GOVERNMENT BALKS AT HUNTING REPRIEVE FOR WOODCOCK, SNIPE AND GOLDEN PLOVER

Golden plover - "little evidence" that it is in decline says Government

A  PETITION calling for a moratorium on the hunting of woodcock, snipe and golden plover has received short shrift from a Government department.

In its response to the call, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs states: "It is unlikely that hunting has had a significant impact on recent population trends for these species.

"Trends are likely to be influenced more by the quality and extent of habitat.

"All wild birds are protected in accordance with the provisions set out in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but some species of birds (as listed in Schedule 2 of the Act) may be killed or taken outside the close season. 

"Woodcock, snipe and golden plover are among those species that may be taken. In England and Wales.

"The dates for woodcock are 1 October to 31 January;  snipe 12 August to 31 January; golden plover 1 September to 31 January.

"Shooting is a legitimate activity and in addition to providing jobs and investment in some of our most remote areas, it can offer important benefits for wildlife and habitat conservation.

"The Government’s manifesto commits to protect shooting for the benefits it brings to individuals, the environment and the rural economy.

"Recent data shows that the woodcock has a breeding population or around 78,000 pairs; common snipe 76,000 and golden plover between 38,000 and 59,000. 

"Overwintering populations increase their numbers to approximately 1.4 million (woodcock), 1 million (common snipe) and 400,000 (golden plover). 

"The numbers in winter are greatly increased as a result of birds arriving from Scandinavia, the Baltic States and Russia and many of our breeding birds (and their offspring) leave the country in winter. 

"For all three species, the numbers of birds hunted is small compared with the population present in the country during the open season.

"When combined with the fact that many of our breeding birds winter abroad, it is unlikely that hunting pressure in this country has played a significant role in the recent downwards trends in the size and range of GB breeding populations of either woodcock or snipe.

"There is little evidence that the golden plover is currently in decline in GB as a whole.

"The reasons for any declines are complex and include habitat loss as a result of land drainage, the drying out of natural woodlands, declining woodland management, the maturation of new plantations, overgrazing by deer, recreational disturbance and reductions in prey availability. 

"The woodcock is currently red-listed due to breeding range decline in the past 25 years.

"Measures have been taken to improve habitats through Environmental Land Management schemes such as the Countryside Stewardship Scheme where grassland breeding waders have been specifically targeted. 

"The woodcock will have benefited from Woodland Grant Schemes, some of which specifically target management for declining woodland birds.

"The Government is not persuaded that the current level of hunting has a significant detrimental impact on the numbers of woodcock, common snipe and golden plover.

  "A number of English estates have already instigated their own voluntary bans on the shooting of woodcock. 

"Any moratorium in the rest of the UK is a matter for the devolved administrations."

The petition was created by broadcaster Chris Packham last month and reaches its six-month deadline on March 23, 2017

The Petitions Committee will take a look at this petition and its response. They can press the Government for action and gather evidence.

If this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Committee will consider it for a debate. As of today, there had been 14,935 signatories.

Pointing to data indicating a significant decline in all three species, he said a moratorium would "allow the impact of shooting to be established by independent scientific investigation".

The committee is made up of 11 MPs, from political parties in government and in opposition. It is entirely independent of the Government.

*  Photo of golden plover: (photo: Andrej Chudy/ Wikimedia Commons)

THE MANY ADMIRERS (INCLUDING DAVID BOWIE) OF ARTIST POLYANNA PICKERING

                                                           

What could be more co-operative than a model that poses on top of the picture frame?

    

AS one  of Britain's top wildlife artists, Pollyanna Pickering's superb  paintings are in demand all over the world.

 

Her  work has been featured on the postage stamps of African nations, and she was once even commissioned to produce a study of the Queen Mother's favourite racing pigeon!

 

Celebrity collectors of her art  include John Hurt, Virginia McKenna and David Bowie, while Sheik Mohammed has a specially commissioned series of paintings of his Royal Ascot racehorse winners.

 

Pollyanna travels extensively, invariably accompanied by her daughter, Anna-Louise, who  provides the accompanying text and photographs for her books.

