tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post2956500298326278720..comments2023-10-20T08:42:01.243+01:00Comments on A birding odyssey.: The final curtain?John S. Armitagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14452035194822027644noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-46286538168918293012012-05-13T09:03:45.396+01:002012-05-13T09:03:45.396+01:00Hi folks. I made a few enquiries on the vole subje...Hi folks. I made a few enquiries on the vole subject myself. Certainly the claims need clarifying by RSPB, which I'd welcome them doing on this site if they wish. Some trapping has been done, but I understand it was probably confined to the "base" of the Langden Valley only, in a single habitat type, and I don't believe the results have been published. Not terribly representative if that's the source of the comments. It's important this is done before it starts being used as an excuse for the collapse of the population this season. If it's true, then the matter needs evaluating properly and the facts made available.John S. Armitagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452035194822027644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-73506288477467033672012-05-12T23:30:16.460+01:002012-05-12T23:30:16.460+01:00Hi Aye Aye,
I believe two male shave bee...Hi Aye Aye,<br /> I believe two male shave been seenthis spring but neither apparently stopped and nor were they anywhere near the estate you mention. You may be right but ?I thought that harriers settled on the basis of prey density and specifically voles and pipits so it could just be the kind of accident that has caused the lack of birds, but the it could also be that the birds cannot find each other so in desperation leave looking for birds elsewhere. Grouse estates have agreat deal to answer for but yet there seems little will to pursue them for their persecution and the increasingly intensive management including burning regimes. Not in the best of moods as I found a poisoned or at least assumed poisoned Kite today whilst out doing a Ring Ouzel tetrad, but these people really are taking the p--s.<br /><br />Mood not helped by the latest utter lies on the web site we all dislike so much, notably in comments by people we might think of culprits themselves.Paul V Irvingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-33925125367247801702012-05-12T23:20:45.701+01:002012-05-12T23:20:45.701+01:00Hi Tony,
I had a conversation with Mick Dem...Hi Tony,<br /> I had a conversation with Mick Demain who reported a lack of voles and hence a lack of SE Owls and Harriers in Bowland. I know Pete Wilson has an annual trapping grid to assess this and whilst I've not spoken to Pete for a while I suspect this may be the source of Mick's comments. Whilst I have the utmost admiration for bill and Bill mammal experts they are not.Paul V Irvingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-55521524272462515392012-05-11T22:46:20.994+01:002012-05-11T22:46:20.994+01:00Hi Paul, I am puzzled. The Bills tell me there i...Hi Paul, I am puzzled. The Bills tell me there is no shortage of voles in the Bowland uplands this year (which makes me envious as my area of S/W Cumbria and the Grounds of the Gisburn hotel (Stirk House) we (the World Owl Trust) are working with are virtually devoid of Field Voles at the moment (saturated fields until the beginning of May being the reason). Can you confirm that some areas of Bowland have experienced a 'crash'? If so, where? Let me assure you there is no ulterior motive in my question. I am current'y revising our Poyser monograph on the Barn Owl so am desperate for news of this sort. Please note anyone else who has information on vole populations this 'spring' (ha!).Tony Warburton MBEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-39949841196717890492012-05-10T23:25:28.936+01:002012-05-10T23:25:28.936+01:00Hen harriers had been, relatively speaking, safe i...Hen harriers had been, relatively speaking, safe in Bowland in comparison to other upland areas of northern England. Their recent downturn in Bowland coincided with a new team of gamekeepers being employed on a local shooting estate; keepers that even their peers said had a terrible reputation. A proportion of the reduced number of harriers that did settle the next year had numerous broken and missing flight feathers. Numbers have continued to decline and now there are none. Whilst clearly prey availability can affect settling density, as it always has done, it cannot explain complete absence - has there even been a single sighting of an adult male this spring?<br /><br />Glad to see not everyone is taken in by the conspiracy theories on the other site. Comments are removed and posts are not accepted that would have exposed some of their lies long ago - some of which have been really quite serious. A shame as it tarnishes the genuine records of persecution.Aye-ayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08020459109786058069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-36589318871859939192012-05-10T22:34:40.586+01:002012-05-10T22:34:40.586+01:00The current population level of harriers in Englan...The current population level of harriers in England is yes entirely down to persecution, but the fact that the half dozen or so birds which briefly returned to Bowland this spring have not stayed is down to a lack of voles. I suppose a tiny geographically restricted population was always going to be at risk from such happenstance events but the key is as you rightly point out the levels of persecution. Its the grouse moor managers that should be blamed not the voles!paul v Irvingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-27150866121920239692012-05-10T09:46:12.357+01:002012-05-10T09:46:12.357+01:00Thanks, Paul. I have to confess that I'm scept...Thanks, Paul. I have to confess that I'm sceptical about any attributed cause to the OVERALL reduction being anything other than persecution. But I'm more than prepared to be educated!<br />As for the other matter, realisation will eventually dawn on them that there is a limit to peoples' tolerance and that they will remain cast aside to wallow in the conspiracy theories which appear to give them so much solace in their isolation. An ability to deal with facts, the truth and to apply a mature and knowledgeable interpretation to events, taking into account what may be opposite viewpoints, would assist. At the moment even Aesop would be impressed by the suppositions and fertile connections. Blogs can be a vehicle for opinion but, if you move into reportage of events, the cardinal rule is to check your sources , not invent them!John S. Armitagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452035194822027644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-28167612543870860492012-05-09T18:56:23.227+01:002012-05-09T18:56:23.227+01:00It is somewhat ironic that the final cause of the ...It is somewhat ironic that the final cause of the loss ( hopefully temporary) of harriers is an accident of nature, a lack of voles.<br />That is not to excuse the appalling levels of persecution the species has and continues to suffer at the hands of grouse moor managers, who appear little better than professional wildlife criminals. That said we do indeed need to present a united front, with that in mind I am particularly appalled at the dross, supposition, pure fantasy and vindictive finger pointing coming from a certain site concerning eagle owls, where it has gone from "truth" to conjecture to blaming RSPB, NE,UU and local volunteer stalwarts. Whoever is responsible it is none of the above who are caught in a web of foundless accusation by those whom NE, RSPB,UU, NERF and many independent raptor workers have cast aside because of past stupidities. May be the finger pointers should look closer to home and let the rest of us work together without such confounding obfuscation, in the hope that things can be made better, much better for all of England's upland raptors and owls.Paul v Irvingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-50116469142955871852012-05-09T07:03:17.979+01:002012-05-09T07:03:17.979+01:00Thanks Tony. I don't mind people getting it wr...Thanks Tony. I don't mind people getting it wrong, but the distortion, muddled thinking and untruths are not something I'm prepared to ignore any longer. You can guess which site I'm referring to!<br />John.John S. Armitagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452035194822027644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947651991148942344.post-13616075968187742622012-05-08T22:56:25.744+01:002012-05-08T22:56:25.744+01:00Well said John. You are so right about everything...Well said John. You are so right about everything.Tony Warburton MBEnoreply@blogger.com