A short but interesting and readable academic paper on this subject is in the latest e-mail newsletter from the BTO for those interested.

This paper can be found at the following link

http://www.bto.org/news-events/e-newsletter/big-buzzard-debate?dm_i=IG4,18N9M,39GIKZ,471GY,1

Cheers,

Bill.

I have now received a letter from DEFRA and guess what? It's exactly the same as the e-mail Henry quotes. Anyway on the up side the fact that they have to get a team of administrators banging them out on the Xerox machine indicates perhaps the level of direct protest.

Me too Tim-but given the tone and content of my letter, I am not really expecting one!

Rather disappointed to report to you that I have not received a word of response from either Richard Benyon's office nor that of my my MP, Tony Lloyd. My letters were sent on 25 May. VERY poor show.

I got exactly the same email except is was signed

Edward Keenaghan
Defra - Customer Contact Unit


I got the same.

So, really they have just repeated what people already knew!

I'll say now that I am a firm believer in obtaining relevant information through good research for any project, and essentially this is what was about to happen. However the point that seems to be being missed/avoided/lost in translation or whatever is the principle behind the need for the research. The only good I could see coming from any of this is that research shows that the best way to stop the supposed mass predation of pheasant poults is to give them somewhere to hide.

Until DEFRA accept the need for the research (i.e the need to control Buzzards in the first place) is what the public opposition was about it won't go away.

I got exactly the same email except is was signed

Edward Keenaghan
Defra - Customer Contact Unit

I guess they need a team working on this as they have a lot of emails to get through

I also got this paper reply from my MP Andrew Stunell.

Cheers, John


"Thank you for your email about buzzards. I am sure you share my delight that this proposal has been withdrawn by DEFRA since you first contacted me.

I'm not going to claim it was cause and effect but let's simply celebrate a good outcome."

I received the following reply from DEFRA to my e-mail to Richard Benyon MP which may be of interest. Towards the end it gives the impression that this issue may not be wholy over though:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Cook,

Thank you for your email of 23 May to Richard Benyon regarding the Defra research proposals looking into the impact of buzzard predation on pheasants. I have been asked to reply.

The success of conservation measures has seen large increases in the numbers of buzzards and other birds of prey over the last two decades. The Minister for Wildlife celebrates that and since 2010 we have championed many new measures to benefit wildlife across England set out in our England Biodiversity Strategy.

In January this year, Defra formed a working group that was charged with gathering the best available evidence on the current impact of buzzard predation on pheasant poults and other game species. The group included a wide range of people from both the shooting and conservation sectors and was formed because Defra was made aware that Natural England had received several applications to lethally control buzzards where it was alleged that damage caused by buzzards was having an unsustainable impact on rural businesses.

As part of the work of the group, Defra commissioned the Food and Environment Research Agency to undertake a desk study into the available research regarding the impacts of buzzards on game birds and other livestock. This study recommended that more research was required and that field studies should be undertaken to gather more evidence about the impact of buzzards on pheasant poults and to look at how non lethal methods could be used to prevent the damage buzzards can sometimes cause.

This resulted in proposals for field research being drawn up and it is these proposals that have caused a good deal of public concern. In light of these concerns we have decided to look at developing new research proposals on buzzards to understand better the whole relationship between raptors, game birds and other livestock.

We will collaborate with all the organisations that have an interest in this issue and will bring forward new proposals in the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Rosie Gridley
Defra Customer Contact Unit

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Phil Panton wrote:

---

Well said Mike.

Would like to think that it was opposition to the the proposed action that created the u-turn, but wouldn't be surprised if its more to do with justifying the amount of funding to be spent thats caused it.
The first reaction i've had from friends when i raised the subject was that they are more appalled by the £325k being spent on what they regard as a trivial issue, rather than it going into the NHS or Schools, not the attempted irradication of a species itself.

Either way, the attempt has been stalled & Mr Benyon will be under the microscope from now on.

---

Aye but sometimes its worth taking stock and thinking about what tactics to use to win - you don't always have to win in the right way (Chelsea!)

I hope you have all seen this and signed it http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/23089
Introduction of offence of vicarious liability for raptor persecution in England

Also for news and things to do its worth checking with http://www.rspb.org.uk/stepup2020/ on a regular basis

Well said Mike.

