Hunting season again

[muffin]

Once again and for the next several weeks we are going to have to endure the endless volley of shots echoing through the woodland just below our house. What they are shooting at I cannot imagine as any right minded bird has long flown up into safer ground in the hills. Why don't these mindless persecutors of wildlife just join the army where they can do some real shooting, or indeed shoot each other!!! Anything rather than disturbing our peaceful Sundays

[Owl Lady]

I agree banging off over Bellapais at 6 this morning, lunatics!!Supposed to be forbidden hunting area!!.

[terry2366]

So another few weeks and all the hunting dogs will be dumped again.

[come_on_aylin]

According to last week's Cyprus Today:
This light game season runs for 3 Sundays from today until September 14th. There will be hundreds of officials and police checking licences. They are allowed to target turtle dove, wood pigeon, magpies and crows, up to 40 birds, of which 8 may be wood pigeon. They may not fire within a 500 metre radius of reservoirs or lakes and within 200 metres of residential areas and only between sunrise and sunset. The use of hunting dogs and traps is prohibited.
Members of the public can report breaches by calling the 140 hotline.

So Owl Lady - breach no. 1 shooting before sunrise - it certainly hadn't risen by that time here in Esentepe this morning.

Terry2366, hopefully no dogs being dumped as they are not allowed to use them during this season.

I'm just repeating what has been written in the newspaper, I no way condone hunting. Please use the hotline to report breaches, especially registration numbers of the mad bar stewards that shoot out of moving cars.

[Deniz1]

i saw 6men this morning all in full hunting gear they were complaining about the heat so dont wear very thick clothing then! They make so much noise chatting that they dont need to wear camouflage birds can hear them coming.

[Lottidotti]

Tin hat on !
It's not the hunters who are responsible for the diminishing bird life,It's the amount of bloody cats on the loose.

[terry2366]

I would have thought it was more to do with trapping the birds than cats

[sophie]

I consider it a good season by the number of people shot in the process. They don't necessarily have to kill themselves ...... just the odd wound or so will suffice.

[Groucho]

Tin hat on !
It's not the hunters who are responsible for the diminishing bird life,It's the amount of bloody cats on the loose.

I don't believe this is actually true, cats have a very small impact on the bird population here and some would hold that they probably only help take out the weaker ones... guns take out anything weak or not. How many cat's do you see on a weekly basis with a bird in their mouths? There are three cats in our neighbourhood and I've not seen one yet.... but I come across plenty of shot birds not retrieved by the hunters.

Illegal hunters are a problem for the Hunting Federation too and it's their good name that is besmirched by the cowboys so they are keen for reports to be filed, if you think the hunters you see or hear are breaking the hunting regulations regarding time, area, type of prey, size of catch and if dogs and traps are being employed.

So ring that number 140

[waddo]

Hunting season for cats is all year round, they don't need a license and they never dump hunting dogs! Their aim is far more accurate than the gun toting hunter and they will eat anything from lizards to birds and beyond! As for the noise from hunters - the cats make a noise most of the year whilst they are busy jumping on each other and then complaining about it - continual yowling and screeching then climbing through any open window in the hopes of stealing food from your kitchen. Yeah! Wonderful animals that are fed by swallows and tourists then left to fend for themselves for the rest of the year!

Tin hat not required! Go for the throat I say!

Reported three illegal hunters to the Police and the Hunting Federation last year and have not seen them again - take action into your own hands!!! Also please report hunters that leave rubbish around direct to the Hunting Federation, best to give them the Reg No of the vehicles and they can track them from that!!

[mitsybrian]

Go to R.S.P.B web site to see the kill rate of cats on U.K. Song birds, makes a good read about the kill power of cats in U.K. But t his not t he U.K. And the locals can kill for a very limited time per year in the end it is there right to shoot and take out pest like crows etc, the local cats kill 24/7 all year round,

[Lovelife]

Is this a thread about hunting? or a demonization of cats?

As Groucho says if you have a problem with hunters being where they should not be ring the number.

As for cats, they are natural hunters and have been for a couple of thousand years and they cannot change what nature has instilled in them.
The RSPB website states that there is no scientific evidence that the predation of cats is having an impact on bird populations in the UK

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening ... lines.aspx

LL

[JBA]

Crows and magpies do more damage to songbirds than either cats or hunters - the collective noun in not a 'murder of crows' without reason. Both species are expert nest finders and adore eggs. They are also a serious problem for farmers causing severe damage to melon, soft fruit and nut crops among others. The EU has exempted crows and magpies from all forms of protection so that in the UK it is legal to shoot them every day of the year and they are still a significant pest there.

