This winter I have been regularly watching a few local Heronries for nesting activity. Today unfortunately I arrived at one site where I know herons are nesting (2 visible nests, likely more hidden in the trees) to find it very disturbed with no Herons present. Cormorants also nest in the Heronry and today there were people shooting at the Cormorants in the trees and as they flew in to the island.
The shooting drove off and kept the Cormorants away from their nests leaving all the Cormorant nests abandoned for over an hour in sub-zero temperatures. I am unsure if the Herons remained on their nests however I saw no activity (usually herons would be coming in or leaving every 20 minutes or so) suggesting that they too had been temporarily driven away.
This site is in an SSSI. From the signage I believe it is owned by a fishing club.
Does anyone know if shooting Cormorants in this manner is legal? I realise that Cormorants can be shot under license from DEFRA but surely this does not allow shooting at the nest or in such a manner to disturb other breeding species?
Tom
The shooting drove off and kept the Cormorants away from their nests leaving all the Cormorant nests abandoned for over an hour in sub-zero temperatures. I am unsure if the Herons remained on their nests however I saw no activity (usually herons would be coming in or leaving every 20 minutes or so) suggesting that they too had been temporarily driven away.
This site is in an SSSI. From the signage I believe it is owned by a fishing club.
Does anyone know if shooting Cormorants in this manner is legal? I realise that Cormorants can be shot under license from DEFRA but surely this does not allow shooting at the nest or in such a manner to disturb other breeding species?
Tom
