birds of prey

[jimmy white]

NOW DO YOU BELEIVE ME MR PAPER MAN????????

[jimmy white]

while another member of the forum was up at me to day, i  had my birds out [which im not supposed to do, but up to now ok]the lady neighbourwas watching the birds and commented how happy they looked , flying, and in the bath,so ive got one neighbour on my side but anyway she was telling us about "a big hawk bird ripping a dove apart alive," she was horrified and went to chase it, and the hawk flew off with it, she said so watch your pigeons as this bird is also eating "all her wee birds she feeds" ive seen it myself , its a perigrine, seen it kill the other day, BUT IM WATCHING, WOULDNT LIKE TO SEE IT HARMED?????

[Roland]

Raptures don't chase Pigeons away. saw it tv that they just move a couple of hundred yards then return. The more the raptures are use the quicker they come back and less distance they go. Golly I have Hawks nest within 100 yards of me. and a Old biulding full of pigeons - a right pain - and they just circle above, unless ambushed of course, and they move not a jot. let alone clar them.

[Chatrace]

Kiss One Blue Jay good By

 

[jimmy white]

yes and thats only one,, they do have a big appetite, especialy when feeding young,

some photo, chat

[jimmy white]

a site worth knowing about kindly given by morton, " song bird survival"

    dawn-chorus@songbird-survival.org.uk

[morton]

You beat me to it Jimmy, suddenly thought that this would be the place to post SBS web site.

If some more of us join them it'll give them more clout. They've come a long way since I first heard about them.

[jimmy white]

im just sending some pics of the "songbirdless nature reserve" ,back in the post

[jimmy white]

I HAVE NOW BECAME A MEMBER TOO, AND WOULD ADVISE MOST FANCIERS TO DO SO

 

THRES A VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE ON IT BY,,",DAVE COTTRELL, A PIGEON FANCIER"

 

THEY ARE VERY MUCH AGAINST THE RSPB

AND MORE PREPARED TO TELL THE TRUTH, DEFINATELY A WORTHWHILE ORGANIZATION, "THE SONG BIRD SURVIVAL GROUP"

    THANKS AGAIN MORTON FOR YOUR INFO.

[Guest CS]

This is an email sent to Jimmy White.

 

Dear Jim

 

Thank you for your communications and pictures.

 

It seems very sad that we cannot enjoy our countryside as we used to do.

 

I will pass your comments on and hopefully we can raise some awareness of the problem for you.

 

Georgina Bradley

 

Secretary

 

Songbird Survival

 

PO Box 311

 

DISS

 

IP22 1WW

 

TEL:  01379 641715

 

[morton]

Well done Jimmy, let's hope a few more join. For such a sensible charity it can do no harm.

[jimmy white]

Well done Jimmy, let's hope a few more join. For such a sensible charity it can do no harm.

 

its thanks to you morton that led me to send pics in, and a few comments, and they are  taking it seriously too,[ as you will see by the e,mail,],,,,,    i agree with you whole  heartedly, that ALL fanciers join, it can do no harm in it whatsoever providing its the sensible fancier giving the fancy a good name and gennuinely concerned about the song bird revival

their the only organisation ive seen that are dead against the rspb [for not telling the truth]and against the increasing numbers of sparrow hawks, that are leading to the destruction of our song birds etc,,,,, yes morton were better WITH them  

[Guest]

Curious and worrying article buried deep inside Friday's (8th Sep) Glasgow Evening Times, on page 59 (of 83):

 

£10,000 if you turn in eagle killers

 

"Two anonymous bird-lovers put up cash reward

 

Bird lovers appalled by the poisoning of two golden eagles are offering £10,000 reward to catch the culprits.

 

RSPB Scotland had offered £2000, TWO ANONYMOUS DONORS then pledged to meet the charity's reward costs and offered an extra £8000. Businessman from Bath is putting up £8000 and a Scot is donating the £2000 to cover the charity's reward offer. Neither are RSPB members.

 

Police are investigating after one eagle was found poisoned on an estate in the Cairngorms, and another on an estate near Ballater, in June. Both killed by an illegal pesticide."

 

 

Pity SOS doesn't get this level of support from the public.

 

[jimmy white]

just wondering bruno the what the s o s was ,,i was looking at the s,b,s and they certaily have some very valid points,,,the s,b,s is made uf of , DISILLUSIONED EX-RSPB MEMBERS,,,,,, ,COUNTRYMEN AND WOMAN, INDEED ALLWHO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE EVER-INCREASING PREDATION ON OUR NATIVE SONGBIRD POPULATION,,,,,,,,,,AIMS, TO LOBBY FOR A CHANGE IN THE LAW CONCERNING RAPTORS,,,,,,SPARROWHAWKS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.

YEARLY MEMBERSHIP IS £15,,,WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH YOUR MONEY? LOBBY RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTURES AND INFLUENCE IDUVIDUALS ABOUT A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO THE CONTROLING PREDATORS SUCH AS RAPTORS ETC,

PIGEON FANCIERS ARE GOING NO WHERE WITH THE RSPB, BUT IF WE WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP WE JUST MIGHT GET SOMEWHERE,,,,, AT LEAST ITS A TRY RATHER THAN SIT BACK AND WATCH

[jimmy white]

ive had birds in small 8, 6 loft and 8,6 for 6 years as im not allowed to let them out where i stay, about a month ago, couldnt stand it any longer and let the lot out, lost a few good stock birds but also got the rest settled    3 days ago one attacked by sparrow hawk , luckily i was there and got the bird, but wish i had my camera ready

but the hawk got such a fright i doubt if itll be back,,,,doesnt take them long to cotten on [and off course the birds were not used to this, im positive they can pick out the vulnarable ones]

[Guest]

just wondering bruno the what the s o s was ,,i was looking at the s,b,s and they certaily have some very valid points,,,the s,b,s is made uf of , DISILLUSIONED EX-RSPB MEMBERS,,,,,, ,COUNTRYMEN AND WOMAN, INDEED ALLWHO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE EVER-INCREASING PREDATION ON OUR NATIVE SONGBIRD POPULATION,,,,,,,,,,AIMS, TO LOBBY FOR A CHANGE IN THE LAW CONCERNING RAPTORS,,,,,,SPARROWHAWKS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.