But hunting them will have little effect as they are far too clever. Also the hunters here are limited by the fact that they are not allowed by law to conceal themselves and set up decoys. The best way of dealing with them are Larsen or ladder traps but those don't seem to be used here.

Turtle doves I know nothing about but wood pigeons are certainly on the increase - I have had as many as 20 drinking from my pool at one time and flocks of a hundred or more roosting in the nearby olive grove. And if you have never tried them they are delicious.

[Retired]

Comments below from an article in Mail Online today mentioning the decline of turtle doves and other birds which will be extinct in Britain in 10 years...

Quote:
Maltese and Cypriot "hunters" are cleaning their guns in preparation for the Autumn migration slaughter and again in the Spring. They try to blast anything that flies from harriers to swallows and a lot of turtle doves. EU directives forbid it but they seem to be protected by local politicians and police. 2 countries that I will not visit until laws are implemented.


spark, London, United Kingdom, 51 minutes ago

Cyrpus is known for its animal cruelty and I would never holiday there. I imagine Malta is the same since they are also shooting these birds. What point is there in having laws when no one enforces them.

Unquote

Other comments also...//www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-273895 ... z3BzarP4B0
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[BLUE BUTTERFLY]

Tin hat on !
It's not the hunters who are responsible for the diminishing bird life,It's the amount of bloody cats on the loose.

Sounds like a very bored wind up merchant trying to amuse themselves. How sad. Best ignored

[Groucho]

If the RSPB don't find any evidence of cats being significant in terms of bird numbers declining, I'm pretty sure it's not them that are to blame... the major problem here and other places like Malta is the annual cull of migrating birds. Cats tend to kill resident birds and resident bird numbers don't tend to decline because of cats... other factors like loss of habitat are more to blame - and that's us humans! In our villas...

Of course there are illegal hunting practices like mist netting and lime-sticking that are employed to catch large numbers of perching birds but not so much in the the north. CABS came to the north and found little or no evidence of these methods of capture. Kuskor's members are out in the countryside all year round and we would know if these practices were being employed on any large scale - but we all need to be aware that this could move into the north if a major crackdown occurs in the south where it's big business feeding the ambelopoulia (often just called pulya) trade worth millions of pounds each year...

http://www.greenprophet.com/2013/12/cyp ... lia-birds/

[Retired]

We would hope that the British Forces at the bases there are regularly checking their territory for nets.

I recall not long ago that Prince Charles made a statement deploring the mass slaughter of birds visiting Cyprus. It would be so very sad to loose our lovely birds.

[Lottidotti]

Blue Butterfly,
I posted a legitimate observation.When you are surrounded by people with cats and not just one or two cats, one house has at least eleven which spend most of their time in my garden leaving dead birds on the patio,Ooops in the flower beds and damaging my outside furniture.
I observe these cats climbing trees to try and get at the birds.So cats must have an impact on wildlife.
If you don't agree with that so be it but that doesn't make me a 'bored wind up merchant'.

[thornaby]

Never understood what pleasure these idiots get from killing wildlife.
Same idiots back in the u.k.
Fox hunting barbarick.

[paddywack]

Never understood what pleasure these idiots get from killing wildlife.
Same idiots back in the u.k.
Fox hunting barbarick.

If you had a field of cabbage and a flock of pigeons landed on them, you would be surprised how much damage 200 crows can do to a field of ripe barley, you would understand why we shoot vermin.

[Mollie the cat]

Paddywack, wrong way round, it the hunters who are the vermin!

[Ragged Robin]

[quote="Groucho"]... other factors like loss of habitat are more to blame - and that's us humans! In our villas...

I agree :- loss of habitat , not just villas, but hotels, supermarkets roads and hedgerows, car parks etc. play a part in the reduction in of the small songbird population, both here and in the UK and no doubt elsewhere. At least some home owners with gardens can and do something to redress the balance by planting to provide nesting sites and food for small birds in their gardens. Unfortunately this is counterproductive in areas where large numbers of feral cats are encouraged as the birds not only attract even more cats not only to endanger the birds but damage the planting intended to encourage the birds. And if you let your dogs out at night to discourage the cats they will bark and you will be branded an irresponsible owner, whereas the cats yowl all night unmolested. A no win situation.

[BLUE BUTTERFLY]

Blue Butterfly,
I posted a legitimate observation.When you are surrounded by people with cats and not just one or two cats, one house has at least eleven which spend most of their time in my garden leaving dead birds on the patio,Ooops in the flower beds and damaging my outside furniture.
I observe these cats climbing trees to try and get at the birds.So cats must have an impact on wildlife.
If you don't agree with that so be it but that doesn't make me a 'bored wind up merchant'.

