I was very pleased to see that the crowdfunder to support the judicial review of SNH’s daft licensing of a Raven cull ‘to see what happens’ was fully supported. That is good news. And if you haven’t signed this petition yet then please sign it now.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that some similar nonsense is going to happen in England too.
Ravens are very impressive beasts. They have been enveloped in the myths and legends of many cultures (see Remarkable Birds for some examples), in both the Americas and Eurasia, but we have a less cultured approach to them in 21st century UK. What philistines we are!
After seeing that Old Faithful was still faithfully steaming away every 90 mins or so, I watched Ravens in the car park there. I also watched people’s reactions to them – they loved them. They really did. There were no antediluvian sheep farmers present in the car park.
Here’s a photo of the Raven that was walking around on the roof of my hire car, taken in the wing mirror, when it moved onto the roof of the car behind.
I went down to Portland Bill yesterday with our eldest. We were enjoying the flowers(!) when we stopped to watch an adult Raven with a full size fledgling begging its parent for food – the youngster was pleading with a rather high pitched grark. It even went as far as gently closing its beak around its parents’, to no effect. We concluded the parent was encouraging its child to find its own food, by not feeding it.
It was a magical moment, and we both felt these birds deserved their place in myth and in our lives. This morning while raking at Maumbury Rings, I saw 3 Ravens fly over, again they appeared to be chatting as they flew.
Now we discover Natural England gave out a licence to cull a pair of Ravens on the Dorset/Wiltshire border in 2016/17, thanks to lobbying from the National Sheep Association. I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago. https://anewnatureblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/quoth-the-raven-never-more/
1000 ravens…..killed for the sake of 100 lambs…. hmm?
Stayed in a farmers cottage on ullswater last week, asked the farmer if he had any problem with ravens like pecking eyes out or removing tongues and even killing lambs. He told me he never had a problem in all the years he had been farming and he looked in his eighties. I watched ravens every night from the cottage with groups up to twenty flying around on the top of the fell
We went down to Portland Bill last September and there were 2 Ravens on the grass close by the cafe. They appeared to be preening each other, something I’ve never seen before.
And on the Isle of Harris this summer a farmer had filled a trough with food for his sheep and about 12 Ravens were tucking in. There were no attacks on the sheep or lambs.
Those who speak so highly of Portland Ravens should consider bird lovers including the PHO person in charge there are not that pleased with them.
Look at Portland bird blog 11th May Raven described as public enemy number one photo of Raven which appears to have managed considerable damage to Giullemot colo!!ny.
Portland birds 22nd May they could well have killed a Kittewake.
Maybe the damage they do is limited by a staggering number of volunteers protecting a term colony there 24/7
It is not all gushing good news on Dorset now we have lots of Ravens.
Dennis its called natural predation, you may not like it but it is NATURAL. As I have said before my partner has kept sheep here in mid Wales for 30 years and NEVER had a problem with the ravens that are very common here. They eat dead sheep they don’t make dead sheep.
Paul,same old conservationist talk about it is natural but why then when it suits lots of conservationist such as rspb who control certain animals is it on so different.
Oh yes I get it is OK as long as you are a conservationist.
Ravens wiped out a colony of Little Egrets on Brownsea.
Ravens should not eat dead sheep they should be disposed of complying with stuff rules of law.
Dennis, is what you write supposed to make any sense? It just reads gibberish to me…
If you have a coherent argument, then please put it.
Example 1. Those who speak so highly of Portland Ravens should consider bird lovers…
Why should we ‘consider bird lovers’ if we speak highly of Portland Ravens? What sense does that make?
Example 2. Oh yes I get it is OK as long as you are a conservationist
What is that supposed to mean?
What is the point you are trying to make, please?
Keith,hardly worth bothering with someone who knows nothing about Portland’s bird problems.
Show some interest and look up the dates I provided about Portland birds.
There is a very important Tern breeding colony there requiring 24/7 guards without which it would be wiped out by Ravens for sure.
This guarding of course makes nonsense of those telling me that you should let nature take its course.Of course it is different if conservationists do not want to let nature take its course.They are obviously greater beings
and much more intelligent than us humble ordinary birders.
Sorry if you think it gibberish,I have no university degree and worse still am desperately trying to come to terms with a new tablet which I am finding difficult so maybe my first instinct to put a one nasty word answer to your comment has been resisted.
Just do not take notice of a couple of people gushing on about Portland Ravens when with research you would see they do not know what is happening.