NatureBoy

Still have active nest in my roof. Not as strong as it was. Ivy in the garden covered in them and keeping plenty of other insects going to. NB

Have followed his anti antics for several years. The followers he has now bang on/ the same old anti stuff showing what lack of/limited knowledge he and they have about shooting, pest control, species or real conservation. Hoping folk will believe them. It's become even more about class and politics and less about conservation. Some of his commentators used to have valid opinions and good knowledge even if you didn't agree with them and were not all anti. I think he/they loosing followers because of and maybe why Packham seems to of backed off/gone quiet? Some of the other comments on Avery's blog on gamebird releases worth a look to and really shows their lack of knowledge and lies. Like the ones of the bloke killing 200 pheasants in his garden and feeding them to kites and eagles. And Dr NO says he maybe use it as evidance. I hope he does. Chatting to folk that met him once, i asked what they thought of him. They said " sweats a lot, soft hands". Summed up in true Suffolk stylie.😉 What a lasting impression to make. Customers/friends ask if i wanted to go to one of his talks in Ipswich with them a few years back. I declined laughing. Told them it would be "ME! ME! ME! ME! would you like to buy my book!" I was right and they got me a copy as a joke. . . . I think (and i said at the time) the whole WJ thing was started/launched when it was because they thought Tony Juniper becoming head of Natural England at that time would be there man on the inside and they would be able to use/influence him to achieve there agenda's. He isn't (thankfully) and looked how they have had a go at him since. Friends huh. . . . Some of the comments the short grumpy gal has on the RPUK site worth a read to. They propr rabid bunch. Don't you think it strange we have had no pics of dead,shot or poisoned raptors lately? . . . Robin Page still saying Packham's lot tried to infiltrate/undermine CRT in 2017? NB

Suffolk is FULL! Of covid refugees. Especially on the coast/East. Second homes and lets are full. Folk were piling in loaded with extra bedding/food and bikes before lockdown like it was peak season. Did you see the pics of folk choking up the roads outa London late last Wednesday night? I thought they must of been fake? Look at covid map and stats. Suffolk has a very low R rate. At mo! it's rising! That's why they are coming. Guess it makes them feel safer. Never seen coast carparks so busy this time of year. You can drive across Suffolk easy in an hour. So those folk from way out of county and probably from a higher tier area which if you are your not supposed to leave/travel to a lower one and a rule they said would still exist after lockdown. Does that mean the tier system is carp? NB

Prue Coats. Bit late, only just found out. Died at home aged 95 on 26th October. Any donations to CRT. I am surprised no mention on here or in shooting press! Have signed copy of her book Poachers cookbook. Great simple game recipe's and advice. Just like Archie's books on shooting and accompanied Ian Niall's classic book, Poachers Handbook. Blessed be Prue! NB

Surely if you are doing effective year round pest control at least one of these licences covers you to do targeted pest control on all these species to keep numbers in check in the breeding season? You say wild game. Grey ENGLISH partridges are red listers. You are helping them. As are many resident or migrant farm, woodland and upland birds. Ant that why a lot of us do pest control? It benefits all wildlife not just game birds. As we can/have proved. RSPB knows it works to. That's why they still do it despite pressure from there members or being bullied by celebs and former staff. . . .Despite pressure and miss information we have some common sense and government bodies that now have more information and real facts thanks to those of us that bothered submitting information and evidence when asked. If you still need individual licence apply. We have significant number of turtle doves and have no problem getting licence to control collard doves ( off list now) if need be as have proved they bully them of territories and feed. Got wild english every where this year. NB

Rook jackdaw AND Jay still on at least one of the 3 GL's. Read ALL! Then read again and comply! Simple's. More complicated but we can work with them. Interesting about non lethal/ non practical and recording your actions. But as they say it Is their ADVISE and RECOMENDATION NOT LAW! Covers us and them. . . Be interesting to see how Dr NO (Avery) and co try and pull it apart. Dummy will be spat on the alter of their ego's. They still gona be having a go at the Welsh GL's in January. . . . . He still banging on about pheasant releases like it a big victory them. Some of the comments his followers say about it that he say's maybe useful in consultations Just shows his/their lack of knowledge and i hope will be questioned if it is. Some comments would be funny if they were not serious . . . . Does BASC believe the 57-60 million figure of releases. The figure of 35million (inc ducks) that came out after research the other week seem more realistic? But doesn't seem to of got much publicity. NB

