curlew killers :0

Tackleberrywho

MacraPat wrote: »

I'm not 100% certain but REPS should lead into AEOS.

In that case is it common for clubs to take such initiative to plant up setaside?
A field of wildflowers or sunflowers would work wonders for convincing the Joe&Joan Bloggs that Hunters aren't sadists. Especially after the Sunday Indo/ Birdwatch Ireland attack on this forum today.

Attack

SCAN AND POST PLEASE!!

MacraPat

I ain't got a scanner but there was an article about declining Curlew numbers. A BirdwatchIreland Official (Aptly named Niall Hatch) laid the blame at the feet of boards.ie hunters who are "shooting curlew out of curiosity to see what it tastes like" see page 15.

johngalway

MacraPat wrote: »

I ain't got a scanner but there was an article about declining Curlew numbers. A BirdwatchIreland Official (Aptly named Niall Hatch) laid the blame at the feet of boards.ie hunters who are "shooting curlew out of curiosity to see what it tastes like" see page 15.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cry-of-curlew-now-a-lament-as-numbers-fall-2841915.html

MacraPat

Thanks John. I don't accept their values for the # pair at all!

johngalway

MacraPat wrote: »

Thanks John. I don't accept their values for the # pair at all!

From being out and about in this area I would tend to share your view on that Pat.

Birdnuts

MacraPat wrote: »

I ain't got a scanner but there was an article about declining Curlew numbers. A BirdwatchIreland Official (Aptly named Niall Hatch) laid the blame at the feet of boards.ie hunters who are "shooting curlew out of curiosity to see what it tastes like" see page 15.

Yeah - very suprised by that since there was a similiar piece in the IT last week which highlighted the fact that habitat loss was by far the main factor according to BWI. In any case I wouldn't use the SINDO as an accurate source of information for anything TBH since it more like a cheap tabloid then a serious broadsheet and the article itself was very poorly written.

I wouldn't shoot a Curlew now myself anyways and the impression I get from other hunters/fowlers is that they don't eithier so the chances of an Irish hunter taking out even one native Curlew(as opposed to the still large number of winter migrants) is probably close to nil.

Birdnuts

johngalway wrote: »

From being out and about in this area I would tend to share your view on that Pat.

Thats good to hear JG - how many pairs do you reckon you have out your way??:)

johngalway

Birdnuts wrote: »

Thats good to hear JG - how many pairs do you reckon you have out your way??:)

I couldn't say, but I do hear them around the place.

Birdnuts

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0730/1224301620123.html

I think the above gives a far more accurate and fair report on the real reasons for the decline - and the BWI person concurs with the findings:)

The important point is that the only reference to hunting is the fact that the species is still legal quarry, but this is not blamed in any way as a reason for the decline.

PS: Note that this article appeared a week before the nonsense in the SINDO!!

Cass

Moved posts from "REPS/AEOS" thread as they are more appropriate here.

homerhop

She isnt much of a reporter if she cant even read the thread properly. Straight out of the school of icabs in her style . Imagine of reporters like Lynn actually did a bit of research on what is said on boards how a story may turn out different. 2 seconds on the search and i got the thread about how they tasted, this being a reporter **** is easy :rolleyes:
But jusy for you Lynne, a few quotes from that thread.........

I shot and ate two Curlew's over 30 year's ago to see what they tasted like, they were stink and I can still smell what they were like they absoutly stank out the house,take it from me if you do try them you won't bother again.

i shot one about 15 years ago

And fron the guy who posted the question about how they tasted....

Thanks to....... all others who replied. I think I'll leave them be so

Birdnuts

homerhop wrote: »

She isnt much of a reporter if she cant even read the thread properly. Straight out of the school of icabs in her style . Imagine of reporters like Lynn actually did a bit of research on what is said on boards how a story may turn out different. 2 seconds on the search and i got the thread about how they tasted, this being a reporter **** is easy :rolleyes:
But jusy for you Lynne, a few quotes from that thread.........





And fron the guy who posted the question about how they tasted....

Thats the SINDO for you:rolleyes: - I'm trying to wean various members of my family away from this ragsheet.

cavan shooter

Me thinks a quick letter is response is needed from a few of us..

sfakiaman

There are at least a dozen curlew within a half mile of my house as I type this. In all my years of shooting I've never known anyone to shoot one.

cavan shooter

I read your article "Cry of the curlew" now a lament as numbers fall" by Lynne Kelleher and found it disturbing.

I was raised on the sound of the curlew and to this day when I hear it find it a very lonesome and evocative song. As a keen bird/nature watcher and Hunter I would disagree that Curlew are being shot out of existence and would revert to an article in the Irish Times on Saturday July 30th that places its decline squarely on the issue of habitat loss, your article on Sunday seems to contradict Curlew Conservation Project Manager for Bird Watch Ireland, Anita Donaghy, blaming hunters for the decline.

The Curlew is a species that can be legally hunted like duck between September 1st and January 31st and has been for a long long time. I know few if any people who actively pursue it for the pot. In fact I believe you are mis-quoting the views expressed on boards.ie in an attempt to sensationalise the plight, Please can we have some balance from the print media and some proper research.

