Following my update last week about the Black-headed gull eggs, this is just a quick post to let you know that Natural England's wildlife licensing data has now been published on the gov.uk website HERE
The bird control data file itself is directly downloadable by clicking HERE Unfortunately it is a fairly daunting document as it includes all data since 2014; I am told by Natural England that this is so that we can compare 2021 data with previous years - but you may have to have some knowledge of spreadsheets to properly analyse the figures. Nevertheless it's there, and available for public scrutiny, which is what we want. People Power! So very well done everyone! People power works. We now have access to several years of complete licensing data, and all thanks to our campaign. We really are making a difference. And it really is saving our wild birds. Our voices are being heard and I know Natural England is listening. There is much work still to do - and of course our campaign continues! I'll be continuing to examine the figures, so please let me know if you see areas of concern and I will ask Natural England for clarification. Thanks again, very sincerely, for your support. Best, Jase
14 Comments
Richard C
3/4/2022 12:01:17 pm
People power does work...at least can do. but it needs someone to focus the concerns and thats the job you have done brilliantly and all thanks to you. the lack of transparency government likes to hide behind is shocking but its a fact and has to be fought tooth and nail
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William Affleck
3/4/2022 12:14:11 pm
The spreadsheet is daunting with over 8,000 entries. Cormorants figure surprisingly often but it is interesting to see entries for house sparrows and robins. Of what act of parliament is Section 16 a part? And does the column headed Number Licenced indicate the number of birds licenced to be killed or otherwise interfered with?
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Julia Lowe
3/4/2022 02:58:43 pm
I think it is the Wildlife and Countryside Act https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69, section 16 applies to licenses granted for various reasons.
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Dominic Cox
3/4/2022 04:12:15 pm
I don't understand how cormorants are not natural fish predators. If humans have depleted sea fish due to over-fishing and then stock inland lakes with fish for coarse fishing, cormorants will come to where there is food. My understanding of predator-prey balance is if you keep killing the predators, more will come. You have to stop providing prey, not indiscriminately killing the predator. 3/4/2022 06:28:24 pm
Dominic Cox is right. It is humans who have disrupted the natural order of things.
Andy Hayward
3/4/2022 01:31:56 pm
At last!
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Julia Lowe
3/4/2022 03:03:14 pm
Thanks Jase for this update, I am good with spreadsheets and going through digesting the data. I will comment back again when I have had a chance to further look at it. Thank you again for your hard work and persistence with this, it is important
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Simon George Spratt
3/4/2022 03:03:40 pm
Glad to see that the data on the extermination of wild birds is now published!! It should have been available all along from the time that this petition started to today.
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Carole Mandeville
3/4/2022 04:47:46 pm
Thank you for drawing attention to this indiscriminate slaughter of wild birds. It’s been horrifying to read. I look forward to your analysis of the figures.
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Keith Dancey
3/4/2022 05:27:52 pm
Congratulations on getting this data into the public domain.
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John R. Challis
3/4/2022 06:18:57 pm
This is truly shocking as Mother Nature seems to have ways of controlling too many birds of one species or too many animals when they appear to be around. It seems to me to only go wrong when man gets involved again by interfering?
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Frank Courtney
3/4/2022 08:44:27 pm
Very well done, Jason - again!
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Kev Petford
4/4/2022 12:07:19 pm
Truly appalling, the mindset of the applicants and NE to request and grant these licenses is disgusting and medievel.
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4/4/2022 03:54:14 pm
Well done Jase, it's been like drawing teeth and from my point of view, they are confounding us with science. (Too much for my tiny brain I'm afraid) It all boils down to human beings wearing the cloak of arrogance yet again, far too many people taking advantage of nature without any thought of the consequences. We will all rue the day and should be ashamed of contributing to the destruction of such a beautiful and diverse planet. The worst crime is actually knowing and understanding what the consequences of the actions being taken are, surely those with the power over life or death have to appease their consciences with the arrogance aforementioned. Heartbreakingly sad and utterly intolerable.
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