No problem shifting surplus game either. Everyone should eat more squirrel! 😉 NB

Some i know had decided to reduced the number of shoot days this season anyway. So guess they will have a bit of flexibility. Very still today, could hear plenty poping away round me to day. Seemed from more places than most other Saturdays. With things being so uncertain maybe some have decided to try something different (rough shooting?) now. NB

Shot a beaters day otherer year (they mainly the only driven days i do on game), after not missing a day brush'n on that shoot all season. At end of day i was asked for £30.00 for the beaters that day. Most of who i new and had been brushing with all season. They just not bothered about shooting game or rather work there dogs. I always thought beaters/cock days were traditionally a thank you for the hard work we put in? Felt a bit strange. Another fella thought so to. Anyone else get asked or do this? NB

Beaters days should be good! I wonder if they'l let us double gun? Or use semi auto? NB

Great! How it should be. What sort of price are they IG? Have no trouble shifting surplus rabbits. Often get folk asking for them. . . . Chatting to a stalking mate the other day about there being no market for venison here at mo and dealers not wanting them or at best 50p a kg. Yet he had seen venison marked up in a shop at £7.50 for 250g. I saw pheasant in a farm shop £3.50 for breast £2.50 for legs. Some mark up on a bird many get for free. If we want a better market for game and more folk eating it we got to stop making it so exclusive. NB

Very few my way also. Last decent bag (for me anyway) was at the end of September. 33 on wheat drillings Before getting caught in a bad thunder storm. The farmer was racing to get seed into very wet ground as more rain was coming. Loads of seed on top. Amazed how his claydon drill coped and worked in such conditions. Puddles and poached up ground on the ends. Thought i would have other good days on those fields as no way were they gona be rolled. Wasn't to be, they simply disappeared. To wet maybe. Notice a lot of farms seem to be using a lot more slug pellets this year. Rape seem to be doing well where it was got in early and where it has been planted with buckwheat. That method new to my area. Mixed cover/forage crops containing various clovers and brassicas don't seem to be pulling them either. But English partridges and hares liking it. Hard to get around a lot of land to recon as so wet. One thing i find odd /interesting is pea fields on two farms that were getting hammered by pigeons and i was protecting/getting good bags of pigeons off during last lock down ( bags of 40-80 odd) were disced after harvest left and now have loads of volunteer peas growing. So many that from a distance they look like a crop with some in flower. But pigeons hardly paying them any attention now or since harvest. Again though english partridges and hares liking it. Lot of skylarks and buntings in them to. Why would they of left them? Was told peas not great on heavy land at best of times. Some was partly sprayed off at one time, but only like every other pass. Some of that even grew again. Experiment maybe? Many acres of parsly grown my way last few years they ignore to. . . . . Plenty of early broods of pheasants done well this year and looking good. Very weary. I can't remember seeing so many wild English about since i was a kid in early 70's. Still to many magpies coming in. Shot another 3 yesterday going to roost and a mink that didn't quite make it to a land drain. That will get stuffed. NB

Agree! DEFRA and GWCT's recent science based reviews made interesting reading and have shown the pro's and con's of pheasant/partridge release and shooting balance each other out. Generally benefiting many other species and habitats as we know. Avery trying to clam a win is just weak cherry picking negative spin to try and keep there followers on board and of cos CP is going to pop up and try and claim some glory/ attention. as he does. They got no evidence to argue against it. I think a lot more people seeing through there repetitive bull and agenda now. . . . . Strange there's been no dead/shot /tagged raptors or critters in traps or hanging on gates found lately to? So conveniently turn up when only when it suits them. Usually weeks after the event and look so fresh and photogenic. Freezer fresh maybe? Rumour heard they have been warned? NB

Been a really fantastic year for wild grey/ENGLISH partridges my way. How they doing else where? Several broods on a lot of farms. Some large between 13-17 birds. See coveys most days Never tire of watching and listening to them. Plenty of wild pheasants done well to. Early broods of both seem to of done really done well. Combination of good weather, plenty of food/insects, right covers/habitat management, pest control and educating walkers/dog walkers. Plus A lot of effort put in by many with a passion for partridges. Kind of numbers that remind me of when i was a kid in the 70's. . . . Seem like rabbit numbers bouncing back . I wonder if this is helping to, by keeping buzzards and badgers at bay. NB