Would like to think that it was opposition to the the proposed action that created the u-turn, but wouldn't be surprised if its more to do with justifying the amount of funding to be spent thats caused it.
The first reaction i've had from friends when i raised the subject was that they are more appalled by the £325k being spent on what they regard as a trivial issue, rather than it going into the NHS or Schools, not the attempted irradication of a species itself.

Either way, the attempt has been stalled & Mr Benyon will be under the microscope from now on.

Pasties, buzzards, caravans, forests...... Theme arising????

Hmm. Good news whatever.

- Gratifying to see a favourable result. This also demonstrates that concerted and focused effort via E-mails etc. does ( at least in part) sway the thinking of those in power. So well done all who voiced their concerns with well reasoned and logical argument over this, and of course hats off to the RSPB and the weight of its membership as well.

On Ceefax (page 120) it does say that Govt. Ministers "will think of other ways to control Buzzards." - I should like to think that this remark is no more than a face saver, and that this nonsense will now die a death along with pastie tax.
Govt. Ministers would now be better occupied considering ways of controlling gamekeepers and especially their employers, in view of their brazen culpability in the plight of our struggling English Hen harriers.

I note that the Countryside Alliance (a mouthpiece for the shooting and "sporting" interests) is unhappy about the Govt. U-turn on Buzzards. This shows this body in its true colours. It claims that city people and "those in Whitehall" have little understanding of the countryside and its needs and claims to be the voice of "rural people."
- What a load of presumptuous and arrogant tosh this is! In other words, they are claiming that the overwhelming majority of people in Britain (who live in urban areas) have insufficient understanding of countryside issues, (or inherently less insight/understanding than them).
I suggest that the reverse is probably nearer the mark; - that most of Britain's birders and walkers and naturalists do in fact live in urban areas and notwithstanding this, have en masse a far deeper appreciation and understanding of our native flora and fauna than the shooting and hunting fraternity.
As for the Countryside Alliance claiming to speak for the "rural community" they certainly do not speak for me, nor should they presume to do so.

Regards to all, and well done!
Mike P.

Initially this seems like good news. My thanks to everyone who made their voices heard, a case of democracy working well.

No doubt a rebellion will ensue from those in the game keeping fraternity with deep pockets and a blood-lust, so all may not be over for now.

Henry.

Wahey! If anyone hasn't seen it yet. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18262300

-- Edited by Sean Molloy on Wednesday 30th of May 2012 01:00:34 PM

There's been *shock horror* another government U-turn, this time on Buzzard control. It just came up in the red line as a BBC breaking news headline: "Government makes U-turn' on Buzzard control', so hopefully a result which includes non of the absurd proposals. No article yet.



-- Edited by John Doherty on Wednesday 30th of May 2012 12:06:05 PM

Have a look at this letter template, all you have to do is add your name and address, print it and post it to Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State.

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/categories/articleitem.asp?item=916

There is now a petition that you can sign to voice your protest about this scandalous idea,as soon as I can I'll put it on this site so people can sign it if they want to,which I'm sure most people will.

Good article in the Sunday Express (p.86) that incorporates all the comments made on this forum and a few more besides.

Mike

" the persecution of a recovering wild native species on the grounds of its negligible impact on the population of an alien game bird, whose continued existence here is primarily in order for it to be killed for sport"

I find this quote bang on the money, From Mike P,


Also Unbelievable, ridiculous, and scandalous is also spot, Ive been following this thread and not commented till now, i am still in shock by this action, the word Disgust springs to my mind, i am quite literally speechless and flabbergasted by this,

Who do they think they are to think the survival of a threatened species of Bird is less important than there Blood Sports merely just for fun....

I honestly Feel Sick thinking about it

Don't ponder the unbelievable truth here all. Put your thoughts in the post to your MP. It takes no longer than a post and I don't think anyone's going to disagree with you here. Activate! Agitate!

