Guest CS Posted April 3, 2007 Report Posted April 3, 2007 FEATHERS RUFFLED Published on 02/04/2007 HUNTER: A Peregrine Falcon killing a pigeon WHAT is a pigeon fancier to do when his prized racers are being massacred in the skies every day? He paints his pigeons yellow, sticks sequins on their heads and bells on their tails. That’s the Blue Peter approach being taken by Millom-based pigeon fancier Les Cole in a desperate bid to deter peckish peregrines from ripping pigeons’ heads off mid-flight. West Cumbrian fanciers are even considering acquiring some eagle owls to scare the falcons from their valuable flocks while out training. Eighty-five per cent of a peregrine’s diet is racing pigeon, according to the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. And Mr Cole’s birds have provided many a meal for the raptors — a horrific sight the pigeon fancier witnesses almost every day. Even the birds which escape the claws of the peregrines are killed as many scatter in fear, flying into trees, windows and roads. Mr Cole has hit back at the RSPB over their Bring Back Our Birds of Prey Campaign after reading the Evening Mail story on March 13, headlined “Let’s Go Spy a Kite”. Cumbria is online to become the country’s bird of prey capital if the charity’s conservation projects prove successful, as the county provides unrivalled habitat for Britain’s magnificent raptors. But Mr Cole says the falcons are out of control and his stock is being decimated by the birds of prey. His association is yet to find a deterrent that works. Mr Cole said: “We’re not trying to get rid of peregrines, but we want them to be kept under control. “If more are encouraged, like the RSPB wants, then it will soon be the racing pigeon which is an endangered species. We’re afraid to take our flocks out training anymore. Peregrines are the main problem but sparrowhawks claim a few pigeons too. “They’re more sneaky though — they’ll sneak up and grab a bird when they get the opportunity. “Sparrowhawks also take a couple of songbirds a day, birds which the RSPB are trying to encourage. They can’t have it both ways. Peregrines can kill half our annual stock. The birds swooping down and slaughtering our birds is heartbreaking to have to watch. “They’re like pets to us and it’s such a brutal way to go. They rip off their heads and take them back to their nests. “It’s worst when the peregrines have got young about. “We’ve tried all manner of schemes to keep the peregrines away from our birds but nothing is working. “What we really need is for the RSPB to recognise that, magnificent as the birds of prey are, we can’t cope with yet more of them. They’re quite literally killing off our sport.” An RSPB spokesman said: “We can’t stop birds killing each other. It comes from millions of years of evolution. We do sympathise with the pigeon fanciers but the steps they are already taking — humane preventative measures — are the sort we would encourage. “The sequins are an excellent initiative. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t work. I’m not sure how feasible it would be to use eagle owls. We would need to know more about their plans before we could comment. “The RSPB feels that a leisure interest should not come before the UK’s international responsibility to protect bird of prey populations. If owners release birds, they need to accept the natural risks in the environment. All birds of prey are fully protected in the UK reflecting global and EU law. “Incidentally, the RSPB receives many calls from the public every year to report lost racing pigeons. We refer callers to the relevant racing pigeon organisations. “However, we don’t get any feedback on what subsequently happens to these lost birds and whether they are collected by their owners. “It would be interesting to know what happens to ‘failed’ homing pigeons.”
jimmy white Posted April 4, 2007 Report Posted April 4, 2007 the rspb do not want eagle owls living wild in brittain,, [ e mailed them] but surely they come under the same wild life and countryside act as the perigrines,,,,,,they know full well this is true ,,but,,,if there were more eagle owls in uk there would be less perigrines ,,,,,,,,,its a strange coincidence that when ever they are reported to be nesting ,, something? happens to them ,, youl find articles on hawks post concerning this
Guest Posted April 4, 2007 Report Posted April 4, 2007 Its the end paras which annoy me, an attempt to escape unwelcome attention by trying to put up a smokescreen: - Incidentally, the RSPB receives many calls from the public every year to report lost racing pigeons. We refer callers to the relevant racing pigeon organisations. “However, we don’t get any feedback on what subsequently happens to these lost birds and whether they are collected by their owners. “It would be interesting to know what happens to ‘failed’ homing pigeons.” What a bloody cheek. >
Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS Posted April 5, 2007 Report Posted April 5, 2007 EAGLE OWLS ARE NOW PROTECTED IN BRITIAN MY THE GOVERNMENT, IS THERE NOT TO QUICK WITH THE PERIGREINES AND SPARROW HAWKS THEY WILL NEED TO DO A SAVE OR SONG BIRD CAMPAIGN
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