11 July 2013

Illegal trapping of birds (part 3)

Have been waiting for the information to be uploaded to the Gwent Police website to blog about this,...

On Monday another instance of illegal bird trapping was discovered at the Newport Wetlands.  A number of dead birds were found in a net erected at the eastern end of the Uskmouth reedbeds near the end of Farmfield Lane (from which the fetid little souls who did this probably gained access). This is an almost identical location to the illegally erected net found in November 2009 (as mentioned here) and surely suggests the same self-interested, ignorant turds are involved.

The following is taken verbatim from the Gwent Police website on which there are also a number of photographs (see here), if anyone has seen anything suspicious, please take the time to report it.

Appeal for information - illegal trapping of wild birds

We are appealing for information following the discovery of illegally erected ‘mist nets’ at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve. The nets are used to catch birds such as Finches, which are then sold on. Other birds which become trapped in the nets are sometimes left to die.

Tom Dalrymple of Natural Resources Wales, who own and manage the reserve in partnership with Newport City Council and RSPB Cymru said: "It's very sad that these illegal trappers, not only attempt to take birds from the wild, but appear to have left some birds to die slowly in the net".

Anyone with any information about the nets, or who may have seen anything suspicious at Newport Wetlands in the last week is asked to ring Gwent Police by calling 101 quoting Log 272 08/07/13.

NB. The Goldcliff Ringing Group operate on the Newport Wetlands Reserve as part of the BTO Ringing Scheme but are friendly, approachable chaps (well mostly) and, should you see their nets set, will always be close by and happy to explain what is going on. However, there are stolen or otherwise nefariously obtained mist-nets in circulation (e.g. see here for a semi-local case of net theft) so keep 'em peeled and, if you see anything suspicious, please report it ASAP.

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