I have to agree with you there Lottie, even though I like cats, eleven cats is a lot to put up with, but as you say, they only ATTEMPT to catch the birds, I have 3 cats who at dawn and dusk are out there,attempting to catch the birds, In four years they have caught one. Not too much of an impact on wildlife.

My husbands brother goes hunting and after one day sometimes returns with as many as 20 birds.

Ragged Robin, it is not so long ago that you posted to complain, under another name and wrongly, that your neighbours were keeping the cat population down by poisoning them, now you are complaining that the local cats go ''unmolested''.

In which way would you like to see them molested?

I have never been kept awake by cats but am often disturbed by dogs barking when someone enters the village.

Can someone tell me please, why the majority of dog owners who come on this forum hate cats so much, cats bury their dirt, they never rip other peoples pets to pieces or attack, kill or maim people and they help to keep down vermin.

[rowan]

I am a dog owner and love cats. Personally dont see why it has to be one or the other.

[Groucho]

Back on track... this thread is about the hunting by humans. someone raised the spectre of cats being more of a problem than humans but I think a little internet research can put an end to that argument... There has been plenty of research and the impact of animals when left to their own devices has little or no impact on bird populations and, as has been indicated, they may even have a beneficial effect overall by weeding out the weak and reducing vermin such as rats and mice.

There is however little doubt that culls of migrating bird are having a serious effect on birds reaching their nesting grounds en-route from Africa and Asia to Europe and vice versa when migrating birds are attempting to reach their over-winter resting places. This I think we would or should all abhor....

We have wonderful Bonelli's Eagles soaring in the Kyrenia range and the balance of nature is very important for their survival.

It is a shame that on the whole wherever man comes into contact with nature the wildlife suffers - and subsequently man suffers too...

[Retired]

Could someone please post the email contact of the bird association I've seen somewhere advertised. Maybe if people contacted them to let them know how strongly we feel about this issue (I'm sure they already know, but strength in numbers maybe), they could approach the relevant government officials who could help. I am sure that education in schools would be one way to for the future, hopefully before these wonderful creatures become extinct.

[Groucho]

Kuskor is the North Cyprus Society for the Protection of birds and nature... kuskor@yahoogroups.com

It only costs 25tl per annum to join and you will be supporting their efforts to educate and alsointeract with the Hunting Federation and the TRNC Government on issues close to our hearts. If you want to join PM me or email Robin Snape robin_t_e_snape@hotmail.com

We also have a free Yahoo group for anyone who wants to contact other members, get up-to-date info on bird related activities, post sightings, get notice of important sightings or even raise the alarm should you be concerned about some particular issue like habit destruction etc.

You have to apply to join this free group and once approved by the group moderator (Robin) you can decide what level of contact and info you want to receive = join here:- https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kuskor/info

[muffin]

This is like a comedy show. There is a large newish villa close by owned by a Turkish man. He was furious with the hunters disturbing him at 6am on Sunday and called the police who duly arrived at about midday, by which time many of the early hunters had gone home. They drove around the area looking for the hunters supposedly. Totally ignored a parked car belonging to several men with guns. Ignored the small road into the ravine where I could quite clearly see a red pickup parked containing hunters. The answer is that the police do not not really want to catch the hunters, as many of them are actually in the force. Once again so much for the law out here. Incidentally the odd gunshots were still going off as the police drove around! We wait for the next episode next Sunday.

[Ragged Robin]

Blue Butterfly: I changed names because you kept attacking me and a personal basis, contrary to board rules! I never said the neighbours were poisening cats: I suggested some unexplained cat deaths (no marks on them) might mean that someone in the neighbourhood was putting down poison for rats where, perhaps without them realising it, cats could get at it. Please stop spreading slander about me.

I DONT hate cats, in fact I quite like them and would have one myself if I could manage another animal, and I certainly wouldnt wont one harmed in anyway, let alone poisoned. But we are not talking nice little domesticated pussies here, we are talking about several generations feral (effectively wild) which go around in gangs of four or five and could quite easy case harm to a small puppy or old dog or even a child and should not be encouraged in domestic situation. Cats do bury their droppings - the problem is they dont do it in the garden of the people who feed them, they do it by digging up plants in the garden next door. And even if they do not catch many birds (whichI dont think is proved) their presence in large numbers deters them and results in their leaving nests.

Back to topic, I don.t like hunting either, but it is part of the culture we should have considered when moving here and I think we should at least be grateful that here there is an Association which apparently does try to impose good practice and - or so I have read - helps the environment and other wildlife in the process,and should do whatever we can to support them.

[Ragged Robin]

RE the remark about Eagles above, according to a lecture by Kuşkor some while ago, raptors are decreasing because they are carrion eaters and their diet was supplemented by dead donkeys which used to be left outside villages. With mechanisation tractors proved less digestable!

