Received by email:
Mark, you really seem to have no idea of the destruction caused by corvids in particular the magpies during the nesting season! Either that or there is some other agenda namely headline grabbing to keep you and packham in the public eye so they contribute to book sales etc. As for the grouse grousing, that comes across as pure jealousy and hatred of the haves by the have nots! I would personally like to see those responsible for releasing buzzards back here brought to book as they are wiping out rabbits in particular which are a key prey species for the foxes whose numbers are deminishing. There soon won’t be enough slugs and worms ( sarcasm I know!) to go round!
…and my reply:
[registration_form][Name] Thank you for your email which made me cry (sarcasm).
I cannot think how I spend all the money that I make from book sales (sarcasm).
I don’t know where you live but I’d be a bit surprised if anyone has released Buzzards wherever it is as Buzzards are spreading back to many parts of the UK under their own steam and partly, I think, because of a decrease (though not a cessation) of illegal poisoning (not sarcastic).
Thank you for taking the trouble to get in touch.
What a weird communication. Since when are grouse shooters deemed to be the ‘haves’ of society? Yes, I know it’s an expensive pastime but people waste money in various different ways and it’s not only the very rich who are prepared to throw away a few thousand pounds on silly activities, particularly if they imagine it will somehow increase their social standing. Obviously, whoever sent the email has a rather warped idea of social status.
I agree, Sandra – but I think there’s one or two other things they have got rather warped as well!
Buzzard and corvid numbers are not at all bolstered by the hundreds of thousands of dead pheasants littering the roads and countryside of course. Another case of get your own house in order before blaming others for what you’ve caused. This type of opinion is fairly typical of the pro-shooting lobby in my experience sadly. Plenty of ‘a bloke down the pub told me’ evidence and ‘you townies don’t understand how nature works’ facts. It’s so simple these days to check the accuracy of your opinions but I guess the internet does run slower in the countryside…
I am sorry you receive such rubbish and factually in correct emails Mark. As you say buzzards are spreading across the country because campaigners like you and others are slowly very slowly reducing the levels of very nasty persecution, in the form of shooting and poisoning, of our magnificent birds of prey.
Regarding corvids, there are fairly high populations, but whose fault is that? It is definitely mans fault due to the wide spread practice of intensive farming and to some extent road kills. So why should the corvids pay the price for mans mismanagement of our environment. Also, remember, some corvids are rare such as the red billed cough.
No, overall a rather fatuous email you received Mark.
Would be pleased for the explanation of how intensive farming has anything to do with most types of corvid.
There is a bitter irony in this bizarre comment: Buzzards have spread – quite dramatically – probably mainly because of a decrease in persecution by gamekeepers – yet rather than taking credit for the responsibility and common sense (killing Buzzards to protect pheasants has always been a complete waste of time and effort) far more (negative) publicity has gone to the tiny minority who now apply for licenses to resume persecution.
And I wonder where else in our society there is such strident criticism of campaigners calling to uphold the law ?
Answer to that Rod is easy the other nside of the coin in the ” Countryside Set” hunting!!!!!!!
Mark is far too polite to this idiot with the ingrained views of the wildlife killers. The views expressed are utter drivel and tripe.
Generally silly but I like the expression “Grouse grousing”
I think that could get used again in a different context.