Have some of that Chris Packham

[Fallowfield]

Here’s an example of a conservation policy that has led to a decline in biodiversity. Protection of badgers has led to their population exploding, resulting in a subsequent decline in hedgehogs, bumblebees and ground nesting birds, as well as rampant spreading of Tb.

Badgers have been protected since 1973, so falls outwith the period we are talking about, apart from any other considerations.

 

[Shep]

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants to blame farming for everything these days, but it is themselves they need to look at, farming policy since the war has been a result of population increase and population needs fed! So if you want to blame anyone take a look in the mirror or blame your parents for playing too much hide the sausage and from now on keep your boxers and knickers on or else bag it.

 

[melted welly]

Yet another nonsense industry has been spawned. Protecting " rare " wildlife. More non jobs created measuring, ringing, tagging, weighing, ( I wonder what the creatures make of being ringed, tagged, measured, stuffed in bags and weighed every 10 minutes, but I digress ).
Each crying wolf over the demise of their particular " interest " to gain funding for their so called research.
As I said, those that are unhappy with " modern farm practices " ( yawn ), can club together, buy some land of their own, and manage it as they see fit. Having seen the balls up the National parks / NT / RSPB etc make of it, would provide the rest of us with much entertainment.

I've got an idea as to why some migratory birds are in decline, because this is how the beards catch them for ringing, tagging and whatever other necessities......

Those geese gonna come back next year?!


Like the penguin colony in Antarctic that disappeared, only for a "new" one to turn up a few miles away, away from the anoraked pests.

 

[Fallowfield]

It's all cause and effect, everyone wants to blame farming for everything these days, but it is themselves they need to look at, farming policy since the war has been a result of population increase and population needs fed! So if you want to blame anyone take a look in the mirror or blame your parents for playing too much hide the sausage and from now on keep your boxers and knickers on or else bag it.

So, at the risk of repeating myself, shouldn't you be arguing that farming policy/practice has led to a reduction in biodiversity, but it has been worth it, rather than there has been no reduction in biodiversity or if there has it's nothing to do with farming?

 

[Jerry]

@Fallowfield can I ask if you are just an interested bystander or do you have a professional interest in the subjects covered in this thread?

What real world experience do you personally have of farming and the countryside? I mean real experience, not just what you have read in books/papers/online/tv etc

@Fallowfield knock knock

Care to answer a direct question?

You seem to very selective in your answers when the question is posed directly to you.

 

[DrWazzock]

The sparrows in our yard are a typical example of the fickle and contradictory demands placed on farming by society at large.

When we signed up to "quality assurance" which was apparently demanded by our customers we took steps to keep the sparrows out of the grain store. Lo and behold our erstwhile thriving colony of sparrows almost died out.

So what do people really want? Spotlessly clean grain or a bit of bird sh!t in the grain and a healthy colony of sparrows.

Contrary to what some people might think, sparrows can't live on chopped straw and stubble through the winter. They like grain and lots of it.

 

[fallowfields]

I find Fallowfield reminds me of a stuck 45rpm record repeat,repeat,repeat. He even struggled to think of an original user name. Of course as farmers we have no idea of what happens in the countryside and seeing things with our own eyes means nothing compared to someone who we can see has a far greater knowledge than us.

 

[Pilatus]

I think Fallowfield is just trying to provoke

@Fallowfield knock knock

Care to answer a direct question?

You seem to very selective in your answers when the question is posed directly to you.

At least if he does not answer a direct question he is just showing his true colours "an internet troll",and proving to me that he is not worth any ones time and effort posting replies to the individuals posts. Every time anyone answers on of his/her posts which are just provocative, and trying to incite non farming people against farmers/farming industry,one is just perpetuating his childish game.

 

[Pilatus]

I find Fallowfield reminds me of a stuck 45rpm record repeat,repeat,repeat. He even struggled to think of an original user name. Of course as farmers we have no idea of what happens in the countryside and seeing things with our own eyes means nothing compared to someone who we can see has a far greater knowledge than us.

IF he comes from the "Fallowfield" suburb of Manchester he did not have to think very hard
Google "Fallowfield Manchester Map", to see that it really does exist.A lot of wildlife there? Perhaps a bit of “Pond Life”

 

[yellow belly]

Most of the land I farm has been drained several times in the last 400 years the most resent was between 1950 and 1984 the last the last 35 years only 1% hs been drained
The rspb considers lapwings as a bird of moorland and wetlands
Then tell that to the 50 or more pairs the breed every year on fields that I grow crops on
Mr packham mr fallowfield and the rspb have no idea how to maintain the countryside for the benefit of those who inhabit it
Namely the birds animals insects worms farmers plants livestock and other occasional visiters
Listing the individual species would leave no time to look after any of them

 

[graham99]

