DEFRA and the not so wise decision...again I might add

[Dougan]

The explosion in the populations of cormorants, mergansers & goosanders are having a severe effect on both coarse fish & salmonids, with a knock-on reduction on freshwater mussels, water voles & other riverine fauna.

This is just the opinion of some environmentalists, journalists or financially interested parties - It is very difficult to prove the cause of these types of thing, with so many other factors involved...loss/fragmentation of habitat, pollution, climate change etc - In fact a big problem for course fish and salmon is the weather at the moment; with very low water in the spring, and now continuous rain, causing flooding and dangerous turbidity levels....

The red kite problem is another example of us messing things up again - species introduction by man, is historically one of the biggest causes of unnatural extinctions - and as the kite shows, we should be more careful about re introductions too...

Personally I think we should do our best to not interfere with the environment - especially if it's just for self interest or profit.

[whoowhoop]

Just a view from the outside:
Why is it ok to release a creature ( ie buzzard) back into the wild without provision for it's welfare - food supply?
If I were to get a licence from Natural England to relocate a protected species from an area where it is causing problems I must first provide a suitable habitat.
Releasing Red Kites and Buzzards into the Chilterns might seem a good idea, but it is not management to allow any species to then exploit that environment unchecked.

Surely those who participate in such schemes should be able to support the feeding cost at say, £35 per bird per day? Otherwise it's a bit thick to expect sporting estates/ SSSI's etc to fund their dreams without any consideration?
Just to add one further point - I expended a lot of unpaid time and expense to protect wild Grey Partridges. The Buzzards, and a Harrier, were obviously very grateful. Even diversionary feeding was not a solution as it just drew in more to take advantage.


I'll retreat back into my bunker now.

[Christel]

I'll retreat back into my bunker now.

You lucky devil, you got a bunker tongueout clapclap

[whoowhoop]

Got to keep the nutty slack somewhere