant to this debate (and BF threads never go off topic!) and b) that one element in why many owners of large estates have evaded their responsibilities (and society's sanctions) is because they represent a powerful, currently increasingly so, interest group in our society. I very much doubt that the campaign to save Hen Harrier will be derailed by my unguarded comments – would that I had such influence. Even so apologies to anyone who was offended,

[MJB]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

MJB, Thank you for your very kind comment.

....apologies to anyone who was offended,

John,
Gracious as always, thus raising instead of lowering the tone! My own morale was boosted earlier today, when in the vast riverine Danube-Auen National Park forest, I watched a Collared Flycatcher pair make endless trips to feed the brood deep in a hollow branch.
MJB
PS For anyone who likes forest birding, the 50 x 3km reserve along the Danube between Vienna and Bratislava can be reached in 30 minutes from Vienna Airport. As well as Black Stork, Eastern Imperial Eagle, White-tailed Eagle and Black Woodpecker, there is a host of other creatures that otherwise are difficult to find....