You may already be aware of this story once you have started to read it, if not, to be fully in the picture on what follows you might like to take a look at THIS first as this post is a follow on.
A historic precedent has been set by a government agency which has granted a license to secretly destroy the nests and eggs of Buzzards to protect a Pheasant shoot....No you've not just incorrectly read what I wrote. Raptors gained legal protection decades ago and this is the first time such action has been licensed against any bird of prey to protect a shoot....often referred to by those who engage in this kind of activity as 'sport'.
Buzzards are recovering from near extinction, and now number something like 40,000 breeding pairs, whilst 35 million Pheasants are bred each year for shoots. The wildlife minister whose family estate runs shoots - no you've not just incorrectly read what I wrote - cancelled plans last year to spend £375,000 on the same exercise after a public outcry. The license recently granted was of course made by that wonderful government agency Natural England who handed out the permit to destroy Buzzard nests and any eggs they held.
A spokesman for Natural England said....'the law allows action to be taken against protected species to protect livestock, which includes any animal kept for the provision or improvement of shooting'....People like this and those who employ them put the shits up me, and cause me to have sleepless nights in the name of wildlife.
As always, a post like this from me could go on and on, but I'll shut up now and leave anyone who might look in on Birds2blog to make up their own minds about this worrying u-turn by Mr Benyon the 'Wildlife Minister' who of course isn't alone in condoning this kind of persecution of our birds/wildlife. But I reckon the vast majority of the population of this country would prefer to see the Buzzard soaring overhead in the sky, rather than knock its nest and eggs out of a tree with a long pole.
We can end on at least a piece of good news, that of the Freedom Of Information Act which is what was responsible for this news finding its way into the public domain following a successful application for it....Long live the Freedom Of Information Act.
Thanks to Gary Jones for the image of the Buzzard, soaring over his head the day he took this photograph. Long may the Buzzard reign to soar over all our heads, and long may people like Gary reign too to take brilliant shots of birds/wildlife like this one. Also thanks to Noushka Dufort for the brilliant new header.
I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....But probably won't until Tuesday next at the earliest. There's more to life than birds, said the man with a mental problem!
Oh dear, yes I have read about this matter, what can I say other than I will join my voice to protests against odious actions like these.
ReplyDeleteJust when you start believing Man is finally growing up, aware of his unique planet as a jewel, something like this hits the news... I am truly disgusted.
Unfortunately for birds and fauna in general, England is not the only place where it happens.
Pete, I am really honoured to see my buzzard as your header!
Cheers and enjoy your evening
Sickens me Pete.
ReplyDeleteAll these politicians are shooters, or have interests in shooting estates. :-(
Denigrating NE and hard-pressed staff who are really under the cosh is EXACTLY the way the all-powerful countryside lobby want you to react
ReplyDeleteStarve the funds, terrify a largely young staff with families that if they step out of line they are the next to be cut, retire the truly effective people who could speak out without fear of losing their jobs
Result: turning people against NE, leading to a perception that it is ineffective and in the pocket of the landowners
Next step: get rid/assimilate to a peripheral part of DEFRA
Where is your statutory body, then Pete?
I suggest you should not fall into this trap, but support the reinstatement of NE as a effective statutory barrier against the measures ytou describe. First stage - change the Hampton principle (or whatever the correct wording is) which was shamefully introduced by the Labour government and, of course, lapped up and taken to its logical conclusion by the "countryside-loving" Tories
I am really,really, worried, especially when I read reactions such as yours - there really is NO HOPE if people like yourselves who care simply turn against NE as a 'solution'/expression of despair
A rushed posting late at night with no time to expand on/fully research my facts on the Hampton stuff - suggest google
Pete
I'll make sure everyone who visits Birds2blog sees this to make up their own minds about what you have said to me here Pete.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, you think I've targeted the wrong 'people' here then do you, the ones who issued the license.
The excellent news for me here is that you still visit Birds2blog about which I'm delighted.
My objection Pete is not to argue that a few hard-pressed individuals do not make mistakes, but that this can degenerate into a general berating and therefore credibility reduction of the whole of NE. The many people I know who work for NE just do not deserve this. However, as part of my job, I have had reason to query a NE decision with respect to intertidal activities and this has been quietly resolved and the necessary amendment put in place. This was one faulty decision by one individual as must happen in any sizeable organisation every day.
ReplyDelete