I’m reading some more legal papers, but also three books for review here;
Which would you most like to see reviewed this Sunday morning (given that the other two will follow)?
Normal blog service will resume later today…
[registration_form]Some more reading
The “ Book of Trespass” might be quite interesting. Especially if it touches on some legal aspects.
By the way more savage cruelty, this time in the Cairngorms, National Park with a Sea Eagle being poisoned. Come on the Scottish Government for goodness sake let’s have some tough legislation banning driven grouse shooting with all its associated criminality and sending anyone caught killing our wildlife, receiving an automatic five year jail sentence with no reprieve.
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Buzzard, because I want to hear what you say about their interpretation of Langholm and Buzzard/gamebird predation issues.
Trespass, not one I’ve come across. Looking forward to your take on Snared though having just read it.
I’m reading the Buzzard too, as I never read one book at once I’m also reading “The nature of Spring” by Jim Crumley ( one of my favourite writers), “Cottongrass Summer” by Roy Dennis, “Steller’s Sea Eagle” by Richard Sale et al and for a diversion “The Tale Teller” by Anne Hillerman. I’ve recently read Snared and Imperial Flood both of which I thoroughly enjoyed along with learning a few things.
The book of Trespass looks interesting too.
Ian, I too am interested in what Buzzards eat but we should not be condemning or managing them because they eat natural prey a few folk would rather they didn’t, so they could later shoot that prey for fun/profit.
Hi Paul, I didn’t suggest we should be condemning them, did I? Perhaps you are thinking back to that BB piece from a few years ago? If so that was certainly not a condemnation.
OK Ian, sorry but needless to say I do not approve of Buzzard control licences to protect any gamebirds.
All seem interesting, but I look forward most to Snared.
This is a horrific practice which should never be permitted, tout court.
I await dislikes/comments about how it’s necessary, humane, traditional and so on.
Snared because Bob Berzins is an upland hero.
I’d like to see a review of the Book of Trespass. Land ownership/theft of land being at the root of many of the ills of the British countryside.
Trespass for me too please, especially given the government’s recent consultation on possibly changing it to a criminal offence. We need greater not less access to our countryside.
I can’t tell you if the buzzard will eat grouse, we unfortunately don’t have this gamebird, but we do have the common buzzard, in fact we have 4 breeding pairs, 5 if you count the honey as a buzzard.
Covid-19 has had some advantages for us, we have been able to study species more, and our buzzards were a prime example.
Our analysis of pellets indicates a wide range prey item, the cockchafer, being prominent, as well as bird and soft tissue amphibians and worm, few mammals, which was surprising as we have the full range of owls, kestrel and kite.
But it was the nest prey discards which brought the real surprise, those that advocate the shooting of corvids should think again, and get yourself some buzzards, because these birds go through them like a dose of salts.
And this justifies everything I believe in that it’s the predators themselves, not cack-handed humans, which will be the best way for the control of other predators.
Bickerton – I take all your comments with a massive pinch of salt but you are right about Buzzards and their partiality to nestling corvids, and no doubt recently fledged ones too. Where did you say you were based? Oh, you didn’t did you? Is it Ambridge?
Honey is not a buzzard it is a Kite and those lucky enough to have them will know it eats wasp grubs taken from dugout nest combs, frogs and occasionally young birds from nests. Yes predators regulate themselves and each other.
Where are you to have these wonderful visitors?
From my bedroom window (not kitchen) a few weeks ago, I saw a buzzard flying low across the garden with a rook(I assume) dangling from its talons. We have an active rookery in the direction it was coming from. So why licence corvid control, instead as you say, leave it to the predators.
Trepass
trespass pls….
Trespass please
Trespass, please. I’ve always felt that the denial of access to river banks, lake sides, coastlands, moors, mountains and grasslands is, generally speaking, an outrage and after a couple of decades where things were getting better it looks as though they are set to get worse again. (Although as I also consider Bob Berzins to be a bit of a hero and am fascinated by buzzards, I’m glad you will be reviewing the other books too.)