They are not the ones you need to worry about. It's the ones that are obviously often not correct but insist that they are, that are ones you do need to watch, because they will drop everyone and everything in the sh!t even while insisting that it is your fault, not his [or hers, their own incompetence].

would like to add that people with opinions are ok ,good or bad .
you know where they stand on a matter.
the people who blindly follow other peoples opinions are the dangerous ones.
and that is why the poli's have the western countrys divided 50/50.
they only have to lead the easily lead people sitting on the fence

 

[Fallowfield]

The rspb considers lapwings as a bird of moorland and wetlands
Then tell that to the 50 or more pairs the breed every year on fields that I grow crops on

###




'What this species needs
Bare ground or short vegetation for nesting from mid-March to June

Lapwings breed between mid-March and July. They nest on spring-tilled arable land or on short grassland with a low stocking rate. Arable nesting birds often walk their chicks onto grazed pasture to feed.

Lots of soil and ground invertebrates throughout the year

Lapwings feed mainly on earthworms, leatherjackets, insects and their larvae. They generally feed where they can find lots of these, such as in grazed pasture. Wet grassland is a particularly important source of food.'

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/co...ility/farming/advice/helping-species/lapwing/

 

[Fallowfield]

The sparrows in our yard are a typical example of the fickle and contradictory demands placed on farming by society at large.

When we signed up to "quality assurance" which was apparently demanded by our customers we took steps to keep the sparrows out of the grain store. Lo and behold our erstwhile thriving colony of sparrows almost died out.

So what do people really want? Spotlessly clean grain or a bit of bird sh!t in the grain and a healthy colony of sparrows.

Contrary to what some people might think, sparrows can't live on chopped straw and stubble through the winter. They like grain and lots of it.

You're right about the tree sparrows. Their decline is thought to be because of changes in farming practice (autumn sowing and less spilled grain) has denied them access to seed in the winter.

 

[An Gof]

You have to realise that the majority of farmers are the result of selective breeding over millennia.
the majority of townies are the result of using " bull of the day"

Classic, absolutely priceless

You back on form Joe?

 

[Macsky]

###




'What this species needs
Bare ground or short vegetation for nesting from mid-March to June

Lapwings breed between mid-March and July. They nest on spring-tilled arable land or on short grassland with a low stocking rate. Arable nesting birds often walk their chicks onto grazed pasture to feed.

Lots of soil and ground invertebrates throughout the year

Lapwings feed mainly on earthworms, leatherjackets, insects and their larvae. They generally feed where they can find lots of these, such as in grazed pasture. Wet grassland is a particularly important source of food.'

https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/co...ility/farming/advice/helping-species/lapwing/

Hang on a minute old boy, were you not suggesting on the raven cull thread that, rather than corvid predation, we should be more worried about the trampling feet of grazing stock on the survival of the likes of the Lapwing? But the omniscient RSPB state above that, in fact, they more or less depend on this environment!!?

Im confused. Are sheep good for them or not?

Go on, answer a question, I double dare you!

 

[renewablejohn]

IF he comes from the "Fallowfield" suburb of Manchester he did not have to think very hard
Google "Fallowfield Manchester Map", to see that it really does exist.A lot of wildlife there???????

Fallowfield in Manchester is student digs for the nearby Universities.

 

[Pilatus]

Fallowfield in Manchester is student digs for the nearby Universities.

Perhaps that says it all

 

[Pilatus]

Fallowfield in Manchester is student digs for the nearby Universities.

It is also a suburb for non student residents.

 

[Shutesy]

You're right about the tree sparrows. Their decline is thought to be because of changes in farming practice (autumn sowing and less spilled grain) has denied them access to seed in the winter.

?? How does more autumn sowing mean less seed available in the winter than years ago when spring sowing was more usual? I'd say there is far more provision of winter bird feeding plants now than there was say 30 years ago. I would think the decline in numbers is more likely down to the domestic moggy!
Whilst you try and pee off every farmer that reads this thread FFS get your quoting right if your going to quote people, v irritating when quotes all go wrong and mess up posts because one person can't get it right!

 

[Fallowfield]

Hang on a minute old boy, were you not suggesting on the raven cull thread that, rather than corvid predation, we should be more worried about the trampling feet of grazing stock on the survival of the likes of the Lapwing? But the omniscient RSPB state above that, in fact, they more or less depend on this environment!!?

Im confused. Are sheep good for them or not?

Go on, answer a question, I double dare you!

##

Well firstly can we agree that yellow belly seems to have misunderstood, or misrepresented, what the RSPB have to say about the lapwing?

Secondly, you yourself seem to have fallen into the same error. The RSPB make it clear that lapwing can nest on arable land, so they are not saying, as you claim, that lapwing 'more or less depend on this environment!!'.

As to your question, stock can and do trample the nests of ground nesting birds. That might explain the reference to low stocking rate, don't you think?