 

Over the years, they have visited some of the coldest, the hottest and most humid places on the planet where, in less pleasant moments, they have been bitten by numerous insects, not to mention ape and snake.

 

Later this year, the duo  will be heading for what will be their first visit to Australia.

 

Pollyanna, who is a patron of Born Free and the Badger Trust,  has her own website:  www.pollyannapickering.co.uk

 

 

 

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND BROUGHT UP?

In a village called Whiston, near Rotherham, in South Yorkshire.

IS THAT WHERE YOU LIVE NOW?

No – for more than 40 years I have lived in the Derbyshire Peak District.  

DID YOU GO TO ART COLLEGE?

I completed a foundation course at Rotherham Art School, then studied at the London Central School of Art for a further three years.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE ANIMAL SUBJECTS?

I love to paint anything living!  The big cats are always especially beautiful, and I have made several expeditions to study the most endangered species in their natural habitats, including amur tigers in Siberia and snow leopards in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

WHAT ABOUT BIRDS? ANY PARTICULAR FAVOURITES?

I paint a lot of birds. My annual British Birds appointments calendar  always sells well, so I complete new images of garden birds every year. My bird table is right outside my window so I can sit and sketch them without even leaving home.

WHAT SORT OF BIRDS VISIT YOUR GARDEN? 

As well as the more common species, I regularly see long-tailed tits, treecreepers, goldcrests and flycatchers.

 

WHAT ABOUT RAPTORS?

Having once run a wildlife sanctuary from my home for 15 years I especially love to paint birds of prey of all species.  With their wonderful pale colouring, barn owls are a particular favourite.  

WHAT POSTAGE STAMPS HAVE YOU DESIGNED?

I have painted several series of stamps, mostly for African countries including Benin, The Congo, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau.  Other sets have featured my paintings of wolves, tigers, and domestic cats.  I also designed a first day cover for the Royal Mail some years ago to commemorate the release of a series of photographic stamps of British wildlife.

   

WHAT'S YOUR BEST  MEMORY AS AN ARTIST?

It is so hard to choose! Visiting the printers to watch my first book coming off the presses was very special. So was receiving an honorary degree from the University of Derby, in recognition of my work in the arts, which was an amazing honour. It was something I could never have imagined happening when I first started out!

WHAT ARE THE TITLES OF YOUR BOOKS?

Brush With Wildlife, The Eye of the Tiger, Giant Pandas and Sleeping Dragons and On Top of The World.

AND  YOUR  BEST OTHER   MEMORY? 

I have been very lucky to have been able to travel widely to paint endangered species in their natural habitats, and this has lead to some amazing experiences.  I think my best memory has to be bottle-feeding a six month old  panda bear in a tiny wildlife clinic in the Tibetan borderlands.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

While I was at art college in London I worked as a waitress at a coffee bar in Soho.

 

WITH WHICH  FAMOUS PERSON WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER? 

I have been very fortunate in having had the opportunity to meet a lot of my heroes in the world of wildlife conservation including David Attenborough and Jane Goodall . Earlier this year, I returned from trekking in the Virunga mountains of Rwanda where I  studied and painted mountain  gorillas, so I would love to have met the late Dian Fossey and asked  about her ground-breaking work with them.

 

DO YOU HAVE ANY PET ANIMALS?

Not at the moment – my work takes me away from home so much.  It seems very strange as I have always been surrounded by animals, not only pet dogs and cats, hens and donkeys, but also all the wildlife that was cared for in my animal sanctuary. Happily, one of my assistants has a gorgeous dog who always comes in to work with him several days each week, so I feel I have a part-time dog , and I always "cat-sit" for friends and relatives when they go away!

DO YOU HAVE INTERESTS OTHER THAN PAINTING AND WILDLIFE?

I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I love to go to the theatre, and   I also walk a lot in the Peak District.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT REALLY IRRITATES YOU?

Actually I am fairly easy going!  When you travel a lot through developing countries, you quickly learn that it is no good being annoyed by transport delays or having to change your plans.  But cruelty to animals make me extremely angry.

 

DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS?

Not really, though I do have some lucky Chinese coins hanging in my gallery – I am waiting for them to bring me prosperity!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OVERSEAS  DESTINATION?