Regards


Annoyingly, I would have found Birdwatch Ireland a balanced bunch and had time for them completing surveys etc. They were good for a chat at Birr, Dont they realise that we can provide them with very accurate data on curlews observed/heard as we ramble about. if Curlews are that badly in trouble why havent they applied to have them removed from the list??

mac80

I finally had enough of Birdwatch Ireland and their attacks on hunters, I have cancelled my subscription which I have held since I was a lad.
I'd rather give the money to the RNLI anyway

lofty95

i would love to know where they get there figures from, 8 breeding pairs in mayo and donegal. It looks like they have adjusted the figures for sensationlism which is nothing more than i would expect from that paper. They are more than welcome to come down to the moy estuary and see there 8 breeding pairs and the rest

Birdnuts

mac80 wrote: »

I finally had enough of Birdwatch Ireland and their attacks on hunters,

- In my experience BWI have always had a reasonable attitude towards hunting and have a long track record of supporting the preservation of wildlife habitats that benefit many game species too(plus they often work with gun clubs and the like on certain projects). This incident was simply a case of some back-room desk-jockey back in Dublin not having read a report by the field-work team properly, which the Sindo then attempted to sensationlise.

The report a week earlier in the Times highlighted BWI actual position on the causes of the decline as already highlighted in this thread.

Birdnuts

lofty95 wrote: »

i would love to know where they get there figures from, 8 breeding pairs in mayo and donegal. It looks like they have adjusted the figures for sensationlism which is nothing more than i would expect from that paper. They are more than welcome to come down to the moy estuary and see there 8 breeding pairs and the rest

Thats good to hear Lofty and your totally on the ball as regards the standard of reporting in this O'Reilly rag-sheet.

homerhop

Birdnuts wrote: »

- In my experience BWI have always had a reasonable attitude towards hunting and have a long track record of supporting the preservation of wildlife habitats that benefit many game species too(plus they often work with gun clubs and the like on certain projects). This incident was simply a case of some back-room desk-jockey back in Dublin not having read a report by the field-work team properly, which the Sindo then attempted to sensationlise.

The report a week earlier in the Times highlighted BWI actual position on the causes of the decline as already highlighted in this thread.

Well surely they are aware since people are telling them what is being said here on boards.This Niall Hatch fella should be aware of statements being made by the project manager on the curlew project and or at least be up to speed on internal reports if he is going to be a spokesperson, and above all surely if he is getting reports that hunters are talking about shooting them and eating them he would have the basic common sense to look at the bloody thread instead of mouthing off to the newspapers with second hand information.

Birdnuts

homerhop wrote: »

Well surely they are aware since people are telling them what is being said here on boards.This Niall Hatch fella should be aware of statements being made by the project manager on the curlew project and or at least be up to speed on internal reports if he is going to be a spokesperson, and above all surely if he is getting reports that hunters are talking about shooting them and eating them he would have the basic common sense to look at the bloody thread instead of mouthing off to the newspapers with second hand information.

I totally agree and I suspect the BWI field workers who produced the report will make that very clear to HQ - especcially given the emails they got on the subject, including from myself.

J. Ramone

Breeding curlew are going the same way as our grouse population with the failure to protect our uplands. The sindo neglected to mention the upland conservation work of gun clubs and other shooting interests.

homerhop

That remains to be seen... they have never come on here and posted regarding the relationship between hunters and BWI in the few threads that there has been annimosity between the 2 groups. Looking forward to seeing them at Birr and seeing what they have to say on the matter!!!

Birdnuts

J. Ramone wrote: »

Breeding curlew are going the same way as our grouse population with the failure to protect our uplands. The sindo neglected to mention the upland conservation work of gun clubs and other shooting interests.

Indeed - but given the superficial nature of the SINDO when it comes to reporting such matters, its not suprising this glorified tabloid failed to give a proper account of the issue:(

lofty95

Maybe Bwi are trying to exagerate ths figures as being worse than they are in order to gain more funding. Surely there surveys arent that far off the mark

Birdnuts

homerhop wrote: »

That remains to be seen... they have never come on here and posted regarding the relationship between hunters and BWI in the few threads that there has been annimosity between the 2 groups. Looking forward to seeing them at Birr and seeing what they have to say on the matter!!!

Never knew they had a stand at BIRR!! - good to see them engaging with hunters so views can be exchanged and argued.

PS: I think the problem with organisations coming on boards to explain stuff is that you could get a crank/troll coming on and claiming to be from BWI etc. but instead attempting to troll as an Anti. Unless the person provides an official email address to the MODS or something along those lines.

Birdnuts

lofty95 wrote: »

Maybe Bwi are trying to exagerate ths figures as being worse than they are in order to gain more funding.

I suppose most charities could be accused of that at times but there is no doubt that Curlew breeding numbers are in sharp decline, and have been for a few decades now eg. - they used to breed in bogs near many of the Turloughs in East Mayo up till the early part of the last decade, but having spent some time in these area in the last few springs, they appear to have vanished from many old haunts:(.


In any case it should be pointed out that most of this funding is going towards securing/managing Curlew habitat along the border:)

cavan shooter

It would be an absolute shame for relationships between to drop to the level that RSPB is at at the moment with the shooting fraternity, All because of an ill informed reporter. I dont like what I see though, I read recently the fact sheet on magpies and its a bit OTT on the " sure they are a misunderstood bird" sentiment, a bit like a serial killer:D

Birdnuts

cavan shooter wrote: »

It would be an absolute shame for relationships between to drop to the level that RSPB is at at the moment with the shooting fraternity, All because of an ill informed reporter. I dont like what I see though, I read recently the fact sheet on magpies and its a bit OTT on the " sure they are a misunderstood bird" sentiment, a bit like a serial killer:D

The funny thing is that most twitchers and people who feed birds in their back-garden etc. that I know, can't stand Magpies eitheir;). I guess its a case of trying to cater to a very diverse membership.

A bit like various hunting organisations trying to cater for all the various diciplines of the sport without upsetting one group while trying to cater for the interest of another one eg.. The discussion on boards recently about how some mounted hunts don't want lampers in their area etc.