magpies

[chris]

hi all,

i know there are loads of magpies around lately which is effecting other species of birds such as various finch species. i've just seen 12 of the buggers all at the same time in my back garden :shock: ... make that 13 another's just flew in :lol: ... ok, 15 now!

just wondering how many magpies you get in your area and how many other birds you get (blue tits, bullfinches etc etc)

i usually get around10 greenfinches in the trees around my garden, 2/3 blackbirds on the lawn, the ocassional robin and blue tits. haven't seen any bullfinches this year as they usually pop up around winter.

i'm guessing that the more magpies, pigeons, and crows in your garden the less of the other species :roll:

chris

[laurab]

Hi Chris

This morning I had 2 Robins on the bird table as well as the numerous Sparrows that visit us. I have also seen Blue Tits and Pigeons. We also get the occasional Wood Warblers drop by. That is generally it for our garden.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

Last year I saw a pair of Magpies destroy a nest of five Blackbirds (when I saw how they killed the chicks I was upset & very angry :evil: ), I have seen them take out various other Birds.
I know Nature is Nature but I really do believe there needs to be a huge cull of Magpies to help various smaller Birds to recover their numbers over the next couple of years.
I may be seen as the Devil in my views, but if all of you had seen what I had seen, your views would mirror mine.

Paul.

[laurab]

I saw Paul not long after he witnessed this.....he was NOT happy, but justifiably so.

[chris]

is there any kind of program to reduce the numbers of magpies & pigeons? as there is no chance for the smaller species to recover if this isn't done. firstly, the magpies kill the chicks of other species, and secondly pigeons are everywhere and eat most of the food out there that the smaller species would.

then, there'd also have to be some major tree re-planting along with food plants for other species to truly recover :roll:

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

I'm not sure if there is anything in the pipeline to reduce numbers of Magpies, Sparrowhawks & Pigeons etc?
I do believe though something will come into play when it is too late. :x

Most of us are unaware that many of our so called Native Bird Species are in fact Migratory, this results in Northen Birds coming to the U.K. for the Winter Months & our own Birds living out the Winter on the Continent, where it is legal to shoot them, we then have very few Birds returning to the U.K. to breed in the Spring.

The U.K. Government needs to put a stop to the shooting of our Birds on the Continent, to come back to the U.K. in small numbers to be predated on by an ever rising population of Magpies etc.

The other issue I have is the ever increasing number of GM Crops popping up all over the U.K.

We are killing our Wildlife while trying to beat Nature, but we fail to realise that Nature is the best method!

Paul.

[chris]

i didn't think GM crops were legal? :shock:

i was under the impression that they had to go through more testing to make sure there were no side effects like genes leaking into other plants and wildlife :x

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

GM Farming has been going on in the U.K. long before it was made public knowledge. :x

I have seen programmes on TV where Farmers who Farmed Organic crops have been forced to remove the Organic label due to contamination of wind bourne GM crops. :evil:

I don't mean to patronise you Chris, but how do you think testing of such things go ahead?

My answer is to put it into place, wreck Nature beyond repair & then try to bring things back to the point they were before we Humans meddled with Nature! :x

You & I both know that this isn't the correct procedure, but there will always be people paid vast amounts of money who claim to know better than you & I.

Just look at the introduction of the Marine Toad to Australia & the damage that has caused.
Before that the introduction of the Red Fox, Domestic & now Feral Cat, Rat, Mouse, Rabbit etc etc.
We can also count various British Bird Species in Australia including Goldfinch, Greenfinch etc.
Rats are responsible for the near Extinction of the Kakapo in New Zealand, various other Island Bird Species are hanging onto existence due to the introduction of Rats etc.

I will give up now, but there are many other examples of Human interference that have either caused problems or extinction for many different Animal & Bird Species.

Paul.

[chris]

i thought that they were tested out in large enclosed greenhouses, so that nothing escaped out into the atmosphere :evil:

the only way i can think of cleaning up the problem with cane toads in australia would be a mass clean up operation, with thousands of people sweeping the country in a line removing all ferral species they come accross. obviously that would be a little impractical as the situation is already too serious.

why do we have such idiots for a government? wouldn't suprise me to find out that SARS was a manufactured virus that escaped from testing facilities..... ah well, on the bright side when we nearly wipe ourselves out maybe people will take more precautions

god, i sound really paranoid :roll:

chris

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

As a Species we Humans are responsible for destroying many Animals & Birds etc on this Planet & we will continue to do so for many years to come.
SARS & AIDS etc are possibly Man made, but we will never know.

Later, Paul.