WILF 51,425 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 (edited) On Radio 4 this morning the bloke from the RSPB comes on and says: "There is only one breeding pair of hen harriers left in England because gamekeepers have killed them all!" Enter our man from the countryside alliance who is asked if this is true by John Humpries: CA Man: "Well.....errr.....umm.......YES.....to a certain extent" !!!! What the f**k!!! He then proceeded to "errr" & "uummm" his way through the interview like some stuttering prick!! Seriously?..........is this the best we can trot out for our membership money?, no wonder hunting is f****d! They should sack this prat today and get the head of the NGO on there........or any random keeper actually as they would do a damn site better job that that pillock! Edited January 7, 2013 by WILF 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hedz31 1,308 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I cant belive somebody actualy listens to radio 4 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WILF 51,425 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I cant belive somebody actualy listens to radio 4 Only the more educated among us :tongue2: 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I cant belive somebody actualy listens to radio 4 Only the more educated among us :tongue2: That don't explain why you were listening to it Wilf.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hedz31 1,308 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I cant belive somebody actualy listens to radio 4 Only the more educated among us :tongue2: That don't explain why you were listening to it Wilf.. I cant belive somebody actualy listens to radio 4 Only the more educated among us :tongue2: That don't explain why you were listening to it Wilf.. Exactly 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WILF 51,425 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Fannys! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hedz31 1,308 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j j m 6,627 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 ha ha :bye: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 he should have googled it on his iphone Background Despite legal protection, the hen harrier Circus cyaneus is a scarce bird of prey in the UK. At the start of the 20th Century, the hen harrier was virtually extirpated as a breeding species on mainland Britain due to human persecution. Although legally protected, hen harriers continue to be persecuted mainly because they have the potential to reduce populations of a highly valued gamebird, the red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. During the period of virtual extinction on mainland Britain, the Orkney Islands acted as an important refuge, as here they were not and continue not, to be persecuted. However, despite this, since the 1970s hen harriers have declined by around 70%. The causes of the decline are not known with certainty, but it is thought that they may be linked to increased predation of eggs and young, or food shortage during the early breeding season. Hooded crows (Corvus cornix) are thought to be the primary predators responsible, as harriers are able to defend their nests against potential mammalian predators. Here the results of a study investigated the effects of hooded crow removal on breeding success are described. Action Study site: The study was conducted on the west of Orkney Mainland island, where over % of the Orkney hen harrier Circus cyaneus population breeds. Experimental design: The experiment was conducted during 1999 and 2000 during the hen harrier breeding season of early April to May. Two treatments were compared: 1) a removal group where hooded crows Corvus cornix were removed from nine harrier territories 2) a control group (comprising 26 male harriers) in which crows were not removed Additional data from unmanipulated nests in 1998 were also used to increase the sample size of the control group. Crow removal: Crows were captured and removed from territories using Larsen traps placed within 500 m of the centre of each territory, baited with dead day-old chicken Gallus domesticus chicks and captured live decoy crows. The effectiveness of crow removal was established by assessing predation rates on three artificial clutches of three chicken eggs placed within the territories. Monitoring breeding success: All hen harrier territories were watched throughout the pre-lay and laying period to count numbers of females associated with males (hen harriers are polygynous) and to find nests. Females were individually marked and males were counted by synchronous observations in the presumed territory and adjacent areas, with multiple observers communicating with short-wave radios. The lay date of the first egg, clutch size and hatching success were determined by nest visits. In some instances, lay dates were inferred from hatching dates, from chick ages estimated by wing-length measurements or from the ratio of egg weight to egg dimensions. Consequences Crow numbers & removal: In total 56 hooded crows were removed from nine hen harrier territories. Artificial chicken clutches survived significantly better in territories in which crows were removed (12 out of 18) than on territories in which no removal was undertaken (two out of 18). Effects on harrier breeding success: Crow removal had no effect on the average number of breeding female harriers associated with each male. Although the mean clutch size was slightly higher in territories in which crows had been removed, when compared to control territories the difference was not significant. Similarly, laying dates and hatching success were unaffected by crow removal. Conclusions: The removal of hooded crows had little effect on hen harrier breeding productivity as no impact on degrees of polygynous breeding, lay dates, clutch sizes or hatching success were noted. It appears more likely that other factors, such as food availability (see Case 312) are the determinant of hen harrier breeding success on the Orkney Islands. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lanesra 4,007 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 (edited) Isle Of Man has the Largest number off Hen Harriers in Europe I think it is . There all over the place here will see if I can find out how many ! Western Europe , some place birds Roost in 1 place as they roost together , that's only 1 spot so not sure how many actually here ! Edited January 7, 2013 by lanesra Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 12,023 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 On Radio 4 this morning the bloke from the RSPB comes on and says: "There is only one breeding pair of hen harriers left in England because gamekeepers have killed them all!" Enter our man from the countryside alliance who is asked if this is true by John Humpries: CA Man: "Well.....errr.....umm.......YES.....to a certain extent" !!!! What the f**k!!! He then proceeded to "errr" & "uummm" his way through the interview like some stuttering prick!! Seriously?..........is this the best we can trot out for our membership money?, no wonder hunting is f****d! They should sack this prat today and get the head of the NGO on there........or any random keeper actually as they would do a damn site better job that that pillock! one breeding pair maybe the rest are gay or not ready for the responsibility of being a parent.seemed to plenty on the nature documentrys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wilbur foxhound 480 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 wasnt there some estate where there was cameras set up to watch a harriers nest a few years back,and along came a fox and took all that was in it, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hedz31 1,308 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 wasnt there some estate where there was cameras set up to watch a harriers nest a few years back,and along came a fox and took all that was in it, wasnt there some estate where there was cameras set up to watch a harriers nest a few years back,and along came a fox and took all that was in it, I remember something like that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raymond1 262 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 wasnt there some estate where there was cameras set up to watch a harriers nest a few years back,and along came a fox and took all that was in it, in the trough of bowland harrier nests were monitored , and eagle owls were helping themselves to the harrier chicks , of course gamekeepers got the blame untill it was proven that eagle owls was the culprits ,................... no appologie was given to the keepers though since then the RSPB has had its filthy hands in the discreet removal of eagle owls saying they are "non native",.............................FFS where are these sea egles , red kites ,and even beavers comming from ?????? eagle owls aint trendy for taking harrier chicks lmfao Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tegater 789 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 On a quite new reserve near us that is surrounded by grouse moor and a few pheasant woods, they even lay on goshawk walks! No end of buzzards turn up, along with the odd hen harrier from time to time, the odd kite or pair of kites and the ospreys for a couple of days a year as they head north. Peregrines come and go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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