Schedule one breeders (1 Viewer)

[northernloon]

Cheers John. I found that one after a bit of rummaging and also UK Wildlife

 

[northernloon]

My understanding is that it is an an offence to wilfully disturb or interfere with nesting birds.

I seem to remember reading a research paper about nesting Terns on the Farne Islands. The accepted wisdom was that sitting birds that stayed on eggs in close proximity to the thousands of people walking past, taking photos etc. weren't stressed. The researchers fitted heart monitors that clearly showed elevated heart rates (i.e. not happy bunnies). Did I dream it?

As an aside. On a visit to Walney Island in Cumbria I passed numerous Eider sat tight. The LBBs and Herrings took great exception even when I wasn't that close to their nests.

Maybe slightly off topic, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[joespy]

Hello old man

I wasn't attempting to deny that the comment was a response to the one made by Doc, just that it wasn't a 'personal attack' along the lines of the name-calling and implied slurs that have been used by others on here at times. It was a genuine comment (if that makes any sense), not an attempt to have a dig at someone on a personal level.

You'll be pleased to hear the degree is now long gone (several months) and I did rather better in the philosophy part than the politics:smoke:.;

Cheers
Ollie

Yes, I am pleased to hear and well done...:t: (Have you updated your website profile) I had an idea from the passion you display in other fields that a degree was well within your grasp...

ooh eck .... sorry ....... what was it we were talking about.......? It's me age you know...

 

[David Tate]

Update

Sticking to the theme of 'should details about Schedule 1 species be relesaed on an open forum during the breeding season' 2 recent developments may prove interesting.

1. A previous suggestion was that you may wish to guess the name of a well known 'confidential' Woodlark site in Yorkshire, put the name into Google and see what happens. Well, now you don't need to guess correctly because the site was named in a recent Yorkshire Post article - circulation 40,000. If you read the note you will know that birds have just arrived and are in full song. As a bonus there is a good deal of information about a regional breeding population of Common Crossbill, another Schedule 1 species.

2. Elsewhere, though well outside our patch, an article describing the results of the Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project gives details about the 1300 nest boxes in the County. Apparently 2011 was a very productive year - box occupancy was the highest ever and 395 chicks were ringed. All well and good, but included in the article is a map showing all of the box sites with those occupied in 2011 shown in a sepearte colour.

In the light of this and much else:

a) Is it reasonable to challenge someone who posts details about Barn Owls and Woodlarks during the breeding season or even offers to provide information about them via a personal e-mail?

b) Now that the media, conservation groups and environmental agecies have breached the 'voluntary ban' on releasing recent/actual breeding locations of some of the commoner Schedule 1 species should 'site confidential' continue to be applied to other listed species during the breeding season and if so which?

 

[davercox]

b) Now that the media, conservation groups and environmental agecies have breached the 'voluntary ban' on releasing recent/actual breeding locations of some of the commoner Schedule 1 species should 'site confidential' continue to be applied to other listed species during the breeding season and if so which?

Good points in this post.

Don't know about media (where do they get their info from ?) but sometimes conservation groups and environmental agencies release details of a particular, well-wardened, breeding site in the hope that people who want to see this species go there and don't try searching anywhere else.

Whatever, the default for ordinary birders must be "don't disclose".

(Also agree Schedule 1 needs regular updates, and there is no good mechanism for doing this at the moment.)

 

[Trystan]

Good points in this post.

Don't know about media (where do they get their info from ?) but sometimes conservation groups and environmental agencies release details of a particular, well-wardened, breeding site in the hope that people who want to see this species go there and don't try searching anywhere else.

Whatever, the default for ordinary birders must be "don't disclose".

(Also agree Schedule 1 needs regular updates, and there is no good mechanism for doing this at the moment.)

Have stayed away from this argument this time around, but having read David Tates very enlightening posts it seems to me that the Schedule 1 regulations are available for use and if conservation bodies were interested in doing so, they could press for updates. (They are best qualified to make such recommendations I think)

Since they don't do this, it suggests their priorities lie elsewhere, i.e. habitat conservation and campaigning against ridiculous government proposals. As such I feel it would be more constructive for birders to also focus on these issues and give their support.

 

[schiffornis]

This is a relatively new blog that I follow, interesting read...

http://devonwildlifecrime.blogspot.com/2012/03/operation-wilderness.html

Cheers Andy

 

[northernloon]

I see from facebook that Woodlark are officially present at Skipwith. Not exactly the best kept secret. So it seems they are fair game. Hopefully it will take the pressure off other sites.

 

[screaming piha]

My understanding of Schedule 1 is that new breeding species are protected by law automatically even though they do not appear on the written list. And additions to the list would require parliamentary scrutiny. Thus, not only would there be no practical or legal advantage in keeping the list up to date but also each revision would provide an opportunity for removal of species by those who seek less stringent conservation protection than we have now. The list includes all breeding raptors/owls due to the particular pressure on such species. Do we really want less protection for Barn Owls just because numbers rose slightly? What about Peregrine Falcon? Not so rare these days and plenty of people would like their protection downgraded and even removed. Be assured that revision of the list is desired by the bad guys too and be careful what you wish for.

 

[Pete Mella]

The list includes all breeding raptors/owls due to the particular pressure on such species. Do we really want less protection for Barn Owls just because numbers rose slightly? What about Peregrine Falcon? Not so rare these days and plenty of people would like their protection downgraded and even removed. Be assured that revision of the list is desired by the bad guys too and be careful what you wish for.

I didn't think all owls were on it (just Barn and Snowy)?

And I agree, in terms of revising the list, I'm more bothered by what's not on it, not what should be removed.

In terms of what can be said in an open forum on here and elsewhere about locations of S1 species, I've seen various examples of over- and under-cautiousness over the years (including from myself in the past, I'm sure...), but I'd rather see people err on the former if I had a choice.

And as for giving info to contacts you genuinely know you can trust with it, I don't see much wrong with that, but why on earth do people feel the need to post winking "I've sent you a PM of sensitive info I'm telling anyone else " messages on the main board? Keep it to yourself.

 

[screaming piha]

Pete you are absolutely right about the owls. I guess the list must have been updated at some point then!