'In the battle to protect England's green and pleasant land, they ought to be birds of a feather.But the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has fallen prey to a savage attack from the 'bible' of rural England, Country Life.
In an editorial, the magazine has accused the RSPB of being 'obsessed' with protecting birds of prey at the expense of songbirds.
Sea eagles are being reintroduced
It also criticised the charity for failing to back struggling farmers and being fixated with subjects 'only distantly related to bird protection', such as global warming.
In the piece, headed 'What future for the RSPB?', Country Life said millions of sparrows and starlings had vanished from towns, and lapwings and cuckoos were increasingly rare in the country.
Yet, after successful reintroductions, the number of peregrines, red kites and marsh harriers were rising, it pointed out.'
Quite! And what of the sparrowhawks which are causing devastation? The trouble is that when dithery wets get into positions of power in wildlife organisations, they cannot see the wood for the trees.
WILDLIFE MUST BE MANAGED! Man has interfered in the environments; man must put it right.
(I won't even mention magpies - my bête noire et blanche.)
Don't support the RSPB - DO support The Songbird Survival Trust.
