Buzzards and Kites eating everything again (1 Viewer)

[Amarillo]

What issue?? - they take a few birds including vermin like various corvids. So what?? - the only ones making an issue about this are the usual clowns that get a soap-box in the Tory press|8||

It is an issue because those articles are read by millions and the average person reading it doesn't understand that its all just a natural balance.

Its all very well us saying that Songbird Survival are a bunch of idiots and lets all just ignore them, but they clearly have friends in very high places so I don't think they can be taken lightly and the RSPB has to be careful not to give them (and also scientists like CP Bell) ammunition by not being entirely open about the consequences of a rapid increase in birds of prey. Even if that rapid increase is only back to natural levels, those natural levels haven't been seen in any of our lifetimes and there will be changes as a result. If the wider public see those changes happening (or believe that they are) and get the impression that the RSPB is not being entirely open then some people might turn their support to organisations like SS.

 

[Irish Kite]

What needs to happen

It is an issue because those articles are read by millions and the average person reading it doesn't understand that its all just a natural balance.

Its all very well us saying that Songbird Survival are a bunch of idiots and lets all just ignore them, but they clearly have friends in very high places so I don't think they can be taken lightly and the RSPB has to be careful not to give them (and also scientists like CP Bell) ammunition by not being entirely open about the consequences of a rapid increase in birds of prey. Even if that rapid increase is only back to natural levels, those natural levels haven't been seen in any of our lifetimes and there will be changes as a result. If the wider public see those changes happening (or believe that they are) and get the impression that the RSPB is not being entirely open then some people might turn their support to organisations like SS.

I agree with many of your points and that is why its about time the likes of the RSPB, BTO and others take the gloves off and go after these purveyors of black propoganda who want to drag the UK back to some sort of Victorian dark age when it comes to hard one gains in raptor conservation.Highlighting these issues on something like BBC's springwatch would be a great first step in this battle against persecution and ignorance!!

 

[Mal Taylor]

I agree with many of your points and that is why its about time the likes of the RSPB, BTO and others take the gloves off and go after these purveyors of black propoganda who want to drag the UK back to some sort of Victorian dark age when it comes to hard one gains in raptor conservation.Highlighting these issues on something like BBC's springwatch would be a great first step in this battle against persecution and ignorance!!

Well said Irish Kite, I totally agree. I amazed at some of the ill-informed articles about birds of prey that are printed in the national press, including the likes of The Times.

As a birder I am often approached by friends and relatives who know about my interest to tell me that birds of prey and magpies are slaughtering our songbird population. I always, always take time to put the record straight. It is amazing the amount of seemingly normal people who would like to lay waste to our Magpie population in particular.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and hardly ever saw a Common Buzzard apart from rare trips to South Wales and the Lakes. Why, because thousands were massacred by Gamekeepers, and the remainder given the coupe de grace by myxomatosis. These days I consider it a huge privelage to be able to see them most days from my garden.

Don't let idiots like Robin Page and Songbird Survival con you into believing that birds of prey and corvids are to blame for the decline of some of our farmland birds.

As for the RSPB not telling the whole truth surrounding the diets of birds of prey, what a load of rubbish. If it wasn't for the likes of the RSPB attempting to set the record straight for articles published in the media, we would have no birds of prey. They lobby at the highest levels and fortunately have the ear of Ministers, MP's, MSP's etc, without which our predator populations would be knackered! The Scottish Gamekeepers Association actively pressing for a cull of Common Buzzards aptly illustrates this point!