f*****g sparrowhawk!!!

[Lab 10,979]

surely you would lose a lot more if you were caught shooting sparrow hawks and peregrines.

Was that aimed at me....? If so i'd have to say its a risk that some have to take. I dont think most people looking after birds would want to go out and shoot every BOP that they see but i am sure that they would love to here of a cull period or an easier way to pick up a license for controling problem birds.

 

wasnt aimed at you,was just reading through the thread.oh and i wasnt being smart by that either was just asking.dont know musch about the ratio of birds a sparrow hawk would take in a season.but surely people who rear birds must take that into consideration that some will be lost.

I didnt think you were being smart, i wasn't sure if the question was for me as you never quoted anyone. But in answer to your question the sparrowhawk is not as bad as the buzzard. The sparrowhawk will take birds when they are young and first introduced to the pen but will stop when the birds reach around the 12/13 week stage. the buzzard however keeps on goingt right up to fully grown. That is why i would call the spar' a nuisance but the buzzard just a complete b*****d!

Are we going to get through a thread without an argument i wonder

 

 

lol guess there a first for everything.you do ahve a point on buzzards,even travelling from glasgow on the [bANNED TEXT] every 5th fence post there a buzzard perched on it.seems to be an abundance of them.not so sure about sparrow hawks though.thought they were on the decline.me personally i wouldnt shoot a bop but i can see where it would infuriate you,but remember a few years back on a certain grouse moor off the a74 where the keepers were caught poisoining bop cpl lost ther jobs and cottages through it.surely it aint worth the risk.

Thats where the risk factor comes in. Do you take the chance to control a few problem birds or do you let them continue to hammer your birds which could effect your shoot numbers, which would reflect back to the land owner(your boss) that you were not doing your job properly and you may lose your job anyway.

Too many doo-gooders walking the countryside now to be using poisons, if you are going to take matters into your own hands then this is the only way forward

I would never do such a thing i might add.

[markfox 4]

they is only one good bop. that is a dead one

[scothunter 12,609]

they is only one good bop. that is a dead one

 

then we will have none left in the country thinking like that.and i for one like to see them as i suppose a lot others do too.

[markfox 4]

i do not care if i never see one again . bring in a cull for the peri

[jasper65 6]

I didnt think you were being smart, i wasn't sure if the question was for me as you never quoted anyone. But in answer to your question the sparrowhawk is not as bad as the buzzard. The sparrowhawk will take birds when they are young and first introduced to the pen but will stop when the birds reach around the 12/13 week stage. the buzzard however keeps on goingt right up to fully grown. That is why i would call the spar' a nuisance but the buzzard just a complete b*****d!

Are we going to get through a thread without an argument i wonder

 

Couldn't agree more, having worked with both types of birds and flown Spars you have to say they are pretty limited in the size of quarry they can take, having said that a trained spar will take on quarry a wild spar otherwise wouldn't dream of taking, The biggest head of quarry I have ever personally even taken with a spar was a Collard Dove, I know they will take on quarry up to the size of a Carrion crow on their day and wittnessed a pals Hawk do it regular from out of the car window, then again it always had him running in to assist the hawk! if he wasn't about I have no idea what the outcome would have been.......

 

the one thing that puts the spar head and shoulders above a Buzzard in the killing stakes is it is a designed bird catcher, short wings from sprinting! a long tail which will turn on a ten pence peice and a fair foot span combined with longish legs for snatching. no doubt about it a spar when rearing young is on a mission from dawn until dusk killing and feeding! this goes for both Parents, these birds also have a electric Metabolism compared to a Buzzard, a buzzard in the winter and take a good crop and litteraly if needed go a couple of days r more no problem without eating again, a Spar will on the other hand need to recharge its Batteries at least a good couple of times a day......

 

the one thing that now annoys me with Sparrowhawks is the sheer numbers! they are everywhere these days and climbing to record numbers, obviously success has put them in this position which is a credit to their abilities but can the small bird population sustain this contant assault on their numbers without falling into the endangered list? somehow I doubt it as I don't beleive for one minute they are breeding in numbers to compensate for losses due to Predators such as Spars.......

 

I'm not maligning spars as at one time I had three breeding pairs and loved flying them, but in reality sometimes we need to take a "sit down moment" and look at the big picture, Bird numbers are crashing around us not only due to spars with some birds reaching the critical stage nearly being lost forever...........

[craigyboy 1,274]

i do not care if i never see one again . bring in a cull for the peri

obviously a deranged pigeonman

[markfox 4]

i will stick to the pigeons. you keep the spars like i said a dead one is a good one

[DUCKWING 302]

ME TOO ON THAT ONE ....... DERANGED ?

 

POSSIBLY ?

 

HEAD STUCK UP MY ARSE ? ...... NOPE ......... LEAVE THAT ONE TO THE FALCONERS

 

IAM OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE 24 / 7 I SEE WHATS GOING ON ......

 

I DONT LET MY LOVE OF ONE SPECIES NULIFIY THE NEEDS OF MAN OR ANOTHER

 

 

DUCKWING

[fireman 10,861]

Had one today crashing against my shed window trying to get to the birds inside ,a youngster but a spar all the same.He didn't even mind me inside as well but soon did one when i apeared outside with a broom to shoo him off,he'll be back i'm sure and next time i just hope he don't hurt himself on my very very see through cleaned windows .