kerryharris

Before I get mauled, let me explain, before I was born, pigeons were written into my life, my family handed down pigeons until it was my turn. We had a loft on our field with many pigeons in, my favourite was Patrick, a loft pecked pigeon that turned blind, but I trained him to fly to my voice, he lived a ripe old age. Others of my favourite pigeons were shot, nailed by sparrowhawks etc. In fact i was pleased when our dog caught a sparrowhawk, so pleased in fact we had it stuffed. However, I met someone years ago into BOP's, over many differences of opinion, discussions and without bullying etc, I grew to realise that Bops have their place. Its like people blame bops for the decline of songbirds etc, not the concrete jungles that rise up, not the pesticides, just bops. I'm sorry, it sounds like I am preaching, I am not, I still have pigeons, I still hate seeing dead pigeons etc, I was drawn to this discussion through Google because of the EEO's and quite wrongly, I expressed my opinion, I am sorry, I cannot remove my post. If it causes offence, please do so as non was meant.

I know I am in for a bumpy ride here, but I assume the love of the EEO is because they sometimes prey on pere's? Don't Pere's separate the chaff from the wheat as it were? Picking on the slower or weaker pigeons, thus improving the loft stock? There are some pigeon fanciers I know that ( one in particular in America ) every year when the birds of prey winter at his, watches his pigeon stock get fitter and he believes improve because Birds of prey cull his weaker ones and chase his fitter ones without success. Another friend of mine has a cull every so often of his weaker pigeons and gives the dead pigeons to a falconer. I am not trying to pick a fight, just trying to understand, not so I can change the world, just my own.

What part of my statement is rubbish? The "often the reason for lost birds of prey is inexperience" or the "though not always" part? Perhaps I should have added, or complacency. However, sadly the fact is, most lost birds of prey are due to inexperience.

To be frank, the RSPB seem to be a bunch of do gooders with their own agenda, which strays far from protecting all birds. They have authorised the killing of various birds, even when falconers offer to capture and keep the birds. Sadly, with DNA it should be a simple matter to establish whether an EEo is native to the UK, Europe or bred in captivity. As for taking babies in prams, this is the sort of propaganda that got the EEO extinct from the UK in the first place, the same as taking lambs etc. Crows take lambs eyes, are they persecuted? Nope. The EEO eats daily, around 10 oz per day, or the same as any bird of prey, as often as hunger strikes and food is available. They hunt mainly at night so will take roosting birds and creatures of the night. These powerful birds of prey have a talon span the size of a grown mans hand, can pierce your skull with talons that have almost a ton of pressure in each but are scared by nature of humans unless imprinted. It is illegal to use baggies, ( live food ) or to release anything into the wild, without a licence, even a rabbit, sadly, leaving the door open will result in the EEO's being shot, there are many reports of this happening, getting caught releasing them will result in a £2000 ? fine and up to 5 years inside, posting on a public forum your intentions is not perhaps a good idea?? A wild one in Norfolk was seen with two rabbits, one in each talon. That never attacked dogs, humans etc, it did however get involved in a collision with a car, the problem with any owl is they fly at on average 10 ft from the ground. I too agree that the TV program and its informers should be brought to book regarding the killing of these magnificent owls. Sadly, these owls are being used as status symbols, as seen here, http://www.norfolkfalconry.co.uk/owlforum/food-for-rehabers--t188.htmloften the reason for lost birds of prey is inexperience though not always.