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sparrowhawks


neilbe2
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totally agree with deako.the bloke is either mad or a liar.all birds of prey are protected,no exceptions.

my thoughts exactly!...i wouldnt shoot them either way, im a big fan of b.o.p thats why i started this topic...i should cut this blokes liver out and feed it to the pigs!!!

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Neilb2

 

As I have said before on these pages my first love is ornithology and my second would be to meet this guy who shoots Sparrow hawks Neil and give him a good kicking.

 

I hope you dont consider him as a friend as he is an imbicile in my mind.

 

Sparrow hawks populations were very low generally in this country before the first war and started to recover from the late 20,s onwards. It has been suggested that this was due to the number of Game Keepers who were called up for active service. DDT insecticide widely used in the 60,s & 70,s also contributed. The Chemicals ingested through the food chain causing infertility and thinning of egg shells causing breakage.

 

I cant see how they can be a pest as they infact take very few game bird chicks & poults as their prey is normally taken on the wing and wouldnt generally be bigger than a Blackbird. You often find them dead on the lawn having attacked their own reflection in a large window or occassionally tangled up in a black thorn bush where they have fearlessly follwed the smaller prey in on the wing.

 

A adult Sparrow Hawk in rapid hunting flight twisting and turning at speed through

suburban gardens is a wonderful sight indeed and if witnessed can only be admired. Any one who would want to kill kill such a creature in the name of pest control must be brain dead in my opinion.

 

The Buzzard population nationally has shown a steep increase. When Myxomatosis was introduced for the control of the rabbit Population in the 60,s these Birds were almost wiped out. The Rabbit being their staple diet. Thankfully many Rabbit populations show some immunity to Myxi.

 

I am confident all BOP populations and some of the rarer species of birds which were once so common in Britain will show strong increase in population over the decades to come now that Farming policy is leaning towards the organic way. Wouldnt it be nice to hear the call of the Grey Partridge or Corncrake again in British fields?.

 

I cant believe the modern shoot organiser would begrudge a few of his rearings each season to these magnificent creatures.... FM.

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Well said FM, I'll be second in the queue to deliver the kicking.

 

All BOP's are brilliant to watch, and should be savoured.

 

One of the best sights I've seen was whilst pigeon shooting with a pal on an estate near Dumfries/Lockerbie. I shot a pigeon and as I reloaded a buzzard dropped

in and covered it, covering it with it's wings and watching me all the time. It was

only about 30 yards away. Fantastic sight.

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Mike, i couldnt agree more.ill never forget a time 2 years ago when i was on a roost shoot and i was just entering the wood when i spotted a pigeon coming in, i raised the gun and dropped the woody onto a field close to were i was stood, within seconds of it hitting the ground a sprrowhawk came from nowere, stood on top of it and started eating it. this was a first for me and i stood there admiring this amazing hunter for what seemed like 30 minutes i totally ignored the flocks of pigeons coming my way, didnt want to shoot incase i scared the hawk away. i moved up into the wood to do what i came to do. on the way home i picked the stripped carcuss up and felt happy that she'd had a fill.......amazing!

 

the guy who told me about them been pests was just some oddball stood shooting rabbits in a field near were we were fishing.....i should have slung him in!!! :D

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On the other hand :D there is an increasingly strong argument for a legalised cull.

http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/tech1.htm

http://www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk/rapto...tor_problem.htm

http://www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk/pres...000/030200.html

http://www.gct.org.uk/press/2000/press83.html

 

While I would not dispute the beauty and grace of all birds of prey the increasing numbers, particularly of sparrowhawks and buzzards is worrying.

 

Q :lol:

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I feel sorry for the gamekeepers. I know from experience on my fathers small shoot that the buzzard population has soared and they kill more birds than foxes on his shoot, but theres nothing you can do about it there protected and all birds of prey are great to watch in action.

I remember roost shooting one night and i missed a pigeon zooming past me and i didn't notice the peregrine behind it and it succeded where i had failed.

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