I was absolutely enchanted by Bhutan – it is a unique country which seems very untouched by the outside world. The mountain scenery is absolutely spectacular, and the people are friendly and charming. I was fortunate to receive a fellowship from an international art society – Artists For Conservation – which sponsored my visit to paint the unique wildlife in the region.

 DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE PLACES IN BRITAIN? 

The Scottish Highlands  – I try to get back there at least once a year.  I stay in a wooden lodge right on the banks of Loch Ness.  It is a very inspirational place for my art – both the highland landscapes and the abundance of wildlife.  I  even managed to catch a glimpse of the elusive Scottish wildcat on one visit.

 CAN YOU REMEMBER  THE LAST FILM YOU SAW IN A CINEMA?

I seem to see most films on a tiny screen in the back of the airplane seat in front of me!  I think the last film I actually saw in the cinema was Black Swan, which was excellent – very atmospheric.

 ANY FAVOURITE MUSIC OR SINGER?

I listen to a wide variety of music when I am working in the studio.  At the moment I am playing some CDs of traditional African ‘click singing’ which I brought back from Namibia recently.  My all time favourite band would have to be Sparks – I love the fact that they create music in their own world which doesn’t appear to have any outside influences, and their recent albums are remarkable!

 

YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD?

 I have been vegetarian for many years, so I am delighted that so many restaurants now offer such an imaginative and delicious range of meat-free dishes.  However, I couldn’t live without dark chocolate!

FAVOURITE DRINK?

Green tea.  I drink it all day and always carry tea bags with me when I travel.

 

FINALLY, IF YOU COULD TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO A PREVIOUS ERA, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

It would be amazing to visit Egypt while the pyramids were being constructed to see how they were really built. I would also love  to travel back into prehistoric times so that I could sketch the dinosaurs from life!

WILL THE BBC DITCH CHRIS PACKHAM?

Chris Packham - knowledgeable and he strikes a chord with young viewers

An announcement is expected this month - possibly later this week - on whether any sanctions will be imposed by the BBC on  its star wildlife presenter, Chris Packham.

Over summer, members of the BBC Trust have been considering a complaint that  Packham has breached impartiality rules by taking a leading role in the campaign to ban driven grouse shooting on Britain’s moorlands.

Along with fellow-campaigner Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s former conservation director, he maintains that such a ban would enhance the survival  prospects of the hen harrier, a raptor perilous close to breeding extinction in England following many years of  persecution by gamekeepers for its tendency to predate young grouse. .

But the vociferous and high-profile involvement of  Packham, lead presenter of BBC-2’s Springwatch, Autumnwatch and other wildlife-related documentaries, has sparked outrage among such bodies as the Countryside Alliance,  the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation.

Such has been their fury that, in July, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart, who is chairman of the Alliance,  was prompted to lodge a formal complaint.

He believes  that  Packham (55) has used his special status as TV personality to advance his cause. “Celebrity bullying” is a term that has been used.

In his letter, the MP stated:  "We cannot stand by and continue to allow Mr Packham to use the status the BBC has given him to spread propaganda which has a direct impact on the lives of our supporters."

Meanwhile, the shooting fraternity has found its own champion in cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham, himself now a broadcaster (for Sky Sports) who debated the grouse/harrier issue with  Packham on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

(Several years ago  former Test all-rounder was also featured in a successful TV campaign to promote Shredded Wheat as a cereal which helps to maintain a healthy heart.)

The complaint against Packham is a tricky one for the 12 members of the BBC Trust who have been considering it over summer.

Packham may have restrained his campaigning instincts while broadcasting on behalf of the BBC, but there is no doubt the high profile lent to him by his TV work has helped his campaign.

Who, after all,  would have given a second thought to his utterances if her had not been familiar on our TV screens?

Could the presenter be ditched? Probably not - at least not in any overt way.

The BBC is not not notorious for acting swiftly and decisively - witness the protracted wrangling before another of its stars, Jeremy Clarkson, parted company with its flagship  motoring show, Top Gear.

Clarkson had assaulted a colleague, an act of gross misconduct, while Packham has merely been expressing his personal views - albeit not with any notable measure of diplomacy or discretion.

