This morning at 10:42 I received this e-mail from one Roger Lees:-
Bagsy
Replying to a comment on your blog, you saidNot content with having blasted the Ruddy Duck, an introduced species, almost out of (GB) existence mostly in the name of it being an introduced species, they [The RSPB] then turn their ‘sights’ on the Common Buzzard wanting to shoot, cage or destroy their nests in support of ‘saving’ the Pheasant, also introduced, so they can be selectively shot to death by the rich. One stance or the other RSPB please! How can any Society justify the words ‘Birds’ and ‘Protection’ in their title and who in a civilised world would subscribe to further such barbaric practise?'
I have no view on the RSPB, but I did write to my MP, Richard Grosvenor Plunket Ernle-Erle-Drax asking for his view on the destruction of buzzard nests as a control measure to protect young pheasants as proposed by DEFRA
DEFRA claims that they were not planning to destroy active nests, and I have attached a copy of their website for your information. Whether or not you believe that the minister Richard Benyon, who has form when it comes to protecting the interests of rich land owners, is being totally honest I leave up to you. For what it's worth my opinion is that the cost (supposedly £375,000) of the proposed 'research' into protecting birds destined to be shot by the rich should not be met out of public funds, or can ever be justified if it involves any interference with indigenous wildlife, especially protected birds but particularly birds of prey which will always be vulnerable.
It won't take much effort on your part to find that the RSPB was vociferous in defence of the Buzzard, as were many newspapers and individuals, so your comments regarding the RSPB supposedly supporting Buzzard destruction or control to protect pheasants are simply wrong. Whatever your views may be regarding the RSPB and individual employees at Weymouth you should be more careful ascribing outrageous actions to them, which should properly laid at the door of others, in support of your general criticism.
A correction of your comments and an apology on your blog would be the proper thing to do, and I will wait with interest to see if it appears.
R Lees
I doubt Mr Lees has hastily tacked together these words without a great
deal of thought and a better knowledge of the subject than I. It would
seem, given his tone, that in this instance I may have got things abjectly
wrong for which I am only too happy to proffer, provisionally, both
correction and full apology to those who may have been effected by my
possible mistake? However, I will need to further research this and if
found to be in error endorse my foibles in a later post. Thanks go to Mr
Lees for taking the time to advise me, and this amendment will also
appear on the Sunday Blog.
The weather forecast of 70mph winds and heavy rain was every reason to head for the Bill again, with every chance of seeing a sea-bird or to in addition to the drama of the sea-scape. Again there was time to wander the quayside of the Inner Harbour, Weymouth noting today just how many
The weather forecast of 70mph winds and heavy rain was every reason to head for the Bill again, with every chance of seeing a sea-bird or to in addition to the drama of the sea-scape. Again there was time to wander the quayside of the Inner Harbour, Weymouth noting today just how many
boats are now up for sail particularly the larger ones moored at the Private Nelson Marina.
The
Skipper of SOUTHERNER II seemed to be no hurry to hoist a For Sale
board, but as he beavered away at polishing the bright-work he had
obviously overlooked one small detail.
He had hoisted his 'Jack' upside down!
The
view of the active lighthouse at the Bill was far brighter than
yesterdays offering, but what cannot be see in this image is the
strength of the wind. Hammering in at around the predicted speed I
sought the lee of the Trinity House Obelisk. MANX SHEARWATER (a couple of dozen) was very quickly added to the Year List while all else of note
amounted to more common seabirds such as Gannet, Fulmar, Razorbill,
Guillemot and a stray Kittiwake. Time then to 'turn' my attention to
these
2 gentlemen who quickly had the tables 'turned' on them. As the
National BBC TV News gathering team they are only used to capturing
others, but having cornered me for an interview it was time to focus my
camera on them. Unfortunate to report that their footage didn't 'make
the cut' and a 'STAR' remained unborn!
and
there was the huge pleasure of meeting and welcoming the French Olympic
Sailing Team to Dorset. Both newsworthy I would have thought, but all
of us out-gunned by
these people, 5 in total, climbing Pulpit in in the eye of a howling gale and making it to the BBC TV Evening News.
There
were cries of "idiots", which is one way of looking at it, but
preferring to think of over exuberant youngsters little realising the
dangers my thoughts were rather for those who may have come later to
pick up the pieces. With that single thought I rang the Bird Observatory
and got them to inform the Coast Guard.
looking
further out to sea watching what would have once been Atlantic rollers
crashing over the shallows of what is the Shambles Bank. Short coffee
break and chat at the Obs was followed by a leisurely stroll across the
Bill Common and out with the smoked Mackerel sandwiches while awaiting
the bus.
Not surprisingly, this had the effect of attracting every Shy Talk in the neighbourhood, all being
HERRING GULLs and not to be denied happily shared my lunch with them.
This
small tanker, too distant to identify as to name, was shaping up as
though she had come some distance rather than just across West Bay,
but rounding Grove Point some while later she was soon in quieter water.
and
on passing Portland Harbour windsurfers were seen lapping up the
condition, proving one man's meat is an others poison. and as we steam
headlong towards next month, this from my mate Willy Downes who informs
me that he remembers well the last time this occurred.
