Spanish Pyrennes (1 Viewer)

Hi Folks

Just got back to sunny Spain this afternoon,only 26 degrees,nearly broke into a sweat!!!

I wonder when it will reach that temp.in Uk again,next July perhaps????????

Anyway,onto more seroius matters.

Crossed into Spain a couple of days ago ,The pass at Roncevalles,way up in the northern end.Never had good weather when I have crossed there,so what's new,it was raining and windy yet again!!!

However ,it was the first time I had crossed this particular pass in Oct.,and it was heaving with birds,no raptors,.just 1000's of passerines making their way south to join me in sunny S.Spain and maybe even beyond,OR SO SOME OF THEM HAD HOPED!!!!

Perched all across the hillsides were the Spanish gun emplacements.,and as we reached the top of the pass at 08.00hrs,barely light,they were already at it.

It as if world war 3 had broken out.

Yes,the bastards were blasting everything out of the sky that was possible.I felt physically sick.,whether it was a Skylark or a White Wagtail or Song Thrush,they shot at it.

Every so often 1 of the shooters would climb out of his hole with a white plastic bag in his hand and shove all the dead birds lying strewn across the hillside ,into it.

I could not stay longer than 10 mins.,to witness this wholesale massacre.

Something has got to be done about this carnage in the Pyrennes,or the RPSB slogan " The silent Spring" will be with us sooner rather than later!!!!

Yours,feeling totally sick

Ricardo

Don't know what to say, so sad that you witnessed that, don't know how I'd have coped in your shoes. What can we do - tell us and we'll start campaigning!!

El

RE PYRENNES

Dear Annie

Probably be bashing our heads against a brick wall,and its probably been done before,but best course would be to protest to the right people in office at for instance the RSPB and Birdlife International.,and even S.E.O.( Sociedad de Español Ornitologica)

Maybe Steve can come up with some ideas?

Ricardo xx

P.S. It happens unfortunately at other passes in the Pyrennes and of course it is just not the Spanish,the French are at it too,as of course are the Italians and worst of all the Maltese!!!!!

Your post is disheartening but what can we do. Witness the barrages of protests regarding Malta and Cyprus to see how little the effect is on stopping this wholesale slaughter.

We recently witnessed similar scenes in Greece (allthough not nearly as bad) and it does sicken you to the stomach.

How do we stop it. Personally I think it is impossible with the current generations the only hope is that future generations can be taught that all life is precious.

The EU must put some form of sanctions in place and the only way they can be lifted is if the country can prove that they are moving forward in improving, and educating people into stopping this wholesale slaughter. Or is this just a pipe dream?

Regards
John J