Britain's most prolific egg collector, reoffends again. (1 Viewer)

[PYRTLE]

Just on evening news......
Daniel Lingham, up in court again toay for the 3rd time, in possession of over 3000 eggs, collected since 2018. Due for sentencing subject to psychiatric reports. Caught at Holt Lowes taking a Nightjar clutch. 10,000 in cumulative total.
Never mind reports before sentencing, just chop a hand off! Grrr.

 

[Paul Chapman]

This was a pretty sobering report for me to be honest. I had wrongly assumed that such activities were a thing of the past although hopefully, his age is indicative that it may become so. When a friend reported Black-winged Stilts breeding on his patch - they moved on quickly sadly - he was warned disturbance from birders & photographers was likely to be a bigger issue than eggers.

We clearly all need to think about what we say to whom.

All the best

Paul

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

I think for many older egg-collectors, it is more of an addiction, than a hobby. I have no knowledge of this guy, but I believe he has been incarcerated before.

Would it not be possible to sentence him (and others) to 24 months jail, spread over Aprils/Mays for the next 12 years?

 

[dantheman]

Surely being tagged would also be a start?

 

[PYRTLE]

Surely being tagged would also be a start?

Makes a mockery of his previous sentences that he was able to have 7 years egging before being caught. And in terms of monitoring a tagged person, the authorities tasked with that would most probably be directed to concentrate on violent, sex and drug offenders rather than a dude pretending to be a naturalist. And probably serve his time in an open or low category prison at the taxpayers expense.

 

[cheshirebirder]

Makes a mockery of his previous sentences that he was able to have 7 years egging before being caught. And in terms of monitoring a tagged person, the authorities tasked with that would most probably be directed to concentrate on violent, sex and drug offenders rather than a dude pretending to be a naturalist. And probably serve his time in an open or low category prison at the taxpayers expense.

Given his previous convictions ( so no doubt about his guilt ) , can’t his image be circulated around all the nature agencies and displayed to the general birdwatching public at reserve visitor centres ? Then we could all keep an eye out for him while out birding . Pictures of criminals are routinely featured in the media, so what would be wrong in that ?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Given his previous convictions ( so no doubt about his guilt ) , can’t his image be circulated around all the nature agencies and displayed to the general birdwatching public at reserve visitor centres ? Then we could all keep an eye out for him while out birding . Pictures of criminals are routinely featured in the media, so what would be wrong in that ?

Several pictures of him in the various reports. What seems clear is that he uses glasses, hoods, varying length of hair, etc to change his appearance regularly but some examples here...

'Addicted' collector admits illegally hoarding thousands of wild bird eggs

Daniel Lingham, of Newton St Faith, pleaded guilty to illegally hoarding thousands of rare birds eggs from sites across Norfolk.

www.edp24.co.uk

Norfolk bird egg thief admits five offences - BBC News

The RSPB says Daniel Lingham's crimes amounted to "trying to wipe out" some species.

www.bbc.co.uk

Certainly, you would have thought that known convicted egg collectors should have their photos circulated particularly if they have various appearances.

There is ICO guidance for instance on sharing shoplifter images:-

How data protection law can help retailers tackle shoplifting

We’ve worked closely with retailers to show them how they can share information to prevent or detect crime in line with data protection law.

ico.org.uk

All the best

Paul

 

[PYRTLE]

Given his previous convictions ( so no doubt about his guilt ) , can’t his image be circulated around all the nature agencies and displayed to the general birdwatching public at reserve visitor centres ? Then we could all keep an eye out for him while out birding . Pictures of criminals are routinely featured in the media, so what would be wrong in that ?

They do; every Spring the various Police Wildlife Liason Officers throughout the UK conduct meetings and contact reserve wardens with updated images, suspicious vehicle movements and registration numbers. I'm guessing they (Police) have had to cutback on time and staffing manpower. And iirc this individual once gained access to sites by being a reserve volunteer on key sites and birdwatcher. As Paul says, one had to be careful about sharing the location of rare breeding birds.

 

[Rob Hunt]

Incredibly he isn’t being sentenced until the 3rd May so will be free to wreak havoc for the first few weeks of the breeding season.

 

[Trinovid]

Without looking the guy up, is he eating the eggs, or something else?

Beyond my understanding thus far…

 

[Andy Adcock]

Agree Paul,
not one for suppresion but clearly, when people ask for site info here, which relates to any, nesting species, if you are going to provide information to someone you trust, it should be done in a PM, not on the open forum.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Without looking the guy up, is he eating the eggs, or something else?

Beyond my understanding thus far…

No, it's an old, British thing, usually left behind upon puberty, 'egging' or 'nesting' as we used to call it and which many Brits here have admitted to doing in their youth. You take the eggs, make a pin hole in each end and then blow at one end of the egg. This results in the contents of the egg, being discharged at the other end, the egg, then goes in to a collection. Fortunately, for most, it will involve only common, local birds whose nest you'll find in your garden hedge but there is the 'premier' league of eggers who for example, own rock climbing equipment with which to scale a cliff to get at Seabird or a raptors eggs.

With raptors, there is now a catalogue of the DNA of British, falconers, captive, bred birds which can be used in court, as evidence against someone who claims to own a bird which has been captive bred, because some of the eggs or well grown young, will be taken by or for, Falconers.

Many, British posters here, see their 'egging' past as part of their path, to their adult interest in nature, I'm one of them.

 

[Phil Andrews]

No, it's an old, British thing, usually left behind upon puberty, 'egging' or 'nesting' as we used to call it and which many Brits OF A CERTAIN AGE here have admitted to doing in their youth.

Have fixed that for you Andy.

No one in my regularly birding cohort (mid 40s to mids 50s) advises they indulged in such activities and I anticipate a similar response from younger age groups.

 

[Richard D]

I believe egg collecting was made illegal in the US in the 1940's, in the UK it was 1954.

 

[Mysticete]

Without looking the guy up, is he eating the eggs, or something else?

Beyond my understanding thus far…

I think he is just collecting them, not eating them or anything like that.

This is such a weird thing to me, and I don't think its something really done in the states, at least during my lifespan. Here the biggest concerns regarding eggs would be falconers, which obviously are not going to target as wide variety of birds.

 

[D Halas]

This film clip will provide some context to North Americans baffled by the idea of egg collecting:

 

[raymie]

I believe egg collecting was made illegal in the US in the 1940's, in the UK it was 1954.

Wasn't the ban included with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1914?

 

[Andy Lakin]

Am I right in thinking an ideal scenario for a serious egger is to have a full clutch from a particular species? Also aren't there loopholes that allow "historic" collections to be kept? Surely it would be fairly straight forward for an expert to date any eggs collected. Also I have read stories of eggers travelling abroad to obtain eggs is this because the laws are less strict or just less police interest in catching offenders?

 

[Richard D]

Wasn't the ban included with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1914?

I think that act heavily restricted it but the full ban came in with the 1940s: History of Bird and Egg Collecting but I'm no expert on US conservation law. In the UK it was definitely 1954.

 

[Richard D]

Am I right in thinking an ideal scenario for a serious egger is to have a full clutch from a particular species? Also aren't there loopholes that allow "historic" collections to be kept? Surely it would be fairly straight forward for an expert to date any eggs collected. Also I have read stories of eggers travelling abroad to obtain eggs is this because the laws are less strict or just less police interest in catching offenders?

You can hold eggs collected in the UK prior to 1954, but you can't sell or trade the. I've no idea how easy they are to date.