islandgun Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Was laying in bed this morning listening to a Corncrake outside my window [wakes me up every day **** ] and i started to make a list in my head of birds and mammals that are endangered in the UK and why they are endangered Corncrake loss of habitat and predation Curlew " " Lapwing " " Dotterel " " Water vole " " Red Squirrel [competition] Songbirds over 20 spp habitat/predation As said a very long list with hundreds to be added. Non of the above are decreasing because of shooting in fact all benefit because of predator control and correct land management. noticeably moorland birds are suffering along with all ground nesting birds. Surely an in depth study could be made on behalf of shooting rather than the one sided diatribe spouted by Packham et al.. https://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/bird-statistics anyone care to add to the list or give an example of the benefits of shooting etc ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Curlew, lapwing and watervoles are still a common sight around South Yorkshire /North Yorkshire area that I live in. Haven't heard or seen a cuckoo yet this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Heard a Cuckoo for the past 2 weeks where i am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.C Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Can't remember the last time I saw a thrush or heard a cuckoo, jackdaws and magpies out number everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestonSalop Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 1 minute ago, samboy said: Heard a Cuckoo for the past 2 weeks where i am. Heard my first cuckoo of the year yesterday. That said I'm half deaf - there could be kookaburras in the woods for all I know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 40 minutes ago, Mr.C said: Can't remember the last time I saw a thrush or heard a cuckoo, jackdaws and magpies out number everything else. We have a pair of mistle thrushers on the plot next door to our works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
243deer Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Cuckoo was calling all day on and off at Grafham last Saturday we also get them regular as clockwork on the marshy ground on the farm. Saw my first song thrush for a while yesterday evening. Sadly no lapwings on the farm now despite being organic, leaving oat and barley stubble all winter and generally being the last farm the contractor drills (something to do with our relatively 'dirty' home grown seed clogging up his drill) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Galore! Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 I've yet to discover what good a pigeon or a corvid (especially magpies) actually does to help the environment that warrants a general ban on shooting them. I regularly see mobs of magpies raiding the nests in hedgerows this time of year., so that's tits, blackbirds and thrushes paying the ultimate price for packham's stupidity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted May 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 19 minutes ago, Paddy Galore! said: I've yet to discover what good a pigeon or a corvid (especially magpies) actually does to help the environment that warrants a general ban on shooting them. I regularly see mobs of magpies raiding the nests in hedgerows this time of year., so that's tits, blackbirds and thrushes paying the ultimate price for packham's stupidity Was reading RSPB article about magpies and garden birds. they are saying that despite the increase in Magpie numbers especially in urban ares they are not responsible for decreasing songbird numbers, however they do recommend that you plant thick hawthorn hedges to deter predators ! Anyone got anything to add to OP ? perhaps published papers on the benefits of shooting and land management ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 26 minutes ago, islandgun said: Was reading RSPB article about magpies and garden birds. they are saying that despite the increase in Magpie numbers especially in urban ares they are not responsible for decreasing songbird numbers, however they do recommend that you plant thick hawthorn hedges to deter predators ! Anyone got anything to add to OP ? perhaps published papers on the benefits of shooting and land management ? At our last house in a suburban setting had a hawthorn hedge which we left to thicken up to 5 foot thick 8 foot high and 10 foot long with a mature holly 5ft square and 8 ft high at one end The Magpies and greys still got all the nests. Someone is not telling the whole truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 To say magpies are not partly responsible for the decline in songbirds in urban areas is absolutely untrue!.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHUNTER1 Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 Still see plenty lapwings and curlews in county Durham ...but magpies everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greylag Posted May 25, 2019 Report Share Posted May 25, 2019 Two magpies raided raided a blackbirds nest in my hedge yesterday ,took the chicks and ripped them apart on my neighbours shed roof.To say they do not affect bird numbers is far from the truth.By the way heard my first cuckoo in S.Wales on April 29th and have heard a further two in different sites . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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