Ruddy Duck Cull (3 Viewers)

[James_Owen]

James
Out of pure curiousity, if you were approached by the guys from defra OR the guys you work(?) for - RSPB - and asked to disclose the location of known Ruddy sites in Notts, would you spill your guts and tell them?
I truely hope not!

Steve

Can't say that I wouldn't. I really don't like to sentimentalise birds and I don't care much about their welfare. Most of the time they're on the knife edge of survival anyway, especially at this time of the year, and wild creatures do enough horrible things to one another that shooting them in the course of a broader conservation measure doesn't much bother my conscience at all.
I dare say that's not the RSPB message nor a very popular point of view, but it prevents me from getting my knickers in a twist about doing the right thing for bird conservation.

Last year at Carsington Defra paid a visit, at the time we had 100+ wintering ruddies, at the moment they probably number in less than double figures. To be honest all those ruddies did look out of place.

 

[Steve Dunn]

Can't say that I wouldn't. I really don't like to sentimentalise birds and I don't care much about their welfare. Most of the time they're on the knife edge of survival anyway, especially at this time of the year, and wild creatures do enough horrible things to one another that shooting them in the course of a broader conservation measure doesn't much bother my conscience at all.
I dare say that's not the RSPB message nor a very popular point of view, but it prevents me from getting my knickers in a twist about doing the right thing for bird conservation.

Last year at Carsington Defra paid a visit, at the time we had 100+ wintering ruddies, at the moment they probably number in less than double figures. To be honest all those ruddies did look out of place.

Really! You suprise me kid, so what you're saying is you would happily inform them of sites where they are even if this was totally against the wishes of the other birders who watched the said site.......... you're certainly braver than you look!

Steve

 

[Mike Feely]

James

Ruddy Ducks aside, i'm more surprised that you do not care about the welfare of birds considering some of your other posts on BF in the past and your keeping up a blog about birds.

If this really is the case, then why on earth do you volunteer for the RSPB - an organisation who's very remit is the welfare of birds - and take part in the Aren't Birds Brilliant events???

I'm very confused. Strange.

 

[Steve Dunn]

.......... I really don't like to sentimentalise birds and I don't care much about their welfare.........

I agree Mike, the above comments by this upstart totally contradict alot of the rambling sentimental nonsense he writes on his bog, ooops sorry, blog.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

Actually, I fully agree with James.

Getting rid of British Ruddies is entirely the right thing to do in terms of a conservationary viewpoint, and therefore sentimentality must be put aside in order for the hard choices to be made to actually help both species. The RSPB say that they want "both species to thrive in their own ranges"-how is that not supportable?

If you want to base your conservationary viewpoint on looks instead of native merit, this wholesale homogenisation will just lead to an absolute decline in the biodiversity of the country and other countries.

And to be honest, choosing to unleash verbal diatribes instead of the reasoned debate that is needed in response to James's articles smacks to me of merely showing that the anti-cull position is one not based on available hard facts but mere sentimentality.

 

[James_Owen]

I agree Mike, the above comments by this upstart totally contradict alot of the rambling sentimental nonsense he writes on his bog, ooops sorry, blog.

Ha, maybe I do wax on sometimes, but I think it's important when it comes to the cold hard facts about conservation that we're able to divorce ourselves from our more cuddly emotions and take the most rational and effective approach. Whether it's ruddies in the midlands, or hedgehogs in the western isles, you really have to think things through.

Oh and the RSPB is a conservation charity, not a welfare charity, it's one of the key messages we're trained to get across.

Don't be worrying now, I spend more time at Pleasley Pit than KMR these days, so your ruddies should be safe from my boring bird blog.

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

Out of interest does anyone know if the Cull of Ruddy Ducks covers Northern Ireland?

Thanks

Derek

 

[John Cantelo]

I agree Mike, the above comments by this upstart totally contradict alot of the rambling sentimental nonsense he writes on his bog, ooops sorry, blog.

How does calling someone an 'upstart' further any rational argument? Let's address the argument, not the personalities,

John

 

[Derek Polley]

NI cull

Out of interest does anyone know if the Cull of Ruddy Ducks covers Northern Ireland?

Thanks

Derek

A quick google of the key words led me to think that it does cover NI but it hasn't happened yet. However two recent articles seem to suggest that it is slowly cranking into gear. Jim Shannon is asking that the cull be extended to NI and the Irish News had an article in April re the Irish Govt being put under pressure to come into line with the rest of Europe. However we don't have that many here, BUT half of them winter on Portmore Lough which is an RSPB Reserve. I await developments with interest!

 

[DEREK CHARLES]

Thank you Derek,
I birded a lot of lakes and loughs around Lough Neagh at the weekend and i seen Ruddy Ducks on virtually all of them. The highest numbers were at Portmore and i was even surprised at the number of birds there. I will not release info on the other sites although most of them are well known.
I am on the fence regarding the cull as i have seen White Headed Duck many times in Spain.

Derek