It's not only your democratic right but your democratic duty

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Friday 25th of May 2012 10:44:08 PM

Tim Wilcox wrote:

---

Letter of protest duly written and posted to Richard Benyon MP with a copy to Tony Lloyd MP, Manchester Central. An old-fashioned letter in the post is far more effective than an anonymous petition or easily deleted e-mail I think. I know how we have to sit up and take notice when we get a letter from the public at work. It took me 30 minutes. Let's get busy

---

Way to go Tim.

Just in case anyone does not know who their MP is the link below will help.

http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/

Letter of protest duly written and posted to Richard Benyon MP with a copy to Tony Lloyd MP, Manchester Central. An old-fashioned letter in the post is far more effective than an anonymous petition or easily deleted e-mail I think. I know how we have to sit up and take notice when we get a letter from the public at work. It took me 30 minutes. Let's get busy

Adam Jones wrote:

---

I also understand the BTO were involved in the advisory group, so their opinions and views are eagerly awaited. Their silence is a little disconcerting.


Adam

---

The following statement has appeared on the British Trust for Ornithology's website:

Following recent discussion in the media on Defra's proposals regarding Buzzards and Pheasants, Andy Clements comments on the BTO's position.

"Alongside RSPB, Raptor Study Groups, GWCT & a range of other stakeholders, BTO has attended two meetings at Defra in a scientific advisory capacity.

BTO has not tendered for the work and we have declined an invitation to be part of the Project Advisory Group. We have also indicated we no longer wish to be part of the ongoing stakeholder group.

If Defra ask us for specific independent scientific advice, for example up to date population estimates for Buzzard, we would provide that advice as normal."

Andy Clements, BTO Director

Having had time now to reflect following my initial rant over the Buzzard situation, several points strike me:

Firstly, assuming the RSPB has access to sound legal advice, it would seem to me an obvious course for it to take out an immediate court injunction to prevent Defra from implementing its so called "buzzard management trial," primarily on the grounds of its illegality.

In order to appeal successfully against such an injunction, Defra would have to demonstrate just cause, which in the circumstances it might find extremely difficult, in the light of the available statistics and due to the inherent frivolous nature of the argument itself, (i.e. the persecution of a recovering wild native species on the grounds of its negligible impact on the population of an alien game bird, whose continued existence here is primarily in order for it to be killed for sport).

Secondly, since my E-mail to the MP Richard Benton, certain of my birding pals advise me that he himself is owner of a grouse moor.
If this is the case, should he not correctly have stood aside from any role in the decision process as he cannot be impartial, on the basis that pheasants would also in the normal course of events be shot on his estate? (Certainly that is the case on the Durham Moors here surrounding Wolsingham village).

The background to my earlier rant against keepers is that it is not possible for me to park my car over the border in parts of N. Yorks (with its stickers "Durham Bird Club", "Teesmouth Bird Club" on show) unattended, as there is a real risk of coming back to find my tires slashed. This has happened to several Teesmouth birders over recent years. Birders are regarded as "spies" by certain keepers, and begs the question:- What have they got to
hide?!
I have no axe to grind against blood sports for those in whom the hunting instinct is manifest in this particular way, (though it is not my way) and where the target prey is at least in the final analysis eaten, and where a certain economic benefit by means of additional employment results.
What does enrage me (and I trust many/all of you as well) is where such activities run out of control, flouting hard won protection laws in such brazen arrogant manner to the detriment of some of our most spectacular and beautiful wildlife.
I can envisage a scenario in retaliation to the ongoing persecution of our raptors where a mass trespass of the grouse moors might be justified, with the banner of "WHERE ARE OUR HEN HARRIERS?"
One can imagine the loss of revenue and adverse impact on the landowners of a mass trespass on say August 12th one year to really hit home that the protection laws must stand and be respected.

I should go further and press for the laws to be amended to the extent that owners of large tracts of grouse moor should be required to conduct a census of the number of breeding Hen Harrier pairs on their land each year. If they fail to comply they should be fined £100,000 for each year they are in contempt. If there are no breeding pairs they should explain why, and should be set targets for say 5 year terms until the optimum number of breeding pairs is achieved; then, and only then, can they be seen to be obeying the law.
All a bit draconian? -Yes, - but the buggers will have brought it on themselves.
Regards to all,
Mike P.

