RSPB &BBC blame farming practices for curlew decline

[bracken basher]

BBC Wales headline-
Decline in curlew birds as farming 'destroys habitat'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47980207


They then start the article by stating that -"The number of curlews in Wales has dropped by 80% since 1990 with farming practices partly to blame, a charity has said."
But what most will pick up on is the headline that farming has destroyed the habitat not that it is partly to blame, blatant farmer bashing again!
On the BBC Wales news last night the National Trust spokesperson did state that predation was also a factor but no mention from what and was not discussed.
With the wretched Welsh Government Minister Lesley Griffiths still to publish any findings in to her Farming after Brexit consultation and the fact that she prefers Environmental payments open to all landowners including allotments, I can't help but think that the RSPB ar now upping the ante to try and get more influence and bigger payments for themselves.

 

[kfpben]

See this @delilah

We have stone curlew plots on our farm. The curlews have visited before but usually don’t as the walkers & dogs from the many local footpaths disturb them. But of course it’s the farmer’s fault as we have the audacity to produce food.

Every time we are blamed for something the more inclined I am to say ‘fudge you’ to the conservation stuff.

 

[delilah]

See this @delilah

We have stone curlew plots on our farm. The curlews have visited before but usually don’t as the walkers & dogs from the many local footpaths disturb them. But of course it’s the farmer’s fault as we have the audacity to produce food.

Every time we are blamed for something the more inclined I am to say ‘fudge you’ to the conservation stuff.

none of which detracts from my point; that farmers and environmentalists are each others greatest ally in the fight against climate change.

 

[primmiemoo]

How many farmers and farmers' representatives are going to complain about the BBC's continued broadcasting the erroneous message that beef and lamb meat should be avoided because of methane and CO2?

They did it again in the otherwise good David Attenborough programme last night. Not a peep about the methane footprint of rice, or the carbon footprint of soya.

It's ridiculous when complex matters are reduced to misinterpreted soundbites, headlines, and chants for children.

 

[CharcoalWally]

They're joking aren't they? More curlews here on this farm than ever. Healthy numbers of them on the lower fields below the house.

 

[upnortheast]

They're joking aren't they? More curlews here on this farm than ever. Healthy numbers of them on the lower fields below the house.

Same here. Yellow hammers, supposed to be in trouble. Plenty here.

 

[DrWazzock]

On the BBC news the other day I saw that they were encouraging people to go into the woods to count how many birds animals and insects they can find. This would be important to establish how many of each species there are in certain areas. Yeah right.

With the nesting and breeding season in full swing I can't think of a worse time to encourage people to go poking about in the woods.

The way that wildlife is seen almost as an amenity for human recreational activity or a tourist attraction to boost the local economy is precisely what's wrong with the government's approach to the countryside. Unmanaged human access to hitherto inaccessible areas is a disaster for many of the species that live there.

Sensitive and controlled observation of nature is fine but these sort of campaigns to encourage the public enmasse into wild areas are misguided and will do more damage than good IMO. I think they have more to do with promoting the idea that all land should be publicly accessible and owned rather than having anything to do with helping wildlife.

I have said it before but the best the public can do to help wildlife in the countryside is keep themselves and their dogs out of it. Stick to watching it on the telly or participate as part of a responsibly led conservation volunteer group.

 

[Pond digger]

On the BBC news the other day I saw that they were encouraging people to go into the woods to count how many birds animals and insects they can find. This would be important to establish how many of each species there are in certain areas. Yeah right.

With the nesting and breeding season in full swing I can't think of a worse time to encourage people to go poking about in the woods.

The way that wildlife is seen almost as an amenity for human recreational activity or a tourist attraction to boost the local economy is precisely what's wrong with the government's approach to the countryside. Unmanaged human access to hitherto inaccessible areas is a disaster for many of the species that live there.

Sensitive and controlled observation of nature is fine but these sort of campaigns to encourage the public enmasse into wild areas are misguided and will do more damage than good IMO. I think they have more to do with promoting the idea that all land should be publicly accessible and owned rather than having anything to do with helping wildlife.

I have said it before but the best the public can do to help wildlife in the countryside is keep themselves and their dogs out of it. Stick to watching it on the telly or participate as part of a responsibly led conservation volunteer group.

Well said!!

 

[PSQ]

I wonder how many people will watch this on the news and mutter quietly about 'bloody farmers ruining the environment', while siting in a lovely house (built amongst 3000 others) on a flood plain that was once home to Curlews, Song Thrush, Yellow Hammers, Skylarks, Starlings, House Sparrows, Grey Partridges, and other 'red listed' species widely found on this 'intensive arable' farm.

I don't know if it's the 3 crop rule or margins around every field, but I've never seen so many Skylarks, Linnets and Yellow Hammers in all my life. Of course we are 'part of the problem', but you'd have to be a monumental f**king hypocrite to disagree with this blindingly obvious fact:
- "No one is innocent".
Not even the 'New Puritan' eco-warriors on Westminster Bridge. I'll believe that they're 'part of the solution' when they acknowledge that they're 'part of the problem' too. I'd love to know how many of them have gone to Heathrow today? (to sneak off to their Villas in Tuscany for Easter... )

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

 

[upnortheast]

Decline in curlew birds as farming 'destroys habitat'

So the headline should have been "65% of Curlew nests destroyed by Foxes & Badgers"

 

[2wheels]

about 5 weeks ago i saw a couple of hundred curlews in a field beside the road just to the north of arbroath.

 

[AGN76]

Saw this this morning, really p!ssed me off. Tried to find the email address of the rspb woman to tell her my thoughts! My old man used to put the electric fence around curlew nests and the cows would graze around them. Would make no difference now, the farm is riddled with badgers. A very sad state of affairs.

 

[Kevtherev]

One thing to blame for the demise of ground nesting birds
Badgers.

 

[melted welly]

about 5 weeks ago i saw a couple of hundred curlews in a field beside the road just to the north of arbroath.

Impossible, some beards have done a survey and the birds weren’t there during office hours so can’t possibly exist.

 

[Northern territory]

Beavers being released in our area this week to help damn water to prevent flooding, hmm what next

 

[Kevtherev]

Beavers being released in our area this week to help damn water to prevent flooding, hmm what next

All that does is move flooding higher up
See the problems beaver dams create in the USA on farmsteads and logging roads.

 

[Northern territory]

All that does is move flooding higher up
See the problems beaver dams create in the USA on farmsteads and logging roads.

Totally agree, it will cause unforeseen problems.

 

[renewablejohn]

View attachment 789432 View attachment 789434

So farmers are now being blamed in 2016 when in 2015 it was down to Avian predation. I certainly know why the Curlews are struggling near me and its down to a d**kh**d who has moved in and allowed a rookery to get out of control.

 

[Kevtherev]

Why do all the do gooders like packham want more raptors and predators like badgers?
Can’t work it out.
Releasing eagles will cause untold problems for sheep farmers in Scotland.