Let’s not forget that four male Hen Harriers have ‘disappeared’ this breeding season from active nests in the AONB of the Forest of Bowland whose logo is a Hen Harrier. The Duke of Westminster owns the grouse moor of Abbeystead in the Trough of Bowland but there are a couple of other sporting estates there too.
We should thank United Utilities and the RSPB and a whole lot of volunteers too, for doing all they can to protect these birds, even though the outcome this year has been terrible.
YFTB and BASC seem to think that over-zealous monitoring may play an important part in the disappearance of these birds. We haven’t heard from them on the subject of gas guns on grouse moors yet…
Here is a pictorial medley of Bowland images.
Henry says – what is happening in Bowland?
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Lovely around there. Pity the wildlife is suffering. All about greed.
I love the ‘twinned with Malta’ add- on to the FoB signs. The shooters would probably be proud of it, mind you.
Just to clarify, Abbeystead is a village, but the Duke of Westminster’s ‘Abbeystead estate’ is huge, covering much moorland and river valley, borders the United Utilities estate where the Harriers were nesting and extends a long way north.
A bit surprised (and disappointed) that BASC is of this view. Is the success of the hen harrier campaign, if it can be called that, driving them to rather silly and indefensible positions. I can easily understand YFTB being there. Nearly replied to Beefy’s request (Shooting Times) for examples of where RSPB had gone wrong by telling him they had gone wrong (in hindsight) by wasting several years talking to the shooting lobby.
We all know this persecution has been going on for years, talks have been going on for years and it’s worse now in Bowland than it’s ever been. There is hardly any wildlife left, they way they manage the land has affected not only species, but flora and fauna. They keep saying we are managing for certain types of wading birds, but I’m sorry they have changed the ecosystem so badly it’s a barren landscape now, foxes, stoats, weasels hung on fences, corvids all killed to protect a bird that’s going to be shot. All these animals and plant life should create an ecosystem that takes care of itself predator and prey, insects all have a part to play. This has been proved at Elmley in Kent, they have 8 pairs Marsh Harrier, owls, Peregrine, Sparrow Hawk, Hobby, Buzzards and the best population of lapwings and other wading birds. So basically all this bullshit about how good Grouse moor management is a load of crap to justify there shooting hobby. They are uneducated in how the system works and won’t listen to reason because this catchphrase that all birds of prey are vermin and I don’t think you can teach a dog new tricks. The time for talking is over, it’s time for action. One thing they don’t understand is that they could make so much more money from tourism and wildlife tours and hides, the possibilities are endless.
Don’t know how anyone can “dislike” your comments – I suppose it’s a case of the truth hurting. “They” are from an age gone by. Things must, and will, change.