So its all down to man upsetting the balance of nature! And no doubt we will now have a rant about donkeys or eagles

[Groucho]

RE the remark about Eagles above, according to a lecture by Kuşkor some while ago, raptors are decreasing because they are carrion eaters and their diet was supplemented by dead donkeys which used to be left outside villages. With mechanisation tractors proved less digestable!

So its all down to man upsetting the balance of nature! And no doubt we will now have a rant about donkeys or eagles

No rant...

I would imagine the carrion eaters you refer to are Griffon Vultures which used to soar above the Kyrenia range and for which a conservation and re-population exercise is underway in the Troodos. They have indeed died out due the conflict with man - they were hunted into local extinction. Mostly by shepherds who regarded them as a danger to their flocks.

Most raptors that are not vultures prefer live prey but will of course supplement with already dead prey if it's needed and available.

The real problem is those rogue hunters shooting anything that moves and then discovering what they've shot is not edible and is possibly endangered and very probably meant to be protected at the time of its destruction.

A Bonelli's Eagle was found dead by Five Fingers mountain this spring.. but before Kuskor could investigate the body had been stripped of any useful evidence.

[Owl Lady]

Are they aloud to shoot on Wednesdays at present, as gun fire towards Bellapais this morning about 7am?

[Ragged Robin]

Groucho: No it was actually Eleonora's Falcon, which I understood at time was unique to North Cyprus,but having just googled it to check my facts I see other venues are quoted , but not Cyprus, so maybe I have misremembered or maybe the situation has changed in the meantime. I realise raptors also eat live prey, but the point was they had a regular source of food when live was not available to attract them to the area.

I would have thought given these birds' habitats and aerial manoeuvres, and the poor reputation of the accuracy of local shooting, they were not very easy to shoot.! I also read, in a different context, and about a different country, that egg collecting was one of the reasons for the decline in numbers of raptors and also wonder how many of our hunters are able and willing to scale mountain peaks for eagles' nests!

I suppose when one thinks about it, raptors are a danger to sheep , particularly new born lambs, and farmers and shepherds have to make a living and shooting is at least less objectionable than poison.. Another case of care needed not to upset the balance of nature, and other means needed to deter predators.

[Groucho]

Eleonora's Falcons are not really carrion birds - other small live birds and insects are more their diet. For example, they do feed on cicadas in the Akdeniz forest... on their way through as they are migratory. The thing about Griffon Vultures and Bonelli's Eagles is that they are resident birds and need to be free from predation by man if they are to survive. Bonelli's are to be found in very, very low numbers in the Mediterranean region and the Kyrenia range is a very special habitat for them.

[Groucho]

I would have thought given these birds' habitats and aerial manoeuvres, and the poor reputation of the accuracy of local shooting, they were not very easy to shoot.

Quite the opposite - given the size and their habit of soaring they make an easier target than the birds that flit about and are more acrobatic in their flight pattern.

[Ragged Robin]

Groucho: I must bow to your superior knowledge, though Im pretty sure Eleonora's Falcon was the bird mentioned in the talk as the unusually pretty name struck me!

I have never had either chance nor inclination to shoot fur or feather, although its possible some two legged creatures might tempt me

Presumably shooting endangered species is contrary to the Law here?

Although I deplore the methods I do, however, have some sympathy for the farmers and shepherds who need to protect their animals, and would in particular be sorry to lose flocks sheep and goats that are such a feature of the landscape. Surely it is not beyond the resources of the 21st century to find better methods of control of predators than shooting and poison.

[Groucho]

Groucho: I must bow to your superior knowledge, though Im pretty sure Eleonora's Falcon was the bird mentioned in the talk as the unusually pretty name struck me!

I have never had either chance nor inclination to shoot fur or feather, although its possible some two legged creatures might tempt me

Presumably shooting endangered species is contrary to the Law here?

Although I deplore the methods I do, however, have some sympathy for the farmers and shepherds who need to protect their animals, and would in particular be sorry to lose flocks sheep and goats that are such a feature of the landscape. Surely it is not beyond the resources of the 21st century to find better methods of control of predators than shooting and poison.

Problem is they've hunted the carrion eating vultures to death and now the carrion crows are taking over.... any gap left by the removal of one species will naturally be filled by another - that's evolution. Carrion birds like the Griffon Vulture takes dead or injured prey... very little effect on healthy livestock but due to mainly ignorance and the demonizing of these majestic birds they were shot first and no questions were asked.

Eleonora's Falcon may well have been mentioned in the talk but the main thrust of the talk must have been about the Griffon Vulture's demise as this is the species that once soared over the mountains here and has been hunted to extinction. Eleonora's Falcons are close relatives of the Hobby and have very different habits when compared with vultures.