Is it corret Ring-necked Parakeets could be next in line if numbers keep increasing?

I have just sent the RSPB an e-mail protesting against the cull, and posted my objections on the link www.petition.co.uk/stop_the_ruddy_duck_cull.

Make your feelings known.

I could only find this petition at the following:
www.petition.co.uk/stop_the_ruddy_duck_cull

I'm not surprised you didn't get a reply from Wigan Councillors (other than Peter Franzen who has supported us throughout in our efforts to get the cull stopped by denying access to the land). Hopefully Wigan birders will remember the Labour Councillors' actions when voting time comes around.
From counts I carried out in late October and today I reckon they shot 40-60 Ruddy Ducks yesterday. Being a nice day, there were lots of folk on the towpaths at Scotman's and Pearson's Flashes and those I spoke to were unanimous in their condemnation of the cull and those local people involved in the decisions and implementation.
Thanks for the petition address, I was unaware of this and it deserves lots of publicity.
Adrian - you are a staff member at Birdforum - maybe you could publicise it there as well?

The killing of ruddy ducks is completely and utterly sensless. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason for it. Judith and others have previously stated that the effect of global warming and the fact that a recovery of the population of white headed duck has been successfull owing to the ban on hunting in Spain has brought about a sufficient change in circumstances to warrant the cessation of the killing of ruddy duck.

I have previously made representations in private but will now be writing to the Wigan Observer expressing my views and my outrage at the slaughter of these beautiful creatures.

Quite frankly there are other conservation issues where the £5,000,000 (if that is what it is) allocated to killing could be better spent. I hope that all those pro-active in the mass slaughter of the birds hang their heads in shame. I cannot think of a worse way the environmental and conservation organisations could have allocated their time and resourses. Our taxes and our subs!

Adrian Dancy

(WeBS Organiser Greater Manchester)


-- Edited by Adrian Dancy at 19:43, 2007-11-02

There is a petition to the Prime Minister to stop the cull - this can be accessed at:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Ruddy-Duck-Cull/

I thought of resigning from RSPB, however I have satisfied myself by sending them an e-mail, to forward to their Chief Executive and to the Chairman of the Council, saying how disappojnted I was and asking them to publicly clarify why they support the cull in view of the current evidence.

I also e-mailed all the Wigan Councillors to tell them what I thought of this - with the exception of Peter Franzen, no one replied.

Mike

Been thinking today about RSPB membership and if I should cancel in protest. Really difficult this one, I cant agree with this kill of Ruddy ducks but in so many other areas of bird protection the RSPB do a fantastic job. Its really difficult, will bigger conservation issues be affected if lots of people leave RSPB?. Personally I think they may be ,so Im satisfying my conscionce(yes I know I cant spell) by writing a letter of protest to RSPB head office.
Cheers Ian

The answer to your question as to how many Ruddy Ducks got to Spain in 2006 - 4. In 2005 - 7. These are official figures supplied by the Central Science Laboratory, an arm of DEFRA who are i/c of the cull.
Ruddy Ducks enjoy climate change - no need to go to Spain any more. Why waste energy when you can stay in warm ice-free Wigan?

White-headed Ducks - now up to 3000-5000, from mid 20s back in the 80s-90s, as a) the Spanish have been stopped from shooting them and b) their habitat has been improved by EU money.

Luckily the cull today was noted early on, so photos were taken and the press informed (hence the clip on BBC NW Tonight). I was cleaning out Barn Owl boxes today, so coudn't go up, but counted them on Tuesday - will count again tomorrow and see how many shot. The person in charge got some very acrimonious comments from a member of the public who has done much good work for the flashes over the years.

They will be back, no doubt....to try and shoot some more, as I gather they didn't get many today.

I have been an RSPB member for longer than I can remember and will be withdrawing my membership over this isssue. I will write to them to let them know the reason.
I hope many other people do the same and maybe when they take a knock in there pocket they will realise the bad will they have generated supporting this MURDER.

Alan soon to be ex RSPB member.

Bastards indeed

I've never been able to agree with a cull of Ruddy Ducks. I've taken all the arguments on board for and against over the last few years. I've almost been swayed the other way after talking to certain people(including the RSPB).
But in my mind if they are a problem to White Headed Ducks in Spain, why don't the Spanish cull(murder) the ones that turn up there? All the birds seem to winter at places like Wigan flash anyway so how many are actually leaving our shores for Spain?

Anyway, this argument has been done to death, so i'll leave it there.
It's just very distressing when it's happening on our doorstep and causing so much disruption to the local birds. Just before Firework weekend as well There'll be no bloody birds left come Monday

never seen one don, t know what they look like,best keep it that way,it,s wrong and unjust but silence is golden,

geoff

warfy wrote:

---

Bastards!

Almost as bad as Harry the Harrier killer.

---

one rule for one and all that...

Bastards!

Almost as bad as Harry the Harrier killer.

Thanks for that information John. I almost wish I had not asked.

RSPB
for birds
for people
for ever

but not for the Ruddy duck.

Its a disgrace that the RSPB support this cull.

HI IAN-ON MY LOCAL PATCH ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO ABOUT 80 RUDDYS WERE SHOT BY DEFRA,IT PUT ME OFF BIRDING FOR MONTHS.THEY SEEMINGLY TURN UP IN THE DARK ,or very early morning GO OUT IN BOATS AND ROUND THE RUDDYS UP BY SURROUNDING THEM-RUDDYS ARE RELUCTANT TO FLY ,THEN THEY SIMPLY SHOOT THEM.IITS NOT BEEN PROVED BUT OTHER BIRDS MUST DEFINATELY GET SHOT AS WELL-WHEN THEY SHOT HOUGHTON GREEN THERE WERE BLACK NECKED GREBES ON .THESE WERE GONE THE MORNING AFTER THE CULL ALSO.HOW THE HELL THE RSPB/WILDFOWL TRUST ETC CAN SANCTION THIS MADNESS I DON'T KNOW.HOW CAN THEY PAY PEOPLE WITH GUNS TO SHOOT WILDLIFE,THEN ASK US TO SUPPORT THEM IN SAVING WILDLIFEI REMEMBER SEEING THE FIRST BREEDING RUDDYS WITH FRANK HORROCKS (the top local birder at the time)IN THE 70S,HE LOVED THESE LITTLE COMICAL DUCKS,HE WOULD HAVE RATHER THEY SHOT HIM THAN DEFENCELESS DUCKS.UNFORTUNATELY FRANKS GONE NOW,BUT HE WOULD HAVE HATED THIS HAPPENING-ANOTHER SAD FOR LOCAL WILDLIFE.P.S JUST SAID ON GMR OVER 100 WERE SHOT ON THE FLASHES TODAY

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 20:01, 2007-11-01

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 22:37, 2007-11-01

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 17:51, 2007-11-02

Does anyone know how they are carrying out the cull ?, also , why is it called a cull when it should be called a KILL ??. Just wondered.
All the best: unless your a Ruddy Duck!!!!!!.

just to let all manchester birders know that the ruddy duck cull started in secrecy at pearsons this morning with approx 40 ducks on site where was alan titchmarsh then jimmy