Gamekeepers

[Ian H]

"A game farm and its director have been fined after the discovery of a buzzard poisoned by a banned pesticide.

Ashley Game Farm in Chulmeigh, Devon, admitted five charges including using banned pesticide carbofuran and was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £590 in costs at Exeter Magistrates Court.

Director Christopher Hodgson pleaded guilty to storing a pesticide without permission and was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £150 in costs."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckmgl75450go

Carbofuran was banned more than 20 years ago. What worries me is that "During a search of the farm traces of the highly toxic pesticide were found". Only traces? This probably means that the feckers managed to hide their main stash of this illegal substance. Oh well, it's a good result in that a hefty fine might make them think twice about using it in future.

The company is worth about £3m.

 

[Poacher]

Gamekeeper bleats about losing his job and (tied?) house after beating a captured Buzzard to death. Oh poor me!
I'm inclined to suggest a like for like punishment for Mr Thomas Munday, rather than (or in addition to) the pathetic fine of £1215.
His lawyer told the court the estate for which he worked had nothing to do with Munday's actions, as he was employed by a separate management company. So absolutely no blame whatsoever can be attached to the estate, no sirree!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrex4gvzlno

 

[Poacher]

Another one who lost his job but should also have lost his liberty. His two co-conspirators seem to have got away scot free.
"Covert footage from the RSPB allowed a UK-first prosecution to be brought against Racster Dingwall, 35, over his intention to harm hen harriers.
York Magistrates' Court heard earlier that Dingwall dressed in camouflage gear and took a shotgun and binoculars onto Grassington Moor in North Yorkshire on 2 October 2024. He was then filmed using a radio to talk about shooting the raptors.
...
Tim Ryan, defending, said the gamekeeper had lost his livelihood as a result of the offences.
"It is clear he regrets his offences and has let a lot of people down by his foolish actions," he added.
District Judge Adrian Lower acknowledged there was some controversy around the management of hen harriers, with some believing them to be pests affecting sporting estates".
It's about time we had vicarious liability in such cases - Scotland seems to have managed it successfully.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr7jx09z2m5o

Edit: it seems that the recording also included a discussion of the shooting earlier that day of two protected species, Raven and Buzzard.
Bastards!

 

[laurentian]

I couldn't agree more!

How on earth can a native species (in this case a Hen Harrier) be deemed a "pest" when an environment has been artificially over-populated by people in the name of sport? I don't have too much of a problem with sporting shoots and believe there is a "conservation argument" but that is wholly negated when other native species are persecuted for predating on the artificial population.

This makes interesting reading: https://www.gwct.org.uk/policy/briefings/birds-of-prey-on-grouse-moors/

 

[Psamathe]

... when an environment has been artificially over-populated by people in the name of sport?

Or in the name of profit. The number of pheasants break and released and the costs cityfolkj pay to go sdhoot them. Very destructive to out environment (I have 3 living in my garden presumable as nobody can shoot them there). Hover up a. the food that other (native) birds depend on, drive off native snakes (as do other game birds).

 

[Mr Celine]

I saw a magpie in my garden last week.

First one in the 32 years I've lived here.
I'd wondered about their absence and was told by locals that there were none in the Borders because the gamekeepers shot them all.
It was only about 10 years ago that I first saw one within 20 miles of home.

 

[icowden]

I saw a magpie in my garden last week.
First one in the 32 years I've lived here.

Blimey - come down to Surrey - they've all moved down here.

 

[AndyRM]

There's loads in Newcastle too, and I don't just mean football fans.

 

[secretsqirrel]

In my garden in South Glam we’ve seen most members of the corvid family (raven, crow, magpie, jackdaw, rook, jay), missing chough and hooded crow which would highly unlikely in this area. They are amazing birds.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

hooded crow

Saw them smashing shellfish on the road in Ireland. Who'd have thought crows eat shellfish, never mind being intelligent enough to drop it onto tarmac. There are Reform supporters who wouldn't be able to work that out (sorry, probably an exaggeration, but once I'd thought it...).

 

[secretsqirrel]

Saw them smashing shellfish on the road in Ireland. Who'd have thought crows eat shellfish, never mind being intelligent enough to drop it onto tarmac. There are Reform supporters who wouldn't be able to work that out (sorry, probably an exaggeration, but once I'd thought it...).

Crows used to smash snails on our patio. The best one was when they used to dunk hard stale bread in the dog’s water bowl we keep outside.

 

[BoldonLad]

I saw a magpie in my garden last week.

First one in the 32 years I've lived here.
I'd wondered about their absence and was told by locals that there were none in the Borders because the gamekeepers shot them all.
It was only about 10 years ago that I first saw one within 20 miles of home.

Magpies are very common in our garden, here in South Tyneside, in fact there is a magpie's nest in a tall tree in our neighbours garden.

There was a period, some years ago now, when Magpies were a rare site. The local "knowledge" was that they were adversely affected by some insecticide (DDT ?) which affected their breeding cycle. No idea if this is true, or not. I can say there is an absence of Gamekeepers in South Tyneside. 😊

 

[C R]

They're fairly common in our suburban Worcester garden too.

 

[AndyRM]

Magpies are very common in our garden, here in South Tyneside, in fact there is a magpie's nest in a tall tree in our neighbours garden.

There was a period, some years ago now, when Magpies were a rare site. The local "knowledge" was that they were adversely affected by some insecticide (DDT ?) which affected their breeding cycle. No idea if this is true, or not. I can say there is an absence of Gamekeepers in South Tyneside. 😊

I hope you salute them appropriately.