Absolutely Outraged
I am livid to hear that a local Norfolk council has netted a cliff thereby stopping Sand Martins from accessing their traditional nesting sites. There is a government petition to protect our visiting birds to bring the next generation forth. These tiny birds fly some 2000 miles to get here then we block them, disgraceful. I have signed the petition.
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The RSPB said:
An RSPB spokesman said: "We are disappointed that the council have placed netting on the cliffs at Bacton to prevent sand martins from nesting.
"In an effort to minimise the disturbance to nesting sand martins during the sandscaping project, we supported the contractor's recommendation for the council to use a fine mesh (which birds cannot get trapped in) on a small section of the cliff.
"Based on the images we have seen published, our advice has not been followed and we will be reaching out to the council to offer further advice and support."
The images in the report show a fine mesh?
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North Norfolk Council have climbed down and are removing some of the netting from the Sand Martin nesting area
Netting of hedges and trees is a ploy usually used by developers to stop birds nesting as it is illegal to interfere with nesting birds so it would delay their building projects. Personally I think it is and outrageous practice and one I would take direct action against
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Fully agree with you OP, it’s disgraceful and cruel. The way something’s happen nowadays, I feel for future generations and wonder what kind of a world they will be living in. I will be signing petition.
This is what worries me about our country. Our elected representatives cannot be trusted to do the right things anymore, far too many of them have conflicts of interest and are looking to their assets rather than what’s right for the whole country and it’s way of life, and that includes wildlife as well as humans. Very sad☹️
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The thing is these little birds run the gauntlet of Southern European country hunters destroying migrating birds willy nilly to the tune of something like 14 million birds a year and then we who condem that behaviour act like savages ourselves
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It's not good, not good at all! I know there have been efforts to create alternative breeding habitats when riverbank work has been in need in certain areas. This demands much forward planning I would think and a positive mindset. Even then, I don't know how successful these efforts have been.
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Builders 'netted' a hedgerow in Shropshire to restrict birds nesting, in order that they could build 200 new houses.
Obviously the Shropshire birds are or will grow into Violent Home-wreckers.
Not that it really matters 'cos some "Anti-Enterprise" people in that area got stuck in & tore the nets down.
Council non too chuffed , but Brian's happily smiling
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OP.....you'll burst something.....
These cretins have no idea what to do for the best........
Nets should be outlawed where nature is concerned....leave the birds in peace......
I could go on and then I will probably burst. From Tesco to house builders, they should all be ashamed of the way they treat nature....Profit rules!
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In some cases ABN it makes good sense to net off if work is planned. As somebody who has had to consider nesting birds. if I had a project that meant a hedge removal or significant effects on the hedge' which has happened, if I had access I would prefer to remove the hedge or carry out the work on the hedging before nesting time rather than net off even if that meant some temporary fencing work.
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If you are referring to the netted off hedge it may be that the builder had inspected to insure no apparent nest building before netting. Something that I had to do prior to work commencing on part of the Wirral Way footpath. Some of the existing hedging needed to be cut back hard before the works. I enlisted one of the Countryside Rangers and two chaps from local RSPB to join me in the inspection 2 days before the site clearance hedging works took place. Seems pointless netting a hedge if there is access to do the works.
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I saw the reports of this practice in Lincolnshire-trapped birds inside the netting & 1 body of a bird. In the 21st century it is not acceptable, no excuses.
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This was an example to the North Norfolk Council of the power of social media as hours after the netting was discovered tens of thousands of people were involved including many personalities e.g. Chris Packham.
Some of the netting was removed yesterday but the RSPB are still not happy with the extent of the netting or the type of netting used. The netting was originally put up as part of a coastal erosion project.
This is the second example in a few weeks as recently Tescos netted off an area at their Harford Bridge store in an attempt to stop swallows nesting.
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‘Collateral damage’, a meally mouthed way of saying death to an unintended target. I’d suggest that if they stopped the practice there’d be no death.
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I didn’t like it. I find the death & abuse of the natural world disgusting. Certainly not worthy of a smile.
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It's a bit like "friendly fire". Actually anything but.
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That’s good news, One.👍🏻
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Excellent, hopefully it will become a practice firmly placed in history never to be resurrected👍🏻
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How about this......ramps things up a whole lot higher, preventing birds landing in a tree. Disgusting, I hope the tree falls on their car......
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Domestic cats also cause death amongst songbirds, particularly fledglings.
Don't think Packham is against humane control of pest species. He is however against sport killing and that of threatened species, some illegally for the table, which are primarily migrating to their breeding areas.
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Don't follow you - what context does that have for crows and pigeons. If a farmer plants say oilseed rape or peas, pigeons can overnight from nowhere decide to raid that field. How long do you think a farmer will need to get through the beurocracy of obtaining a licence to shoot hem? No doubt with objections from ill informed, bunny huggers In a matter of 3 days the crop will have been decimated. Its this ignorance that makes your pundit unsuitable to represent BBC programmes. His attitude that country folks are bullies ( todays Guardian) just adds to his unsuitability.
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Calling folk who care about wild creatures as ‘bunny huggers’ makes you unsuitable to defend your ilk.
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Is that you me? What a tirade. All I ask for is some reasonable discussion and scientific justification. Nothing wrong with proper and reasonable control. Some just want get the gun and spread toxic lead lead all wildly hilly over the countryside.
There are ways and means of controlling the issues recklessness is not one of them
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Well said Rocky and Micky.👏🏻
I couldn’t believe what I was reading especially from one who said, as a non-member, he didn’t believe he had any right to pass comment here.
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