Wigtown bay bird flu .

[holloway]

Anyone got first hand  knowledge on the situation in this area, I have some friends booked to go goose shooting  at start of February,  they are getting ridiculously varied reports, from there being no problems at all (this I find hard to believe) to hundreds of Barnies being washed up on every tide .My view would be that there can be little difference between Caerlaverock and Wigtown.

[guy baxendale]

I was out on the Solway this week for a flight with a regular who said fewer birds are dying recently. The barnacles i saw washed up were all a week or few old (i saw nothing fresh). It has been going on for months. It wouldnt stop me going back (if i could)

[holloway]

17 minutes ago, guy baxendale said:

I was out on the Solway this week for a flight with a regular who said fewer birds are dying recently. The barnacles i saw washed up were all a week or few old (i saw nothing fresh). It has been going on for months. It wouldnt stop me going back (if i could)

Thanks for the update ,yes I heard it was all settling down .

[Twymyn]

I’ve been at Wigtown for a week there are no restrictions and the only barnies I’ve seen were very much alive

[grahamch]

39 minutes ago, Twymyn said:

I’ve been at Wigtown for a week there are no restrictions and the only barnies I’ve seen were very much alive

Any pinks about in any numbers?

 

[Twymyn]

Yes big numbers but the largely windless days mean they have been very high although I did get a daft one on Weds

[harkom]

What will the successful shooter do with those pinks that he has shot but are infected (either obvious or not obvious)with Avian influenza? 

[Dave at kelton]

3 hours ago, harkom said:

What will the successful shooter do with those pinks that he has shot but are infected (either obvious or not obvious)with Avian influenza? 

Breast and cook as normal. My only precaution is I prepare wearing a mask and disposable gloves. No danger from the meat when cooked is the advice we have been getting.

[harkom]

Good advice, thank you. I gather that there is no problem with transport of the meat although whole carcasses might be an issue under Defra regs. And may be a good thing to dispose of breasted carcasses in a way which does not draw undue attention.

On another topic, a local D&G newspaper is carrying front page feature for the RSPB calling for curtailment of shooting in February.

[Smiler23]

Just come back from Wigtown, birds all looked fine to me, once the estuary cleared at morning flight there wasn't a gooseleft out there

[Dave at kelton]

8 hours ago, harkom said:

Good advice, thank you. I gather that there is no problem with transport of the meat although whole carcasses might be an issue under Defra regs. And may be a good thing to dispose of breasted carcasses in a way which does not draw undue attention.

On another topic, a local D&G newspaper is carrying front page feature for the RSPB calling for curtailment of shooting in February.

Scottish government kicked it out after representations from BASC. I put my two hapeth in too. Wasn’t a shred of evidence to support it.