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Killing of vermin birds or not


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Posted
  • Location: Mid Essex
  • Location: Mid Essex

Because of Chris Packham, in part, it is no longer possible to kill Magpies, Wood Pigeons, crows etc.. So I wonder what Mr Packham proposes I and others do to protect our crops that will be trashed by wood pigeons?

I also encourage as many other wild birds as possible, by having suitable habitat, nest boxes etc.. So far this year Magpies have destroyed a Blackbird’s egg clutch and that of a Robin. Others are threatened.  Groups of Magpies are moving around the area in gangs trying to kill as much as possible.

All so annoying. 

ADDENDUM

Just been to investigate a commotion by the gang of Taliban Magpies. The Long Tail tit nest, which I hoped was well hidden, has been destroyed with the parents most distraught. 

Edited by Snipper
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Posted
  • Location: chellaston, derby
  • Weather Preferences: The Actual Weather ..... not fantasy.
  • Location: chellaston, derby

hmmmmm .... difficult one this..

how much damage do wood pigeons actually do to crops? i dont know, but i do know that several farmers like me metal detecting on freshly drilled/emerging crops 'because i act as a scarecrow' and disuade pigeons from damaging crops. said farmers also allow shooting of pigeons/crows/magpies on their land.

see, im not sure what is to be gained by controlling the numbers of birds that are predatory on others. on one hand i think 'its just nature taking its course', on the other i recognise the fact that smaller songbirds numbers are in steep decline and losing clutches to predatory larger birds could do with being curtailed.

i do believe numbers of opportunist scanvengers like magpies and crows in particular have increased over the last 50 years, due in part to us... man... leaving a mess behind us. magpies in particular can often be seen scoffing discarded food waste, especially maccy d's that are often thrown out of a car window.

grey squirrels are as bad, and their numbers have increased because they raid bird tables and are seen as 'cute', like a disney character, so are encouraged yet are as vociferous predators as magpies/crows..

but tbh, i bet shooting still goes on in the countryside, who is going to police it?.. where i metal detect there is no public right of way, shooters can 'enjoy' their sport unhindered as farmers will allow the control of these pests.

 

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Posted
  • Location: N.E. Scotland South Side Moray Firth 100m asl
  • Location: N.E. Scotland South Side Moray Firth 100m asl

In this neck of the woods the biggest threat to ground nesting birds are vast numbers of badgers who have already destroyed a pheasants nest/eggs on the farm road and our last remaining  oyster catchers in the adjacent field. They are so numerous and hungry that we see them foraging in broad daylight.50 years we had one sett on the farm now we have 10 within a mile.My theory is that the thousands of tame pheasants released every summer who all roost on the ground provide a winter diet that keep more predators like badgers alive than any naturally occuring wild prey would so even more birds eggs get eaten. Farmers being blamed for the loss of farmland birds is unfair in my opinion.

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Posted
  • Location: Kensington
  • Location: Kensington

Dont know a awful lot regarding this subject    but i was under the assumption that  you now have  to apply for a individual licence   to shoot these birds.  If so whats the issue?.

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Posted
  • Location: Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
  • Location: Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

Unfortunately humans have changed the environment so drastically over the years (especially in the last half century) that the natural balance that was once held is all but gone.  We try to 'help' by protecting species to but if a particular intermediate prey species has gone from an area then you will see this change in predation habits.

Sadly, eventually, it's only going to go one way.  Due to pressure on housing we will build, build, build until the whole countryside's ecosystem is irreparably damaged by shrinkage and pollution.  And that point isn't far away.

I fully understand what the likes of Chris Packham want to achieve and I do take the view that these creatures have every right to exist, but without the aforementioned balance certain animals and birds will thrive where once they would be limited.  And if we try to increase the number of apex predators in the countryside (large birds of prey, foxes, wild cats etc) to bring balance back there will always be opposition from some quarter because of the potential damage to livelihoods, or as mentioned above, the loss of certain smaller species.

Trouble is, how do we choose which species we protect, which we leave alone and which we kill?  And should it even be our choice? 

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Saddleworth, Oldham , 175m asl
  • Weather Preferences: warm and sunny, thunderstorms, frost, fog, snow, windstorms
  • Location: Saddleworth, Oldham , 175m asl

You can still shoot problem birds, if you apply for a different license. Granted there have been problems regarding applying for the new licenses, but that's Natural England's fault for not being properly prepared.

There were problems with the General License being abused and issues over legality, so all that Chris Packham and wild justice have done is campaigned to get rid of that and for the control of birds to be properly regulated.

If you go to the Natural England website, there are more details and a timetable for when more licenses will be issued eg.woodpigeons. https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2019/04/28/general-licences-update-and-the-next-steps/

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.

I have held a gun licence for years and used to run my own shoot locally, Also worked on the local Haddon Estate as River Keeper some years back now. The Estate wanted certain vermin/pests controlled so they were. Also with being from a farming family there was always plenty of Pigeons/ Crows/ Rabbits/ Hares/Ducks and been out many a night lamping Foxes.. I still have my gun licence but have not shot any animals for a good number of years and don't have any interest to.. As looking back it was just plain wrong what I did especially the numbers I killed just because they were there, I completely agree with Chris Packham as numbers are falling fast. A controlled way of controlling vermin is the way forward to conserve for the future. The Countryside has had a free run for long enough..

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Posted
  • Location: Mid Essex
  • Location: Mid Essex
On 17/05/2019 at 11:45, weirpig said:

Dont know a awful lot regarding this subject    but i was under the assumption that  you now have  to apply for a individual licence   to shoot these birds.  If so whats the issue?.

Only if you are a farmer can you apply. 

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Posted
  • Location: Mid Essex
  • Location: Mid Essex
20 hours ago, Polar Maritime said:

I have held a gun licence for years and used to run my own shoot locally, Also worked on the local Haddon Estate as River Keeper some years back now. The Estate wanted certain vermin/pests controlled so they were. Also with being from a farming family there was always plenty of Pigeons/ Crows/ Rabbits/ Hares/Ducks and been out many a night lamping Foxes.. I still have my gun licence but have not shot any animals for a good number of years and don't have any interest to.. As looking back it was just plain wrong what I did especially the numbers I killed just because they were there, I completely agree with Chris Packham as numbers are falling fast. A controlled way of controlling vermin is the way forward to conserve for the future. The Countryside has had a free run for long enough..

In my case most of my shooting relates to static targets placed so any shot has no chance of leaving the boundaries of my property. 

The number of birds I shot last year was 3 Magpies and 4 Wood Pigeons that seemed to solve the problem. Didn’t attempt to shoot anything else other than rats as nothing else was a problem . Can’t say I enjoy killing anything but on occasions needs must.

Having spent ages nurturing your crop to find one morning it has been almost stripped bare is exceedingly frustrating plus you have lost all that food. See photo below of Wood Pigeon damage. To add insult to injury they crap over what remains. Would you want to eat anything that was left?

A controlled way to stop the increasing number of vermin species is by shooting them. As long as you are good shot it is quick and clean. No placing of poisons of traps. 

408B5969-AA40-452D-BBFD-0A5357A62D89.jpeg

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