Ruddy Duck Cull (4 Viewers)

[ikw101]

A camera, long lens and a high visibilty vest with press or media on the back is a surprisingly effective deterrent. For a more long term solution this has to the favourite.

 

[Floyd Barnes]

Why do we deem it necessary to do the spaniards dirty work?
IF the odd drake ruddy makes it to spain, and is in the vicinity of white headed ducks.
let them shoot it if they want. To cull large numbers here, on the off chance that the odd one may hybridize seems somewhat over the top.
FB

 

[Floyd Barnes]

Good luck H-M take a pie or two!

 

[Pie Face]

Well we've done our best and was down there at 5.30am making lots of noise. The DEFRA task force 6 Jeeps and 6 boats arrived at 7:30. Unfortunately the Ruddy Ducks weren't flushed by our efforts and at least 20 are currently on the Reserve.

Unfortunately school (walk) beckons but going back down at 8.30 with long lens. Hopefully at least salvage a gallery of shame from all this!

 

[Quercus]

I have a similar opinion on Scot's!!

Racism isn't funny!

 

[Pie Face]

A brief story and photos HERE

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Well we've done our best and was down there at 5.30am making lots of noise. The DEFRA task force 6 Jeeps and 6 boats arrived at 7:30. Unfortunately the Ruddy Ducks weren't flushed by our efforts and at least 20 are currently on the Reserve.

Unfortunately school (walk) beckons but going back down at 8.30 with long lens. Hopefully at least salvage a gallery of shame from all this!

In my book the shame here is yours.

 

[Pie Face]

In my book the shame here is yours.

Unless you can add something constructive to this argument, other than a snidey comment of one line, then F**K off this thread and do something worthwhile like checking the tyre pressures on buses!!

 

[Barred Wobbler]

My aim, as ever, is to please.:king:

 

[Rob1991S-O-T]

ruddy duck deserve as much chance as the next bird that was brought over the list is quite an endless one of birds that are now living and breeding in britain we have 4 sps of parrot,pheasant is another , canada geese is possibly the one you will never be able to get rid off , manderain
why do ruddy ducks actually go spain if they do this of cause
and if its winter migration then its the wrong time to breed
i know that the rspb back this to no end , where as cormants cant be shot even if they do empty fish stocks but rspb lost that battle because they approved of shooting in ruddy ducks

 

[James_Owen]

ruddy duck deserve as much chance as the next bird that was brought over the list is quite an endless one of birds that are now living and breeding in britain we have 4 sps of parrot,pheasant is another , canada geese is possibly the one you will never be able to get rid off , manderain
why do ruddy ducks actually go spain if they do this of cause
and if its winter migration then its the wrong time to breed
i know that the rspb back this to no end , where as cormants cant be shot even if they do empty fish stocks but rspb lost that battle because they approved of shooting in ruddy ducks

Reverse the argument though, if non-native ducks from Spain were threatening our own species and their Birdlife affiliate, and local self-styled birding vigilantes, were against the only measure in town that was likely prevent the loss of OUR biodiversity, we'd be jolly angry about it I'm sure.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Quite, and I'd sooner be able to see one of these than any number of a pest species that owes its presence in Europe to misguided acts by people who should have known better.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

Introducing non-native species to a country, however pretty, is definitely a bad idea and has been proved a bad idea countless times.

Reserve your anger for those that released them in the first place, rather than those that have to clear up the ensuing mess.

 

[teamsaint]

Reserve your anger for those that released them in the first place, rather than those that have to clear up the ensuing mess.

You make it seem as though shooting them is a 'unfortunate necessity.' I think as the comments on Highway Man's blog post say the people doing the shooting are doing it because they like killing things coz theyre well ard.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

You may think that. It doesn't make it true.

I think that they are doing a job that needs doing.

Who is right?

 

[Jos Stratford]

Reverse the argument though, if non-native ducks from Spain were threatening our own species and their Birdlife affiliate, and local self-styled birding vigilantes, were against the only measure in town that was likely prevent the loss of OUR biodiversity, we'd be jolly angry about it I'm sure.

Given White-headed Duck population has increased in Spain by over 10,000 % in the last 30 years and is continuing to increase, the loss of biodiversity does not seem to be happening.


Ruddy Duck is largely sedentary, causes no harm within its current range and, if a cull is deemed approproate, would be cheaper to just cull the few individuals making it to Spain. Money used for this cull could be far better used in causes needing it.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Interesting that an increase in population by a factor of 100 over a period of 30 years from a critically endangered low is considered bad news.

Interesting also that a "sedentary" species that only two or three decades ago was considered to be largely confined to the midlands and west of England (I was delighted to see my first in NE England a recently as 1999 (although I'm not claiming that this was anywhere near a first for the area)) quickly became common in the area and could be seen on almost any body of still water that was of interest to them.

It's "current range" appears to be like Easter, a moveable feast.

In this case I'd opt for the "precautionary principle", a priciple I normally rail against.

 

[James_Owen]

Given White-headed Duck population has increased in Spain by over 10,000 % in the last 30 years and is continuing to increase, the loss of biodiversity does not seem to be happening.


Ruddy Duck is largely sedentary, causes no harm within its current range and, if a cull is deemed approproate, would be cheaper to just cull the few individuals making it to Spain. Money used for this cull could be far better used in causes needing it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know those arguments, how valid they are I personally don't know. What I do know is that it remains inconceivable for me to believe that you believe the RSPB mysteriously want to support the eradication of Ruddy Duck so much they'd ignore what the qualified scientific opinion tells them on the matter. One morning the RSPB got out of bed and decided it didn't like ruddies anymore, something like that,I mean is that what we're really supposed to be imagining here?
Or, maybe it's supporting the cull for all the good press it attracts for the organisation?

 

[ColonelBlimp]

I think as the comments on Highway Man's blog post say the people doing the shooting are doing it because they like killing things coz theyre well ard.

As Barred Wobbler says, they're doing a job that needs doing. Like the people that were in the recent Observer article shooting grey squirrels in Northumbria, whatever people may think of their appearance and beliefs, they're helping.

Ruddy Duck is largely sedentary, causes no harm within its current range

How can an introduced species "cause no harm" within its current range in Britain? Even if it isn't obviously invasive they are still taking resources from native birds.

 

[Quercus]

As Barred Wobbler says, they're doing a job that needs doing. Like the people that were in the recent Observer article shooting grey squirrels in Northumbria, whatever people may think of their appearance and beliefs, they're helping.



How can an introduced species "cause no harm" within its current range in Britain? Even if it isn't obviously invasive they are still taking resources from native birds.

Little owls are next then?