YEARLY MEMBERSHIP IS £15,,,WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH YOUR MONEY? LOBBY RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTURES AND INFLUENCE IDUVIDUALS ABOUT A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO THE CONTROLING PREDATORS SUCH AS RAPTORS ETC,

PIGEON FANCIERS ARE GOING NO WHERE WITH THE RSPB, BUT IF WE WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP WE JUST MIGHT GET SOMEWHERE,,,,, AT LEAST ITS A TRY RATHER THAN SIT BACK AND WATCH

 

Missed your post Jimmy. Wrong reference on my part 'save our songbirds' rather than 'songbirds survival' . Was thinking about the pigeon raptor campaign motto while referring to the same group as yourself, website:-

 

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

 

Had picked up DISILLUSIONED EX-RSPB MEMBERS bit too.

 

 

[Roland]

Quote:

BBC NEWS

 

A group of pigeon fanciers has swooped on the Scottish Parliament to appeal for action to protect their birds.

 

They have called on MSPs to support reform of the Wildlife and Countryside Act which would allow the culling of certain predators known to target their homing pigeons.

 

The enthusiasts allege thousands of their prized birds are killed by falcons and sparrowhawks each year.

 

Racing bird victims

 

Scotland has been viewed as home to more than half of the UK's peregrine falcons and pigeon racers have complained that newly replenished sparrowhawks and falcons killed about 70,000 racing birds in one year.

 

The Scottish Homing Union, which began lobbying MPs at Westminster, has now shifted part of its campaign to the new parliament.

 

It has already received backing from several MSPs who posed outside the parliament in Edinburgh with five feathered friends belonging to one fancier.

 

However, they have now appealed for wider support for changes to the law, which they said has so far failed to protect their birds.

 

[Guest]

Some mixed messages from 'The Scotsman' newspaper last week.  

 

Thu 19th October : Front PAGE Headline 'War declared on wildlife thieves' Special Scots-based force set up to tackle growing criminal threat to endangered species:

 

5 photo montages, one of an eagle? Caption: "1,113 confirmed incidents of birds of prey being poisoned, shot at or having their nests destroyed in the UK over a period of 9 years. "

 

Full story pages 4 & 5.

 

Story mainly international illegal trade. Snippets:

 

"... Attempting to stop them are the 14 officers of the National Wildlife Crime Unit which was officially launched yesterday, based in North Berwick."

 

"... In addition to international crime, they are expected to fight domestic wildlife crime such as poisoning of birds of prey and badger baiting."

 

"... Barry Gardiner, Minister for Biodiversity said "It only takes the removal of one species to upset the balance and potentially bring the whole eco-system crashing down. That is bad enough when it happened in the pursuit of economic growth and human development, but when it happens out of human greed it shows our species at its worst."

 

Dedicated website:-

 

http://www.nwcu.police.uk

 

 

Then on Friday 20th, page 19 this time, Headline:- 'Wild bird numbers take off - but it's no fun for the skylark' over a photo montage of an eagle? in flight.

 

Snippets:

 

"... wild birds have increased by 10% in 35 years."

 

"... figure masks significant decline amongst some species."

 

"... severe declines in curlew, dunlin, lesser redpoll, sedge warbler, skylark, tree pipit, lapwing, grey partridge, kestrel, willow tit, willow warbler ..."

 

"... PEREGERINE FALCON NUMBERS HAVE MORE THAN TREBLED ... Jackdaws increased by 137% .. "

 

"... farmland birds declined by 60% ... woodland birds declined by 10% ..."

 

 

 

What was Barry Gardiner saying just the day before about just one species in decline can upset the whole ecology ...... What about one in over-ascendency?????????????   

 

[westy]

the univercity by me have a pair of perigines to get rid of the wild pigeons in the area, but i bet its not only pigeons they will go for they will go for the racers, tumblers ect.

[Roland]

Won't catch many ferals, too streetwise... yes some just prehaps. Once a dive is missed, if it doesn't connect on the way up like, their basic speed is that same as a pigeons on the flat so to spea, but the ability and speed in a dive is awasome to say the least.

[DEEJAY]

Hi all, just wanted to say there is no easy fix for this, our birds when racing cover all kinds of country and a few will be caught by the predator hawks---just a part of nature, killing them is not the answer, for myself i have hawks in my backyard which is not a good place for a loft

[Guest MBpigeonguy]

has any off you guys seen a hawk get a pigeon? i usualy only see a hawk 3 times a year. but there is a bald eagle living in my area i see him quit a few times. but iv never let outmyyoung birds becouse this is my first year in the sport

[Guest]

Unusual twist : calls on BBC's Landward programme today by farmers and gamekeepers in Scotland for a cull on Buzzards. They aren't carrion either, they're predators.

 

Seems their numbers are now so great in some places like NE Scotland they have run out of their normal prey of rabbits rodents etc and are now eating everything from young pheasant to small song birds and new-born lamb. One farmer complained his land is now empty of wild life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[frank-123]

lost a yearling today looks like a sparrowhawk  the feathers plucked and the carcass remains i never seen it return as i was waiting for it so no doubt it will be back some day just pis**d off cant even let your birds out  :'(

[ALF]

JUST REMEMBER BART THEY ALWAYS COME BACK ;)