Another aspect to this is that Buzzards are a great asset to golfers as their

main prey item are Rabbits, which if left unchecked cause tremendous

damage to golf courses. They're also an asset to the arable farmer as they

keep a check on those overweight Woodpigeons that are a real pest to

agriculture.

Defra is behaving like an organisation run by Medievil Norman Barons.

The game shooting lobby will I believe lose the support of lots of people,

who have supported them when the anti-bloodsport campaigners have

sought to ban their hobby,believing that Pheasants etc, have had a far

better life than factory reared supermarket chickens. They may well shoot

themselves in the foot over this.

There is a petition running @ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/304/227/564/defra-dont-spend-taxpayers-money-on-harassing-buzzards/

Further to those email addresses given below, it may also be worth contacting Caroline Spelman MP as she is the Secretary of State for DEFRA. She can be contacted at:

Caroline@carolinespelman.com

Richard Benyon also has a further email address:

Mp@richardbenyon.com

I also understand the BTO were involved in the advisory group, so their opinions and views are eagerly awaited. Their silence is a little disconcerting.


Adam

Phil, I have to say I think it's a tad unfair to say it time for the RSPB to 'start earning those subscriptions' too; I think they do that already


I know they do Ian, but i just wish they'd bare their teeth now & again, they've got a vast following & i feel that sometimes they don't make the most of it.

-- Edited by Phil Panton on Thursday 24th of May 2012 07:27:25 PM

Sorry - I should have pointed out that his webpage states that the electronic form is for Newbury constituency issues only. So it may not be worthwhile using that particular route.

T

John Rayner wrote:

---

tom willis wrote:

---

You may wish to tweet @DefraGovUK with your views

Richard Benyon MP
Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR

Any other suggestions?

T

---

There is also an electronic contact form on this website

http://www.richardbenyon.com/index.php?option=com_jforms&view=form&id=1&Itemid=124

Cheers, John

---

Mike Price wrote:

---

There is a petition running @ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/304/227/564/defra-dont-spend-taxpayers-money-on-harassing-buzzards/

---

Focusing mainly on the use of public money (which I understand is more likely to win the vote of the 'non-birding' public of course), for me, makes me wonder what 'our' reaction would be like if it were privately funded? Would the public care then?

Certain articles I have read recently are focusing on the waste of public money (which of course is absolutely true) but not the simple fact of the unnecessary persecution of the Buzzards themselves. Of course focusing on the latter alone probably wouldn't raise much of an eyebrow to the general public. I doubt, even if they abandon the idea, that the gamekeepers will give in anyway but I think using purely the money aspect could be dangerous in itself.

Phil, I have to say I think it's a tad unfair to say it time for the RSPB to 'start earning those subscriptions' too; I think they do that already

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 24th of May 2012 06:05:27 PM

And I've just read the RSPB response here:

http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/rspb-response-to-defras-proposed-illegal-buzzard-trial/

which includes Richard Benyon's eMail address:

richard.benyon.mp@parliament.uk

Cheers, John

You may wish to tweet @DefraGovUK with your views (I've just done this). Mike Passant (below) asked who Richard Benyon is. I've just checked and he is the Minister for Natural Environment & Fisheries. I'll be contacting him (cc: my local MP) later.

Richard Benyon MP
Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR

Any other suggestions?

T

BBC Breakfast had an item on this this a.m. with a comment from the RSPB. As for the silent majority they will probably remain silent if the poor response to the e-petition against raptor persecution is any indicator.
Cheers Ian

Its worrying to think that, what amounts to a small minority of the country can sway the government into coming up with a decision like this.
Time for the silent majority to make some noise, not just sign a petition or email an MP who'll probably just give lip service & then do absolutely nothing.

RSPB, you've got a million members...start earning those subscriptions !

Mike Passant wrote:

---

As for gamekeepers, (and I accept one shouldn't generalise really), based on more than a few confrontations with them up here, I rate them one step up from drug dealers pimps and loan sharks;

---

Then what does that make their employers? Gamekeepers are "only obeying orders". Now where have we heard that before?

As well as an email to Richard Benyon MP, I've copied in my local MP - well worth doing.

The older I get, the more sick and ashamed I become of being part of humanity with its crass arrogance and stupidity. We're the only species capable of both scaling the heights and plumbing the depths.

