Springwatch 2023

Gosh it is a lovely warm day here!

Do you have similar programmes in France RedKite? The filming around Arne has been great, perfect weather just now. I'm not a big Springwatch fan but there is much to see. 

We do have seen some nature programmes but we do not watch much local tv even a channel called Chasse.

I have been watching Springwatch and know Arne reserve very well.

Fishy, can you describe the levels at which badgers and foxes are, in your eyes, acceptable in our environment? I suspect that you would wish them eradicated completely, well in your nimby land at least, may be alright elsewhere mind!
They are not ‘riddled’ with TB as you suggest, the scientific evidence is not supportive of this accusation and domestic cats and dogs are more of an issue to ground nesting and other birds than they are, that is a fact. Do you understand nature and balance? I suspect not!

Badgers are the garbage handlers/cleaners of the Animal world, they clean up bodies. They are not fast enough to catch living wildlife, they’re just snuffle pigs. They’re destroyed by Humans because they hurt the bottom line-profit. Any part of the natural world that cuts profits is eradicated. Keeping Badgers out with the right Badger proof fencing costs money & that cuts profits killing them is way cheaper. Before anyone cites Farming isn’t for profit are kidding themselves. Adam Henson is one of the most intelligent & honest Farmers I’ve seen. When he lost cattle to TB he didn’t wax lyrical that they were family his main concerns were the cost & loss of life. Honesty👍🏻

Your theory is all animals get a free life. So the foxes, badgers etc kill off the ground nesting birds and mammals in an area as part of nature. They then decrease in numbers as the food supply disappears. Either that or they move elsewhere or find another food source. Am I right so far? Unfortunately whilst this happens the red species birds are eliminated and become extinct. Just what has been happening. Seems a weird theory to me. To justify the stance then farmers etc are blamed or perhaps the in word " climate change. "  Fortunately in some areas we provide management ( not elimination) and the birds hang on, not thrive I admit. Thats because there are no doubt other factors involved but at least we manage what we can. Strange that the grouse moors of Yorkshire can provide a surplus 120 curlew eggs to reintroduce them elsewhere in the UK. But it will be a waste unless predator control takes place in these new areas as that is the main cause of the extinction in the first place. Unlikely to get this information on Springwatch.

There are so many flaws and misunderstandings here I really don’t know where to start. Maybe this could help enlightenment. Well the TB bit previously mentioned! 
https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-do/actfornature/badgers-and-bovine-tuberculosis-btb

As for predator control, what levels are acceptable? That is crucial to the balance equation!

Well we cull over 300 foxes in our small area. They are still here but we do have a modicum of small birds. That figure is fairly stable so I guess we are about right. Lets go to Rocky.  Henson fences off his 1000 acre farm and is badger proof. He has infected Badgers on the land so he is allowed to eliminate them? If not what a waste of fencing. So next his neighbour does the same and so on, leaves a large area free of Badgers me thinks. Is that what you really want and why did no one think of this when TB control was discussed. You see We here think of control not elimination in its wider sense

No, I want eradication of bovine TB and the passing on of the disease between the two creatures. Oh, and let’s not forget deer which are also a significant vector in the spread along with other mammals and possibly birds. This has to be a joined up approach taking all the science into account not just shooting including those not carrying this disease. A cross species vaccine would be helpful but there is resistance amongst some for that too.

Great in theory. We get on with practical solutions in the here and now. So far we seem to be right if the diversity of nature is a benchmark.