The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Please bring this to the attention of anyone intending to visit Malta where birds are wantonly destroyed and now, it seems, those trying to protect them are under threat.

http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2008/ ... ident.html

John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

John,
There is no doubt at all that encouraging or protecting bird-life in Malta still has huge problems. I had a 2-week family holiday there in early Spring 2005 (the trip price was very low and the hotel was very good) but,despite regular birding, my total list reached only 18 species - about the number I see daily in Spring in and around my garden in Bracebridge Heath,Lincoln. The only birds in song were in cages, mainly acting as lures. The fact remains that Spring hunting and trapping are easy options in Malta and local authorities turn a blind eye. There were dozens of traps on poles and walls within a 15-minute walk of the hotel, often with the operating trapper in full action. Had I known how bad things really were , I wouldn't have booked the trip.
I shall not be returning!

Regards,

Freddy

..........and still the slaughter goes on.
There has been wholesale carnage during raptor migration in Malta this autumn as reported by the RSPB's Grahame Madge who states that the scale of the slaughter beggars belief.
For a full report go to http://www.birdguides.com/webzine and click on the article
'It's time to get tough with illegal Maltese bird-hunters.'

Regards,

Freddy Johnson

I remember listening to a talk about 10 years ago at the BTO Ringers Conference by Joe Sultana of Bird Life. He gave horrific accounts of the threats made to him and his family by hunters and that he had his car blown up twice! How sad that civilisation has not yet reached some inhabitants of this proud island.