Bill Oddie tonight

[hunterswind]

Dolphins was great I love to see them when we are fishing for Lobsters off St Andrews. Cormorants was a disgrace I know of a lot of these are birds shot and the rings place them in France they are destroying natural fishing areas. How can Fluffy Oddie say they are a nice bird ? ?? 36gms no 5 is the best thing for them

[willing to learn]

Did you see the pair manky mangey foxes in his wildlife garden looked a picture of health for urban foxes
Regards
Colin

[hunterswind]

Sorry didnt see that. I have a challange to Bill through this forum myself and a friend vs Bill Oddie and a friend topic Uk wildlife. Winner donates £20000.00 to the charity of their choice.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

Dolphins was great I love to see them when we are fishing for Lobsters off St Andrews. Cormorants was a disgrace I know of a lot of these are birds shot and the rings place them in France they are destroying natural fishing areas. How can Fluffy Oddie say they are a nice bird ? ?? 36gms no 5 is the best thing for them

Cormorants are a natural part of our environment- it's human's that have overfished the oceans- not cormorants nor seals or any other scapegoat!

Yes cormorants may take a lot of fish in a stocked lake, but that's just like putting out peanuts to bring in Blue Tits. "Nice" doesn't mean anything in ecological terms, but I think they are magnificent birds too + as much a part of our natural heritage as a Golden Eagle or a Starling!

[The Black Rabbit]

You know what?

Bill Oddie is growing on me.....































































LIKE A MOULD.


Doug

[John]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

Cormorants was a disgrace I know of a lot of these are birds shot and the rings place them in France they are destroying natural fishing areas. How can Fluffy Oddie say they are a nice bird ? ?? 36gms no 5 is the best thing for them

Sorry, I don't know you and you may be an excellent person with a fair knowledge of our wildlife but I have to agree with aeshna5 on this. Cormorants have been forced inland due to our seas being overfished. They are a natural part of our world and have as much right to be here as any other living thing that is a natural part of our world.

What isn't natural are the lakes that have been artificially stocked with fish so anglers can enjoy their sport (and before you start knocking me for lack of knowledge on angling I will tell you that I used to be on the open contest circuit for years before becoming a specialist Barble angler for many years).

If people want to make a business out of artificially stocked lakes then they do so with the knowledge that fish will be taken by not only Cormorants but other birds such as Herons, Grebes and Kingfishers etc as well. Do you want to persecute those birds also?

There is also a blame culture with anglers that at times are unfounded. I remember fishing the Warwickshire Avon at Harvington. I was pleasure angling at the time and catching fish regularly. On the other bank was a contest and most anglers were struggling to catch fish. A Cormorant flew over and straight away a couple of anglers started to shout that no wonder there are no fish being caught as they had all been eaten by Cormorants. I just couldn't resist it and shouted over that if there weren't any fish then why was I bagging up. Not surprisingly I didn't get a response.

People who start businesses or even hobbies (like racing Pigeon) think that the world has to revolve around them and that if any wildlife affects it it should be killed. Pigeon racers want Peregrine and Sparrowhawks culled because of the impact on Pigeon numbers. It's crazy. Using that comparison we should be killing all cats because they kill birds, banning all transport, because of road kill plus many other scenarios that affect the deaths of wildlife.

Back to Cormorants. Have you ever studied them. They are fascinating birds. Very social amongst themselves and if you really get to look at them in the right light they can show colours you wouldn't think they had.

My advice to you, or anyone else that has similar views about Cormorants, is to get your facts right before blaming these birds. More to the point blame those that stock lakes and rivers then expect nothing to come along and eat into that stock.

John

[hobble]

I know nothing about cormorants............Have learnt something now though.
I do know that if people are being irritated by Bill Oddie there is always the OFF switch, he is not compulsary.
Or we can go on posting threads moaning about him.
I sometimes watch him if it looks as though the subject might interest me, like the footage and sound recording of the fabulous oak tree last week.
We all have a choice in this matter.
Now I'm dreading Springwatch................

[mrs fish]

Last weeks Bill Oddie was very good with the microphone in the oak tree

I will have to watch this weeks on demand

[VinceS]

Rather than repeating a post I would just say I am of a similar mind to the views expressed by John (post6 above). As to how you view cormorants or any other wildlife - beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Vince

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by VinceS

Rather than repeating a post I would just say I am of a similar mind to the views expressed by John (post6 above). As to how you view cormorants or any other wildlife - beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Vince

Me too .... John's comments were spot on.

