Harrassed wildlife

[Oy]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Sorry I couldn't resist - what is a Dunk anyway ?

Drunks with no Rs?

[STYRBJORN]

Biccy. Dunked in cup of tea.

[DorsetDunk]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

Are you saying that all these people scared the fungi away?

Oh yes they struggled free and ran off on their little legs in sheer terror of all those big smiley faces.Idiot

[DorsetDunk]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Comparing Dunks from other counties, I think those from Dorset have to be the scariest

Sorry I couldn't resist - what is a Dunk anyway ?

Neil.

Its the first part of my last name and my nickname in my school-days and i think derives from the ancient job of Heather dunking

PS I am the scariest dunk of all

[Deb London]

Just to add to the original post. Having been looking for PEs on Saturday, I can understand the effect of a group of people on a small area of grassland/woodland. We were just as bad as rona describes, and hardly a camera in sight because this was a butterfly conservation group interested in butterflies and their ecology. I am used to birdwatching groups or going out with the LNHS, and this lot were a lot louder, with dogs and kids, and running and shouting. And we didn't stick to a path. But I learnt two things of interest. The PE season might be as short as a couple of weeks. And they aren't as uncommon as I (and no doubt many others) have been led to believe.

So thinking about things in a more informed manner, I wonder if it might be better for wildlife in general if people are given the locations of reliable PE spots where once a particular area has been trampled on, it makes no more difference to it if people then visit it for a few more days. I love the fact that kids were involved and that people could have a laugh and let off steam. The kids having fun bit is a necessary step in the continued future of our planet's wildlife I think. I may be wrong, but I speak as I find. I don't write this to be controversial, I don't have a hidden agenda and if I'm wrong I'd like to have a conversation to discover why.

But not on this thread as I'm unsubscribing to it. I'm saddened that the "Harrassed wildlife" thread had to turn into the "harass rona, tear parts off her and throw them to the dogs" thread (this is how I see it, especially after the vivid imagery written in post 34). Whatever I write will probably not be read by the person I want to read it because they haven't been seen on WAB for days. There was no need for this, wherever the blame lies.

[fairplay]

Deb is taking this whole thread too personally and has really confused a lot of issues now.
I was hoping this thread was now drawn to an amicable close, but obviously something is still niggling Deb.

For starters why put Butterfly Conservation in a bad light like this? And if true, why could Deb not have told this 'noisy group' to remember where they are ?
I do not belong to Butterfly Conservation, but have been part of their regular Silver Studded Blue counts at Minsmere for a few years now and have also attended their visits at a nearby wood to see the PE's and I can state categorically there were no noisy shenanigans whatsoever.

At RSPB Minsmere, the regular group are extremely organised and try to be intrusive as little as possible. We form a line at each site we go to and walk quietly through the heather counting the butterflies as we go.
As Minsmere is reputed to have the largest population of Red Deer in England we are going to see them all the time and naturally, we are going to come across young deer sitting tight in bracken.
One or two of us may even take a photo, but we are quickly gone and mum is soon back.

When 'we' go to visit the PE's at another wood, we turn up at the car park, meet old friends, have a coffee maybe, and wait for the introduced PE's to turn up at the feeding stations where some of us may try to take photos.

There is no pandamonium, and anybody acting not as they should will quickly have a quiet word said to them. Then we all walk off very quietly and responsibly into the wood to do our own thing such as botanising, fungi recording or just a quiet stroll to see somewhere new.
Although the event may be one made possible by Butterfly Conservation, it is widely advertised in wildlife circles and ordinary members of the public can and do turn up, but I have yet to see anybody behave in such a manner that words need to be said to them.

So I don't know what sort of event Deb is referring to, but there was nothing to stop her saying something to the organisers if this is how she saw events unfolding - not to say something is almost as bad as the people creating the problem.
I'm sorry Deb, but I don't believe you. You care about wildlife too much to allow an event to become as noisy as you want us to believe, and I think you invented this scenario to support Rona's weak case.

Nobody has turned this into a 'harass Rona' thread as you strangely perceive it Deb, but she has received a lot of constructive criticism in return, for which hopefully she will be grateful.

Neil.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Deb London

But not on this thread as I'm unsubscribing to it. I'm saddened that the "Harrassed wildlife" thread had to turn into the "harass rona, tear parts off her and throw them to the dogs" thread (this is how I see it, especially after the vivid imagery written in post 34).

Interesting point of view since Rona opening post was one attacking wildlife photographers (of which there are many on WAB), accusing them of being worse than dogs at disturbing wildlife, which was then followed by an attack on a mod for giving a different opinion. If there is any harassment, it was from Rona, at least in the first place!

It just seems strange that she makes her post, the first in months, on the same weekend there is a WAB meet to see purple emperors. Then refuses to name the site which shows her perfect example of what is wrong, despite the fact its all over the internet anyway. By Rona's logic we should ban all WAB meets!

[Hedgehoggy]

In the grander scheme of things, none of the individuals/groups mentioned on this thread have set out to cause deliberate disturbance or damage to wildlife. All parties involved clearly share one common denominator.... to admire and enjoy the wildlife. Pity the same can’t be said for the louts who were caught using a hedgehog as a football this morning . The wee mite had to undergo surgery to repair a large hernia as a direct result of this mindless animal cruelty. Next 24 hours will be critical as to its survival.

This very real and sad example of actual ‘harassed wildlife’ rather puts things into perspective, imho.

[pressld2]

Well said Hedgehoggy.

On that note I think perhaps it's time to draw a line under the issue and close the thread.

Dave P.