Furthermore, the BBC would be reluctant to lose the latter who is an  accomplished naturalist-broadcaster who also has the common touch - his youthful enthusiasm  has a particular  inspirational  appeal to young audiences.       

 

The BBC may choose to administer a reprimand, but the presenter is unlikely to be “dropped” or cut loose in the same way as his predecessor, Bill Oddie, whose inflexibility and  irascibility finally became too much for his colleagues and bosses.

However, there may still be darkness in the tunnel. A question mark hangs over the future of both Springwatch and Autumnwatch because the format seems to  have lost some of its sparkle.

There is  something slightly sexist and old-fashioned about a show  being presented by a male expert with support from a well-intentioned but not well-informed female colleague.

First it was Bill Oddie and Kate Humble. Now it is Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan. But for how much longer?

The BBC is committed to extending its coverage of wildlife and rural related subjects, but different styles of broadcasting and new shows - with fresh faces - may be in the offing.

If Packham were to leave, there would be no shortage of offers from other TV companies, probably including ITV. He could also set up his own broadcasting company.

The 12 members of the BBC Trust who have been deliberating the complaint are:

• Rona Fairhead (chairman) 
• Sir Roger Carr
• Sonita Alleyne
• Richard Ayre
• Mark Damazer
• Mark Florman
• Aideen McGinley
• Nicholas Prettejohn
• Elan Closs Stephens
• Suzanna Taverne
• Lord Williams of Baglan

Their verdict is awaited with interest. 

*  Photo credit: Graham Racher/ Wikimedia Commons

BOOST FOR SWIFTS THANKS TO VITAL LINK-UP BETWEEN THE RSPB AND BRITAIN'S LARGEST HOUSEBUILDER

THE breeding population of swifts could be set for a precious boost in Buckinghamshire.

Thanks to a pioneering link-up between the RSPB and Barratt Homes, some 900 nestboxes for swifts are set to be installed on houses on the new Kingsbrook development  in Aylesbury.

The "boxes" are actually specially-designed  bricks and have been created, in "easily-fittable" form, by  Manthorpe Building Products Ltd.

According to RSPB senior media officer Gareth Brede, the charity and Barratts have been co-operating since 2014 "to explore   how nature and wildlife can be incorporated into new communities".

Says  Michael Finn, group design and technical director at Barratt Developments: “The bricks are an industry first - they are fully drained, ventilated and  unobtrusive.

"They also help nurture chicks by giving them room to stand when they hatch. Crucially, too, they are  cheaper than any other swift brick on the market which will help their uptake. 

"We actively want other developers to use the brick so we can all help build swift populations. 

"It’s a great example of how we are working together with the RSPB and the wider industry to support nature.” 

Equally upbeat is  the RSPB’s head of species and habitats conservation, Darren Moorcroft, who says: “In previous centuries, builders would often create spaces for swifts, but these techniques have fallen out of practice with modern homes. 

"Our partnership with Barratt Homes has allowed us to share ideas and look at how we can bring this practice back in a way that works for builders, homeowners and the swifts.”

Manthorpe Building Products' sales director, Gareth Wright, says his firm was delighted to be approached on the project.

"The product is already gaining a lot of interest," he says. "Thanks to its ease of fitting and competitive price, builders are able to incorporate this product into their new homes with neither disruption to the construction process nor any need to incorporate any design changes to existing house types.”

Ideally, other large housebuilders such as Bellway, Bovis, Galliford, Gleeson, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey will see the potential - not least in burnishing their eco-credentials - and come on board the train.

 * The Kingsbrook development will also accommodate 300-plus acres of wildlife habitat, including a community orchard, formal and informal parks plus  green corridors

MP FLIES THE FLAG FOR UNDER-PRESSURE FARMLAND BIRD

Male cirl bunting - a species in recovery mode (photo: Paco Gomez via Wikimedia Commons)

A FAMILY doctor turned MP hopes she can help improve the health of Britain's tiny population of cirl buntings.

Dr Sarah Wollaston has signed up with the RSPB to "champion" a species that almost became extinct in the UK in the 1980s.

Says the Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon:   "Back in 1989, this beautiful and plucky farmland bird was on the brink  with just 120 breeding pairs left in the wild. 