Don't know if a law or a bylaw just in Suffolk. It used to be you could not pick up any game you hit yourself. But whoever was following could and you could pick up anything hit by others. This was to stop folk intentionally trying to hit game on the road. Folk in the country always picked up road kill. Me and my brother dragged a fallow buck home we saw hit. We were only 10 and 12. Mum had it sorted, liver, kidney and heart in the pot by the time dad came home for tea. Fed us and neighbours for a while. Not many deer around our way in 70's. NB

Heard other day the vulture made a brief appearance in Suffolk but was kept quiet. Fella that do my scaffolding got pics of it being mobbed by crows at Hoxne. . . . . . Been a good year for rareities. I have seen and heard two birds i had never even heard of before let alone knew they visited the UK. A Blyth's Reed Warbler, locally earlier in the year and last week a Rustic Bunting on Dunwich beach that at first i thought a female brambling. The former very hard to ID. As looks like a lot of other LBJ's and a mimic of other bird song. Been amazed at the obsessive behaviour of some birders/twitchers who couldn't get on reserves continually harassing birds and trespassing just to get there tick and pics. NB

I thought they were protected? You were not allowed to intentionally fish for them and the UK didn't have a quota for them? NB

Hope it gets a bit of peace from birders back over there. Tail certainly looked a lot better in last pics. Looked impressive in pics with buzzard as it was leaving. Heard they got DNA from feathers it moulted proving where it from, parentage etc and they named it Vigo. NB

You will struggle off road in the wet n mud with those tyres. Especially fully loaded. Saddle bags and tank bag work. Adapt tall rucksack/ bergan. Seat will take the weight. Brake gun down to barrel length. Get short/ same length padded fishing rod holdall, soft or hard case. Put in or attach to back pack. Think how it will all work if/ WHEN! you come off. Kit damage/ can you pick up repair/straighten bike with kit on it. Will you be able to ride bike with field boots on? NB

And still they using the Lammergeier to have a go at us! Posting in there social media that (they heard it 3rd hand) birders in Lincolnshire over heard someone say that they were going to shoot it! Really!? How lame is that! . . . . . .Gang of 3 n co seem none to impressed with there AGM report on there policy on DGS and game bird release yesterday. With only 14% of members bothered about shooting what they expect. They also gona be hoping for more government cash when EU money dries up. NB

Look like you play a mean game of conkers? I take it you won going by the empties? 😉 NB

Income up while half of there staff (1000+) are still furloughed. And still they ask for more money, grants and HLF money. NB

Suck it up fella! 😉 Paper tiger, Steam, shift, scrape, repeat! Don't leave ya steamer pad in one place to long as you might pop the plaster. And just think you have the pleasure of preping and lining or papering it after/IF you get it off. NB

Top band! Never tire of listening to em. Don't go much on Ian Brown though. NB

Certainly helped them when they first started doing it my way with Claydon drill a few years back when method of drilling and burial of old seed not so refined as now. Pulled a lot of pigeons in to. Still good as feed and cover for many species including hares. Not sure the increased use of slug pellets that comes with it so good for any birds though!? Need more birds to tackle the slug problem. . . . . .. Are you sure they were all corn buntings you saw Old'un? They fairly rare now and often hard to ID at distance. Plenty of flocks of mixed finches, buntings, larks and pipits my way. Grey partridges yellow hammers and greenfinches seem to be doing well again at mo. Lot of wild greys about and great to see and watch. Think the increase in rabbit numbers may of helped them? As more evidence of buzzards feeding on rabbits again now. Sadly they seem to of had a good year to. Seeing the odd of case of tricho in finches and canker in pigeons lately. Far to many magpies about that need sorting. . . . . That field in JDogs pic certainly one to keep eye on. Lot of wheat on top amongst them beans. Some say pigeons don't like dressed seed? Others i know will not eat birds if they find it in them? . . . . Seeing a lot more kite in Suffolk now. They often quartering the stubbles and fodder crops. . . . . Something new/strange my way i have been keeping an eye on is fields of volunteer peas that have been left? Do/can these count of green manure now? Odd thing is i shot several good bags (40-80 odd) pigeons on them from seed time, right through lock down and up to harvest. But they have shown very little interest in them since. Some of those fields look like they have been sprayed of to. But in a strange way, like in every other pass/stripes? NB