Richard

[ron1863]

John makes some excellent point and I would like to add that Cormorants and nearly all other birds only take fish for food, either for themselves or to feed their young and not just for fun.
It's man who is depleting the Oceans of fish not wildlife but I disagree that this is the main reason that Cormorants are moving inland. I believe that they are moving to inland waters because the feeding is a lot easier as these waters are stocked regularly so making it very simple for the birds to hunt.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Just watched the episode on iplayer and I thought bills comments would annoy some fishermen! I remember doing my work experience at school, which was with the trout farm at Hanningfield, we once dropped of a delivery of trout at some lakes used for fishing and everyone there was f-ing and blind-ing about the cormorants and how they shouldn't be protected. I was into fishing back then, but still thought they should be left alone. And having observed them frequently and being more knowledgeable now I certainly don't think they should be culled.

Anglers have a long tradition of blaming herons, pike and cormorants for eating all the fish, when the fact is they eat many of the small fish, which leaves more food and space for bigger fish, which then get bigger, and then the anglers have better fish. simple

[3lilpigs]

leave the comorants out of it!

Man made resorvoirs, man decided to add more fish so that man could fish for them......Then man blames the birds for being a far superior fisher.

you just couldnt make it up

go get em fish you beauties

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

Dolphins was great I love to see them when we are fishing for Lobsters off St Andrews. Cormorants was a disgrace I know of a lot of these are birds shot and the rings place them in France they are destroying natural fishing areas. How can Fluffy Oddie say they are a nice bird ? ?? 36gms no 5 is the best thing for them

Cull cormorants, kill lobsters, cull Badgers ? May I ask why you wanted to join this site ? You seem hell bent on destroying most living things, including bill oddie and the sexy simon king

[ianmandy]

I love watching the cormorants fish when i'm fishing on the Thames. I don't like the mindless fools who blame them for the lack of fish in our rivers. Blame the floods that wash the fish sporn away so that there is no fry for the Kingfishers and their young next season. I see the same Kingfisher everytime i fish. At the start of the new fishing season I always wonder if she will be there. I love watching Bill Oddie he is very helpful not as funny as he was and this new series is not so good. Roll on Springwatch in May. Instead of a We Hate Bill Campaign why don't you turn over and watch something else or are you realy Bill Fans but are to shy to say

[willing to learn]

One thing got me about Bill he did not seem to mind his haddock or cod with his chips has joked listening to fish sounds, out on the boat, I should imagine there near being endagered that the cormorant. I know it been brought round by over fishing and not the cormorant. But both are living creatures. Bill sticks up for one, and tucks into another makes sense .
Regards
Colin
Only time will tell as cormorants expand Inland, what effect it will have on the birds that have evolved to live on fresh water fish.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Sorry but i'm going to disagree with John, well a litle anyway

It's a fair comment about the overfishing of the sea's in britain forcing them inland, although i was under the impression that the one's inland are a subspecies?? and it's also fair to say that stocking fish is not a natural way for lakes to survive.

But, it's not just these lakes they have been a problem on, they have caused major problems in river systems that aren't stocked, virtually wiping out rivers now if this was a Mink killing Water Voles or Grey Squirrel passing on disease people would be saying that we have to do something about it. But it seems that just because it's fish it doesn't matter Artificial lakes can survive because of the stocking of fish, but many of the places they inhabit aren't these, they are natural lakes and rivers which are much quieter that commercial fisheries and therefore the birds are happier being there. These type of places need protection from cormorants IMO

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

Sorry but i'm going to disagree with John, well a litle anyway

It's a fair comment about the overfishing of the sea's in britain forcing them inland, although i was under the impression that the one's inland are a subspecies?? and it's also fair to say that stocking fish is not a natural way for lakes to survive.

But, it's not just these lakes they have been a problem on, they have caused major problems in river systems that aren't stocked, virtually wiping out rivers now if this was a Mink killing Water Voles or Grey Squirrel passing on disease people would be saying that we have to do something about it. But it seems that just because it's fish it doesn't matter Artificial lakes can survive because of the stocking of fish, but many of the places they inhabit aren't these, they are natural lakes and rivers which are much quieter that commercial fisheries and therefore the birds are happier being there. These type of places need protection from cormorants IMO

I think cormorants have already been culled in certain areas under special license.
Regards
Colin

[John]

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

Sorry but i'm going to disagree with John, well a litle anyway

That's what a balanced debate is all about.

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

now if this was a Mink killing Water Voles or Grey Squirrel passing on disease people would be saying that we have to do something about it. But it seems that just because it's fish it doesn't matter

Bad comparisons as neither of these are native to these shores so anything they do that can disturb the balance of nature has to be addressed (Ruddy Duck being a prime example).

