There
is currently a significant national vote approaching us on May 7th.
It's not the general election, but Britain's vote for our national
bird. A few months ago we were asked to select 6 birds out of 60.
This has brought the list down to a short list of 10 birds. We, the
nation, now have to vote for our favourite. I have cast my vote and I
voted for the Hen Harrier.
 |
| Photo: Andy Hay (www.rspb-images.com). |
The
reason behind my vote is simple: they are being persecuted. Part of
that persecution is historical, part is a misunderstanding and part
is ignorance. But none-the-less the Hen Harriers are being shot and
poisoned by grouse gamekeepers. It is the desire for the grouse moors
to be as full of grouse as possible. So when beating takes place
there are more grouse for the shooters to shoot at. This management
of the moors requires the removal of natural predators of grouse.
The Hen Harrier is a predator of grouse so gamekeepers will want to
remove them from the moors, this practice is illegal but still takes
place. A lot of people in the UK are unaware of the persecution and
my vote for the Hen Harrier is to aid the raising of awareness.
 |
| picture copyright Barry O’Donoghue NPSW |
I
am also Voting for the Hen Harrier because it is supposed to be a
fantastically breathtaking and stunning bird to see. However, I would
never know as I have never seen one. I would love to see one but the
odds of seeing one in England are stacked against me. The number of
Hen Harriers in England is down to 6. This is needs serious action to
turn things around.
To
some this may not be important. But we need our biodiversity, it
helps shape our natural world and boosts the productivity of
ecosystems. In addition, all life has evolved with other species
around it; no species lives in isolation. We have to try to conserve
as many species as possible. Taking note of what we see is important
and it will enrich our lives and our understanding.
 |
| Colt's-foot |
On
my walk around Worcester on Sunday two species stood out. First the
Colt's-foot. A pretty little flower. It is an opportunist that will
colonise waste ground and footpath edges where other species find
more difficult. Clearly not as charismatic as a Hen Harrier but still
valuable in its own way. In fact it can be used as a medicine to
treat problems with the respiratory tract, cough's, colds and flu,
but is also toxic in higher doses so can cause damage to the liver.
 |
| Comma - Taken March 2015 |
I
also spotted my first Comma Butterfly of the year. I love these
butterflies as they give me hope. They once suffered severe
decline and were confined to the Welsh borders. Since the 1960's they
have made a come back. Their come back is due to them changing their
preference of larval food from hops to common nettles. My hope is
that the Hen harrier can do the same thing and make a comeback, but
they will need our help and support.
 |
| Comma - taken July 2014 |
Vote for the National Bird
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting Petition
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