Dr Wollaston - health benefits of the great outdoors

                                                                       
"Collaboration between various  agencies and farmers - through the  Countryside Stewardship scheme - has seen the species make a huge recovery such that the population has now reached around1,000 pairs.

"The  recovery shows what can be achieved through understanding the science behind species decline and applying practical solutions.  There is much we can learn from the work of the dedicated conservationists and farmers involved in the project.

The MP continues: "These efforts to work together are needed more than ever.  We are seeing increasing pressures on precious habitats and wild spaces across the UK. 

"All the while, report after report comes out showing the benefits of access to the natural environment for physical and mental health, particularly for children. 

"We must not lose sights of these benefits when set against the pressures for housing and infrastructure that are so desperately needed.

" I hope as the 'species champions' project progresses, there will be more inspiring stories to tell of species recovering against the odds - and many more MPs will join in taking a stand for nature."

Aged 54, the Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon was born in Woking, Surrey, and became a junior doctor, specialising in paediatrics, after qualifying at Guy's Hospital medical school.

While a medical student, she worked part-time as a healthcare assistant to help fund her studies

After five years, she moved to Brisiol to train as a GP, then moved to Devon where she worked for a practice on the edge of Dartmoor.

Between 1996 and 2001, she was also a police surgeon, dealing with victims of sexual assaults.

Dr Wollaston  is still on the medical register but she stopped practising medicine in 2010 when she was elected to Parliament.

She is married to a psychiatrist, Adrian, whom she met while studying at Guy's,  and the couple have three children - two at university and one a foundation doctor.

A keen cyclist, she and Adrian took part in the 100-mile Ride London race in 2014.

 * Another bird , the bittern, is championed by Therese Coffey, Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal. After seeing huge declines, it  is now making a marked recovery in some parts of the country.

AT LAST - A HEN HARRIER BREEDING SUCCESS

A SINGLE hen harrier chick has successfully fledged at the RSPB Geltsdale reserve in the North Pennines.

It  the first breeding success there in a decade.


The male bird was the only chick to hatch from a clutch of five eggs and is one of only seven to have fledged in the whole of England this summer. 

The other chicks fledged from two nests in Northumberland.

Says the RSPB's hen harrier project manager, Blanaid Denman: "The female parent arrived at Geltsdale back in May looking for a mate but she had to wait several weeks for a male to turn up.  

"When one finally did appear, she was not impressed - he was young and had yet to gain his adult grey plumage. 

"Normally, in a healthy population of hen harriers, an immature male like this wouldn't get a look in. But with so few birds in England, the female had little option but to accept his advances or leave breeding to another year.”

Once it had been confirmed there was a nest, RSPB staff and volunteers mounted a 24/7 watch and provided supplementary food under licence to ensure that the family of hen harriers had the best possible chance of survival and success.

Continues Blanaid: “The supplementary food proved vital as the inexperienced male was hopelessly inattentive of his dependent female, often vanishing for days before reappearing with a paltry food offering. 

The extra food ensured that the female never had to go far from the nest to feed the chick  or herself.” 

The chick, named "Bonny", has been satellite-tagged and his movements will be monitored once he has left Geltsdale in a few weeks' time.

The RSPB says it will  become possible to follow his movements online at  at rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife 

BIRDFAIR 2016: HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU - MORE PHOTOS FROM THE RUTLAND EVENT

Meet BTO staff members Viola Ross-Smith - Cambridge University graduate, lesser black-backed gull expert and editor of BTO News

Why not give Uganda? That's the message from this welcoming duo

There's so much on offer at Australia's outback Northern Territory

All smiles from this happy trio who were promoting Orca, the important  Portsmouth-based whale and dolphin research charity

Titles on any bird-related subject under the sun were on sale at various stands including this one mounted by Shropshire-based Subbuteo Natural History Books

Superb artist Darren Woodhead (left) chats with a visitor to his impressive stand

An early highlight of Birdfair was a fascinating on migration by Amaia Perez of BirdFlyway

Hotels and other accommodation books up fast for Birdfair, so well done to Oakham School for making some of its rooms and facilities available to attendees (including exhibitors) over the three days

There was a warm welome from staff and students at the school's reception area for visitors