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

Artificial lakes can survive because of the stocking of fish, but many of the places they inhabit aren't these, they are natural lakes and rivers which are much quieter that commercial fisheries and therefore the birds are happier being there. These type of places need protection from cormorants IMO

Sorry but I don't believe that Cormorants make such a big impact on river systems. Neither can I accept that over the length and breadth of Britain do they cause major problems in established lakes. That is near nigh impossible as there are too many places for fish to hide, plus it would need a major influx of Cormorants to achieve it.

I can imagine it happening on artificial lakes as the they are constructed differently to the likes of Gravel Pits and naturally formed lakes. If there are such places where fish mortality is high have other tests been made on the quality of water.

I used to know an area of the Trent that became sterile after the way waste water was treated from a power station. Every bit of goodness was extracted out of the waste and all that went back into the water was sterile. This had a vast impact on the water and plant life.

Overall I doubt if the Cormorant is responsible for fish stocks being depleted to an unsupportable level. Try watching large roosts of Cormorants and look at the waters they are near. I bet they are full of fish. I know many roosts that are like that.

You cannot condemn something because you think they are upsetting the balance of nature. With that thinking you would eradicate birds of prey, especially the Sparrowhawk for preying on garden birds, Magpie's for predating nests, Shrikes for taking small birds and other forms of small prey. Need I go on.

Don't take this the wrong way but I can't believe that culling birds, no matter what they are, is thought a good thing on a wildlife forum. The only time I would give credence to that argument is for such as the Mink etc where being non-native affords them no such protection.

John

[Adam Cheeseman]

A BTO study on Cormorants found that they had a negligible effect on fish stocks in angling lakes and fish farms.

I think anglers are just jealous because cormorants are better fishermen than they are.

Cheers,

Adam

[ianmandy]

I don't know what mad fish eating cormarants you have in Lincs but i have fished every river in the UK at some time or other in my 30yrs of enjoying Angling I have never seen a cormarant on any of the small rivers. I have seen them on the Thames the Severn and the Avon. Some of the best fishing i have ever had was from the River Ancholme, the River Welland is famous for its large Bream and the Fossdyke Canal in Lincoln is brilliant. I live in Bucks and am happy to drive to lins for the fishing. Its not the cormarants!!. The only bad thing about Cormarants is that their eyes are bigger than their bellies.. they try to take fish that are bigger than they are and just damage the fish. Don't get me started on the damage Minks have caused. The idiots that set them free should have the same fate as the worm i put on my hook for the Chub.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Originally Posted by John

That's what a balanced debate is all about.




Bad comparisons as neither of these are native to these shores so anything they do that can disturb the balance of nature has to be addressed (Ruddy Duck being a prime example).



Sorry but I don't believe that Cormorants make such a big impact on river systems. Neither can I accept that over the length and breadth of Britain do they cause major problems in established lakes. That is near nigh impossible as there are too many places for fish to hide, plus it would need a major influx of Cormorants to achieve it.

I can imagine it happening on artificial lakes as the they are constructed differently to the likes of Gravel Pits and naturally formed lakes. If there are such places where fish mortality is high have other tests been made on the quality of water.

I used to know an area of the Trent that became sterile after the way waste water was treated from a power station. Every bit of goodness was extracted out of the waste and all that went back into the water was sterile. This had a vast impact on the water and plant life.

Overall I doubt if the Cormorant is responsible for fish stocks being depleted to an unsupportable level. Try watching large roosts of Cormorants and look at the waters they are near. I bet they are full of fish. I know many roosts that are like that.

You cannot condemn something because you think they are upsetting the balance of nature. With that thinking you would eradicate birds of prey, especially the Sparrowhawk for preying on garden birds, Magpie's for predating nests, Shrikes for taking small birds and other forms of small prey. Need I go on.

Don't take this the wrong way but I can't believe that culling birds, no matter what they are, is thought a good thing on a wildlife forum. The only time I would give credence to that argument is for such as the Mink etc where being non-native affords them no such protection.

John

In all honesty i've never experienced a problem with cormorant in all my years angling, I have seen them on lakes, but mostly ones with good numbers of fish and in the vast majority of cases they will not cause major issues.

Although I guess what i'm saying is, if they are causing a problem in natural lakes and rivers the power should be there to prevent it from going to far, as it is now

I just wish I could get our club to remove the 30odd Wels catfish that where illegally stocked in the 90's, these things really have dented fish stocks

I think i kind of got my point across in the wrong way in the first post. I'm anti eradicatng any "british" animal unless it's causing major damage to other creatures.

[mrs fish]

I often see cormorants fishing the local brackish and fresh water rivers, lovely thing to watch

[ianmandy]

I agree with you about the Catfish. As you say there is no n