Campaign Update: Natural England To Answer Further Questions Over Contentious Bird Licences7/5/2020
The 'capture' or 'possession' of thousands of Blue Tits and Red Listed Marsh Tits and the taking of hundreds of Egyptian Geese for 'science, research and education' purposes.....
Natural England prepare to answer my latest round of questions over their licences..... I have now asked Natural England a set of questions relating to four licences that they issued last year. Thanks to those of you who trawled through the licence data and contacted me with your concerns. I did receive quite a number of responses so this is just the first set of enquiries I am raising with Natural England, more will follow. Licences to 'capture' or 'possess' Blue Tits and Marsh Tits..... Anyway, these initial questions relate to the 'capture' or 'possession' of thousands of Blue Tits and Marsh Tits, and the 'capture', 'killing' or 'taking of eggs' of potentially hundreds of Egyptian Geese all for 'science, research and education'. I've also asked about licences that allow the shooting of Red Kites in the name of 'air safety'. I put a set of specific questions directly to Natural England over these particular licences and they will be getting back to me with detailed answers soon. I was especially perplexed by the extraordinarily high numbers of Blue Tits and Marsh Tits covered by Natural England's licences, running into the thousands - something which really does require a very full explanation. Trade in Black-headed gull eggs a 'legitimate business activity' In other news, there was a huge response to my blog post about Natural England's approval of licences to take eggs from nests of amber listed Black-headed gulls, to supply gourmet restaurants and 'fine food' merchants, mostly operating in and around London. I subsequently asked Natural England about this trade in gull eggs and they told me that they "can't comment on the controversial nature of the trade, it's a legitimate business activity in the eyes of the law." Hmm, okay. I don't know if the collecting of gull eggs is something which has continued during lockdown. I did see Black-headed gull eggs advertised online a few weeks ago, though I can't find any now. With restaurants closed and their customers staying at home, perhaps the gulls have had something of a reprieve this year. 'Irrational' behaviour in an age of environmental enlightenment Other wildlife has not been so fortunate. Despite the lockdown, the frenzied destruction of ancient woodlands by HS2 goes on unabated, as does the enthusiastic strimming of wildflower verges by local councils up and down the country. This is 'essential work'? Really? Many of us consider this to be bizarre and irrational behaviour in an age of environmental enlightenment - but the human race is full of fools in high places.... Time to review more licences Well getting back to the licences, let's see what we make of the answers I get from Natural England over the four specific examples I have asked them about. I'll report back of course. With your incredible support, we will get to the nitty gritty of some of these licences and hopefully show that the time has come to review - and withdraw - them. Best, Jase
31 Comments
BoB Howson
7/5/2020 05:48:31 pm
Great work, your energy for this is remarkable and so appreciated. Concerns grow bigger the more you uncover. Do you think you could uncover a scheme to re-introduce bitterns and corncrakes in at least 20 different secret sites. I'd love to hear a great big positive?
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Helen Young
8/5/2020 08:58:10 am
Natural England needs to be shown up for what it does with these birds .
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Lynn Spencer
9/5/2020 08:32:47 am
Still find it hard to hear that Natural England acts in a way that undermines nature
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Tina Cooper
11/5/2020 10:54:45 am
Not when you realise they are a wholly controlled part of DEFRA & all that implies re Badger Culls. with Lord Gardiner of Kimblewick as the minister for Rural Affairs & Bio Security. He of the Kimblewick Hunt & former deputy CEO of The Countryside Alliance, who had TB in their hounds, tried to cover it up, destroyed them & then invited other hunts onto their patch for the season thus risking spreading it to more cattle. But the badgers are to blame so more licences from NE to cull thousands more. Even during Covid lockdown. The whole of DEFRA & NE are there to implement the will of the large landowner & the blood "sports" fraternity.
Elizabeth Davies
10/5/2020 07:03:41 pm
I won’t be supporting the RSPB unless they get their act together and help top do something against Natural England
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7/5/2020 05:50:31 pm
The wholesale desecration of these birds and their habitat is a national disgrace. Any organisation having the gall to call itself 'Natural England' should be actively protecting nature rather than destroying it. I applaud what you are doing and wish you every success.
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Maureen Joan Wegner
9/5/2020 08:06:33 am
I agree with you, Harry. I am 85 yrs of age. and find the Natural England organisation the most unnatural one I have ever seen!!!
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M Claringbold
7/5/2020 05:52:29 pm
Time maybe for the 'gourmet' chefs to develop a conscience failing which their restaurants should be named and shamed in the hope that the public call them to account.
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Mark Bosanko
7/5/2020 05:57:25 pm
Thanks for the update, and for your continued efforts.
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Sandra Judd
7/5/2020 06:13:49 pm
Thank you for looking into these licenses. Why on earth catch Marsh Tits? And shooting Red Kites! I thought they were reintroduced to breed not to be wiped out again!
