Very probably Jamie, Geoff Mawson the group secretary rings at Fairholmes once a month

I was there to, all be it later than most got distracted with the fantastic birding I managed between my car and the main site.
also managed a job lot of Mallard ring numbers, Sorby ringing group?

Why not make Grouse shooting an Olympic event? They say it's a sport.

I went to the Upper Derwent, a good turn out especially considering the weather

There was once a story run on the BirdGuides website concerning the poisoning of goshawks in the South of England, and I wrote a thread in the comments asking what had happened to the hunt saboteurs. They had apparently been successful in their aim to have (most) hunting stopped, but here was a cause (the killing of birds of prey) surely worth fighting for at least as much. It seems not to be though. Perhaps confronting mindless idiots carrying guns was seen as less comfortable than confronting those armed only with a riding crop. Still though, surely some kind of disruption of the 'sport' of grouse shooting is within the compass of some passive, animal loving society (don't people in Scotland have the 'right to roam'?). Failing that, a few like-minded (rich) people might want to hire a helecopter for an hour or two and 'buzz' the killing fields? No law being broken there I would offer?

On North West Tonight BBC1 now....there's a report on the raging war between Raptors losing their lives so Grouse can be shot !

Ivan Ellison and myself went to Derwent.

Yes, I went to Derwent.

Cheers,
Rob

On Sunday August 10th

Birders Against Wildlife Crime, hosted by the extremely passionate and founder Terry Pickford was (one event) held at Dunsop Bridge to highlight the murderous acts towards Hen Harriers and other Raptors.

The facts that Terry relayed regarding, Gamekeepers, raptor Politics and wealthy Estate owners turned both my and Simons stomachs.

Did anyone one else brave the torrential rain to support this cause ??