http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/18/bird-killing-call-robin-starling-mallard-splits-conservationists

This does not sound like good news.

Not happy about this at all – I’d rather trust the RSPB’s view than some Government body’s view…

What can we do? We’re already members of the RSBP, can’t think how else to help?

Hmm, Natural England. Who are they chaired by? Oh yes, Andrew Sells, a Tory party contributor. Now what could he have against little birdies?

Isn’t Andrew one of the founders of Linden homes? Why yes, yes he is. but that doesn’t explain the birdie hatred…. Aaah, hang on, little birdies building their nests on scaffolding, building works and building machinery must by law, currently be left alone. That must be a real problem for property developers….is any of this fitting together at all?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/8754027/Conservatives-given-millions-by-property-developers.html

Bingo!

evil, corrupt, self-centred, tories. There’s the problem.

This is definite write-to-your-MP stuff.

Where to start on the inaccuracies in that article?

For a start, neither the Starling, sparrow or any gull species were removed from the general licence as a result of general licence culling as the article claims:

…removed two species, the house sparrow and starling, from the general licences category amid concerns that this was causing their numbers to fall drastically.

However this was not given as a reason at the time by DEFRA/NE, in fact they were removed from the licences by Defra in 2005 in response to significant and sustained population declines, witnessed across the whole of Northern Europe and have continued.

…But the birds were destroyed in such large numbers that they were removed from the general licence category in 2010.

However this is not true – in fact NE listed the reasons for the removal of the two gull species in Q7 Here and at no time did they mention the severity of culling under the general licence as a causative factor for the decline in these species – in fact there was a general decline, which research has linked to changes in landfill waste handling and a reduction in fish discards

So, thats where I’d start on the article – plus the headline is wrong – the call is not for the ‘killing of birds deemed a health hazard’, but the removal of their nests without a licence application if they constitute a risk to health, eg. in a ventilation flue or nesting in a food preparation area – which would amount to a small number of cases and seems eminently sensible to not tie people down with a lengthy application and paperwork process where there is a risk to health.

I think ninfan has it spot-on, however, newspapers will never let the facts get in the way of a good shock-horror headline.

Politicians are just scum. Lying, cheating, immoral, greedy, untrustworthy scum. I have more respect for the prisoners on the wing I work on than any politician. (not just Tories either)

I have more respect for the prisoners on the wing I work on than any politician

But are they kind to baby birds ?

But are they kind to baby birds ?

Dunno Ernie, I’ll try & do a mini survey tomorrow. (they do seem to like Charlie, the Pets As Therapy dog that comes onto the wing though, Airedale Terrier.)

Meanwhile back in the real world where most people aren’t aware its illegal to remove a nest many people will be doing just that. Do you really think most building sites would stop work to get a licence or allow chicks to fledge, or the homeowner who has a noisy nest in their roof isn’t just going to deal with it.

Pointless unenforceable waste of government time.