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louise evan-wong
7/5/2020 06:29:53 pm
So happy to see that someone is doing something about these licences. Someone a few years ago had ravens in a cage that was very small and he kept it there till it died and then he kept repeating the process - I complained to RSPB and RSPCA and was told it was legal and that the birds were vermin. I can't tell you how upsetting it was not to mention cruel. Thanks for doing this
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Dave Rees
9/5/2020 03:53:29 pm
~Who are these scum let's tell the animal rights people to have a CHAT with them
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Elizabeth Davies
12/5/2020 01:43:59 pm
A few years ago I was on holiday at Lake Vyrnwy in West Wales and was shocked not to see one of the crow family
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7/5/2020 06:31:53 pm
Please help us to protect all the brids species without them we will suffering badly our environment in the Sky need to fully of all brids species please help us right now please thank you
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7/5/2020 07:11:15 pm
I’m not a keyboard warrior by any means but if only the silent majority would get of their arses and revolt more often the likes of ‘natural England’ wouldn’t be a closed shop and ride rough shod over our precious commodity, the nature all around us ! Maybe in the near future a call to arms might rattle a few gin and tonics in the hands of people that shouldn’t have our beautiful countryside as their toy
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7/5/2020 07:13:28 pm
Thank you for working so hard on the behalf of wild birds. I'm old and my anger is rising. Under the auspices of Natural England, colonies of birds are being decimated under 'licence' for nefarious reasons, certainly not morally legitimate, even if the law allows this questionable body their freedom to dispose of such huge numbers of our bird life so mindlessly. No bird is vermin, they are all part of the balance. We upset that balance with regular monotony. In the past I have sat and guarded badger setts into the small hours. We will find a way to stop them.
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Wildlife Angels
7/5/2020 07:23:15 pm
Dear Jason
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Wildlife Angels
7/5/2020 07:27:51 pm
Dear all
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Patricia Sinar
7/5/2020 08:25:10 pm
After reading the above I am totally shocked and broken hearted. I cannot the mentality of the people who do these things. We live on a beautiful planet with beautiful birds, animals and flowers and trees. When can we expect this sort of thing to finish, after all this is 2020.
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11/5/2020 02:19:58 pm
I am an old man, & am getting very tired & dispirited by how little I seem to achieved after years of campaigning for a fairer, greener world. I think the answer to your query is, when our selfishness & lack of care have destroyed our world & us with it.
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Hugh Edwards
7/5/2020 08:33:20 pm
We are living in a country run by idiots.
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Deirdre Tilbury
7/5/2020 10:06:35 pm
I think most British people would be outraged if they knew about the wanton destruction of our wildlife which has as much 'right' to live on our planet as we do. Most people believe that birds are protected by law in our country. When did this change? Why are blue-tits being taken? Surely nobody could describe them as vermin or pests. Are wild-life habitats being decimated just so that developers can not be prevented or held up when they want planning permission? Natural England needs to be examined because their name is a complete misnomer. It should be 'Destructed England'.
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Rosalind Astill
8/5/2020 06:20:13 am
It seems to me that the `Lockdown` is being seen as an opportunity for wildlife crime to be committed on a huge scale. Those of us who care won`t be able to witness the outrageous behavior of HS2 workers gassing Badger sets. Cutting down scrub,hedges.trees during nesting season.
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Elaine Savage
8/5/2020 06:25:33 am
Thank you.Please keep it up,well done.
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harry teyn
8/5/2020 09:49:06 am
I was of the impression tat all birds are protected by law, this should be without exception, time to abolish this so called ''natural England'' If you want to study birds you will have the get your a** out in the field, and where is the RSPB in all this, should they not bee screaming about protecting these birds????
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Chris McDermott
8/5/2020 09:55:37 am
Hi Jason Have you read about NE issuing of licences to 3 Scottish people allowing them to take Peregrine Falcons and their eggs from the wild which are then sold onto the Middle East market(for huge sums of money).
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8/5/2020 09:59:42 am
Im disgusted and upset. Why allow this licensing? And who are these restaurants. Its no good me having a rant here and at 85 Im limited in direct action but thats what I wish I could do.
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Jennie Allen
8/5/2020 04:37:36 pm
Thank you for continuing to push for explanations on our behalf. Why blue tits and marsh tits should be targeted I cant fathom. One of the joys of Lockdown has being hearing the bird song so clearly. Hopefully in this window of opportunity when people have had more time to walk and appreciate their local wild areas, pushing through some changes to outdated laws that affect our wildlife for the worse might be possible...
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Dave Rees
9/5/2020 03:56:07 pm
WHO are natural England ? who selected them? who pays their wages etc.?
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Andrew Lisicki
10/5/2020 01:42:24 pm
Regarding the taking of Black-headed gulls’ eggs, I don't understand which part is "legitimate… In the eyes of the law". Is it the selling of the eggs or the cooking of the eggs, neither of which needs the interference of Natural England? What is indisputably controversial is that Natural England is licensing the taking of these eggs so that others may profit: no licensing – no trade - no problem. Natural England, true to form, will stoop as low as it takes to maintain their dubious position.
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Til Kaynine
11/5/2020 12:03:47 am
If it wasn't for you all, such good people, giving me hope, I would be plunging into a pit of utter utter despair. Thank you for giving me hope, from the bottom of my heart.
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