Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Reminder of Why RSPB Membership.....

ALL THE PEOPLE
SO MANY PEOPLE
THEY ALL GO HAND IN HAND
HAND IN HAND THROUGH THEIR PARKLIFE
Blur



6th Nov.  I was at the RSPB Local Group meeting tonight.  It amuses me to note that rarely do speakers not turn up as planned, but when it does occasionally happen, it has been as far as I remember, RSPB staff speakers who don’t turn up! :-)  At least a replacement was sent along and to be fair he gave a good if depressing presentation.  Instead of the depressing news I was expecting specifically about Hen Harriers, we were treated to depressing news about raptors in general and the work of the RSPB investigation team.  Will the sentencing of raptor persecutors ever be stiffened up?  Will there ever be a political shift towards offering more protection to raptors?  Well that remains to be seen, but I do know one thing.  Progress is unlikely to take place without the work of the RSPB Investigations Team and many other people getting off their backsides and making a noise.  I really don’t need a reminder of why I’m a member of the RSPB, but if I did, tonight’s talk would have been such a reminder!

Earlier in the day I had met up with a friend of mine for lunch and spent a couple of wet hours walking down the old rail line into Ponteland Park.  I don’t ever remember having been in Ponteland Park before and the last time I had visited the Diamond Pub I was still in my teens.  I didn’t ask if they remembered.  There were few birds about, but even in the wet and dull conditions there was some autumnal colour left in the park.  I don’t recall seeing much colour this autumn.  In fact I don’t recall much autumn.  We seem to have had a long ‘wet season’ which has turned into winter.  Bird of the day was a Goldcrest seen in the bushes along the old line.  Two parties of Long-tailed Tits were on the move and a lone Song Thrush was found in the same area.  No squirrels were seen, red or grey!




Park Life.

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3 comments:

  1. Stringer7 November 2012 at 04:33

    Very well said !

    Having worked very closely with the RSPB investigations team over the years I can honestly say that they are one of the most driven and dedicated bunch of people I have ever met. They do a very tough job with limited resource, anyone who cares about our wild birds should be wholeheartedly supporting their work.

    Sadly I reckon with the current Tory government in power there is a very serious risk that raptors will quietly become less protected. So far we have already seen a disgraceful attempt to sneak through the legalisation of buzzard persecution and a pointless badger cull too.... FFS !!

    The morons currently in power seem to be capable of anything when it comes to slaughtering our native fauna, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if fox hunting was again legalised and quotas were approved for the ‘control’ of ‘vermin’ like hen harriers and peregrines.

    I think we need to watch this government like a hawk now (excuse the pun) and keep firmly on our toes.... I also think our birds are very lucky to have RSPB on their side, they will also be watching the government very closely and no doubt kicking up media shit storm if they propose anything stupid.

    In situations like this I believe our membership fees are very well spent. The RSPB has such a large membership supporting its work and this makes it a powerful political force, one that the government can’t easily brush away under the carpet.

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    Replies
    1. Killy Birder7 November 2012 at 09:52

      Cheers Stringer. You've nicely reinforced the message. I doubt if anyone with the interests of birds and wildlife at heart could disagree.

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  2. Mark Smith7 November 2012 at 15:34

    Yeah, such messages make me glad to be a member of the RSPB also!

    It's when we reflect on these things, that it become apparent how valuable and needed our support is.

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