Wherever did we get this barmy notion that the world is ours alone to bugger up as we see fit? Answer = from organised religious indoctrination.

As for gamekeepers, (and I accept one shouldn't generalise really), based on more than a few confrontations with them up here, I rate them one step up from drug dealers pimps and loan sharks; - their organisation knows full well the extent to which many of them flout the law; duplicity and hypocrisy are an endemic part of their code; - my view? - No, that's from an ex keeper, who now looks back on his "career" with shame and regret.

I'll be more than happy to E-mail the MP named below if anyone can tell me who he is and where he stands in all this.
What about the RSPB in all this? Surely with a million members and sensitive to publicity, we can stir up something?

pete berry wrote:

---

Perthaps DEFRA don't realise(or more likely don't care) that Buzzards can move around the country a lot,and are not sedentary birds as we tend to think.A couple of years ago I saw a winged tagged Buzzard near Stranraer,S.W.Scotland which had been tagged 6 months earlier near Aberdeen,a movement of several hundred miles.Slaughtering birds in certain ares won't affect the population in that area,as other birds will then move into said area.In other words EVERY Buzzard in the country will have to be exterminated foproviding of courser the scheme to stand any chance of success,thats providing of course that we don't get immigrants from Europe making there way over here,otherwise these will have to be slaughtered as well.

---

A bit like the cormorant culling on fishing waters a few years ago,you only kill the birds present that day,that will be replaced by othersban pheasant shooting,then that will sort it,as they won't then breed pheasants,but we all know they won't do that,as it will spoil thier pleasure.

This proposed cull sets a very dangerous precedent. What's next, target the Peregrines, because they are accused of trying to survive in an impoverished landscape by eating unnatural feral flying rats?!

Objection e-mail sent to Richard Benyon MP.

Perthaps DEFRA don't realise(or more likely don't care) that Buzzards can move around the country a lot,and are not sedentary birds as we tend to think.A couple of years ago I saw a winged tagged Buzzard near Stranraer,S.W.Scotland which had been tagged 6 months earlier near Aberdeen,a movement of several hundred miles.Slaughtering birds in certain ares won't affect the population in that area,as other birds will then move into said area.In other words EVERY Buzzard in the country will have to be exterminated foproviding of courser the scheme to stand any chance of success,thats providing of course that we don't get immigrants from Europe making there way over here,otherwise these will have to be slaughtered as well.

Henry has hit the nail on the head for me and the point I was hoping to promote we need to go one step further than posting on here but how far are we prepared to go?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 23rd of May 2012 02:32:00 PM

And the response from the RSPB is available here http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/rspb-response-to-defras-proposed-illegal-buzzard-trial/

It would be more than worthwhile people letting Mr Richard Benyon MP know their feelings on this matter, email him at ( richard.benyon.mp@parliament.uk )

Mike Price

Sorby Breck Ringing Group
www.britishringers.co.uk
Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group
www.pdrmg.co.uk


-- Edited by Mike Price on Wednesday 23rd of May 2012 12:52:43 PM

Every time I drive up onto Saddleworth Moor there are at least a dozen newly-flattened Pheasants on the road. Should DEFRA be shooting the drivers responsible?

Steve

Read that. Whichever method they end up using it doesn't detract from the fact that a huge amount of taxpayers money will be spent to prevent a native raptor killing game birds so that people can kill them instead

Seem completely pointless as much as anything else, Buzzards at present must barely scrape the surface of the UK population of Pheasants, to kill them seems both stupid and just wrong.

Why is it that when a bird of prey starts doing well someone wants to kill it. I was overjoyed yesterday as I watched a Buzzard soar over my Swinton garden for over 20 minutes.
I often find dead Pheasants either roadkill or shot and not collected on the mosses and at this time of the year I take the carcases and leave them near a couple of Buzzards nests that I keep an eye on so the parents can get an easy meal.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/301118-community-service-for-former-gamekeeper-who-poisoned-four-buzzards

I would reply, John, but I'm a bit lost for words

You have pretty well summed up what I feel about this. It's so completely barmy I could have sworn it was April 1st

Steve