Magpies and crows to be culled to protect songbirds (1 Viewer)

LabradorDuck said:

Nonsense. Species can only survive in the long term in the absence of predation. As soon as a predator evolves to prey upon a species, that species' days are numbered. With a highly efficient predator like the Goshawk on the prowl, it's no surprise that my eponymous species is no more. Is it merely a coincidence that the recovery of white-tailed deer in the United states began *after* the extirpation of wolves? Is it merely a coincidence that Tyrannosaurus rex was among the *last* of the dinosaurs? I think not.

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Thats the greatest load of drivel I've ever read on here - I suggest you learn some basic ecology instead of spouting Sarah Palin type flat earth nonsence:C

Irish Kite said:

Thats the greatest load of drivel I've ever read on here - I suggest you learn some basic ecology instead of spouting Sarah Palin type flat earth nonsence:C

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Hi Irish Kite

Totally agree. Still waiting for an answer to my question in post #146.

RSPB cock up!

Irish Kite said:

Thats the greatest load of drivel I've ever read on here - I suggest you learn some basic ecology instead of spouting Sarah Palin type flat earth nonsence:C

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Seconded! sorry Graham, thirded!

Ive just started a thread on the conservation section regarding an RSPB study into wader decline, which anyone has yet to see in detail and basically says,
"Mr Crow, in the billiard room with the candlestick".

Im concerned that it has not been released by the RSPB even though it should have been on the 17th. The press release does a pretty good job of pointing out corvids and foxes as a main cause, even-though it claims that overall wader population decrease is down to multiple factors involving land use.

Its weird since they recently apposed the corvid cull, but now release a study supporting it. The GWCT and its like are all over it, which is understandable as it furthermore describes the increase in wader populations on grouse moors, essentially advocating game land managment. Its terrible admin on their part and really is a major F*@# up for the RSPB! The only copy of the release I can locate is here,
http://jamesmarchington.blogspot.com/

Where is the breakdown in understanding that these populations are being pushed to limits of their sustainablitly by massive loss of habitat, so much so that the effects of predation has become greatly exagerrated. This is RSPB mantra, yet read the summary release of the study! I think this thread has done a good job of discussing the greater ecological complexities of population dynamics, with habitat loss being key. I for one do not like the idea of our reserves becoming managed shooting grounds.

Anyone that sees this study please post on it, im very interested. Its due for release in the International Scientific Journal of Bird Study.

Irish Kite said:

Thats the greatest load of drivel I've ever read on here - I suggest you learn some basic ecology instead of spouting Sarah Palin type flat earth nonsence:C

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Or just display a little common sense. The extinction of Labrador Ducks caused by Goshawks??

Sorry for the misunderstanding, everyone, I sometimes get a bit facetious once I've said my piece. I have a more serious reply in post #99.

I know sarcasm can be hard to detect on the Internet, but I had hoped that the implication that Tyrannosaurus caused the extinction of the dinosaurs would put the rest of my post in proper context.

Shadow-watcher said:

Where is the breakdown in understanding that these populations are being pushed to limits of their sustainablitly by massive loss of habitat, so much so that the effects of predation has become greatly exagerrated. This is RSPB mantra, yet read the summary release of the study! I think this thread has done a good job of discussing the greater ecological complexities of population dynamics, with habitat loss being key.

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Being pragmatic, if the viability of certain wader breeding populations is being seriously threatened then you have to go into triage mode to work out what gives you the best chance of saving what you can with the time and resources available. Longer term habitat regeneration is no doubt the ideal answer - however we might not have decades of time available before populations are lost, and that is how long that would take (at least!). However sometimes it might be possible, however unpleasant the concept seems, to mitigate the losses by targeted localised management of predators in the short term to protect threatened populations.

Shadow-watcher I don't like the idea of culling birds either. But the more I learn the more I come to realise that much biodiversity is hanging on by a thread after the impacts of a few hundred years of human 'management'. Now is not the time to be squeamish about sometime taking difficult management decisions for the greater good of preserving diversity in the short term in the hope that, longer term, we realise what a god awful mess we are making of the stewardship of the planet.

I for one don't want avian orders that consists solely of human commensals.

mjh73 said:

Being pragmatic, if the viability of certain wader breeding populations is being seriously threatened then you have to go into triage mode to work out what gives you the best chance of saving what you can with the time and resources available. Longer term habitat regeneration is no doubt the ideal answer - however we might not have decades of time available before populations are lost, and that is how long that would take (at least!). However sometimes it might be possible, however unpleasant the concept seems, to mitigate the losses by targeted localised management of predators in the short term to protect threatened populations.

Shadow-watcher I don't like the idea of culling birds either. But the more I learn the more I come to realise that much biodiversity is hanging on by a thread after the impacts of a few hundred years of human 'management'. Now is not the time to be squeamish about sometime taking difficult management decisions for the greater good of preserving diversity in the short term in the hope that, longer term, we realise what a god awful mess we are making of the stewardship of the planet.

I for one don't want avian orders that consists solely of human commensals.

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I am of the opinion, that you are absolutly correct. I just hope the real reasons for these population declines (ie habitat loss) are not forgotten, and that dealing with them doesn't loose out to the the ecological triage that is predator control.

LabradorDuck said:

Sorry for the misunderstanding, everyone, I sometimes get a bit facetious once I've said my piece. I have a more serious reply in post #99.

I know sarcasm can be hard to detect on the Internet, but I had hoped that the implication that Tyrannosaurus caused the extinction of the dinosaurs would put the rest of my post in proper context.

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Hi Duck - your irony is just too convincing for some of us earnest posters!

Cheers

Graham Osborne said:

Hi Duck - your irony is just too convincing for some of us earnest posters! Cheers

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Graham, would that Ernest Posters be related to the famous Bill?
MJB

LabradorDuck said:

I know sarcasm can be hard to detect on the Internet, . . . .

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Indeed it can, and that's why God created the smiley!

fugl said:

Indeed it can, and that's why God created the smiley!

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No, smilies are the work of the devil.

MJB said:

Graham, would that Ernest Posters be related to the famous Bill?
MJB

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I think so. Hope I'm not in danger of prosecution.

Words fail me,this so called charity said to consist of bird lovers and so called country people,would these country people consist of gamekeepers and hunters i wonder.We all know the reason for songbird decline and its caused by us humans, with a little help from our feline friends. How about a cat cull.