Pine Marten - and other predator releases

[jall55]

So - just watching the "teaser" for Springwatch tonight and it appears Martens have had a nest full of robins

How ? Why ? They are so cuddly and only eat grey squirrels - and thats only once they have eaten all their nuts and berries !

FFS it absolutely does me that these "trusts" - or whatever release these predators - when so many prey species are under such pressure
Is it as i fear all about the money and them keeping their jobs ? I know the projects for some releases run in to the millions

I have written to my MP s- again - and asked them to start listening to science not people sat on sofas who think they know about nature

Look well now if the robins actually got away - but you guys get my point im sure

 

[Flash G 74]

Hello, Did they mention that on Spring Watch ??, All the animals , Beaver/ Pine Martin and Raptors will do a lot of damage to our wild life

 

[jall55]

Hello, Did they mention that on Spring Watch ??, All the animals , Beaver/ Pine Martin and Raptors will do a lot of damage to our wild life

On tonight i believe

Yes - Red kites are now like circus attractions in many places - and then they disperse and hammer ground nesters

 

[ion]

I've seen the figure of Grey Squirrels constituting 14 % of Pine Martens diet. If I remember that correctly, then 86 % is other prey.
FFS!
I'm pretty sure one hammered the cygnets on my pond from 7 down to 1 over 48 hours. The same pair of swans have reared up to 7 to maturity in previous years

 

[jall55]

I've seen the figure of Grey Squirrels constituting 14 % of Pine Martens diet. If I remember that correctly, then 86 % is other prey.
FFS!
I'm pretty sure one hammered the cygnets on my pond from 7 down to 1 over 48 hours. The same pair of swans have reared up to 7 to maturity in previous years

Could that be a mink Ion ?

 

[Freeforester]

If you were a normal person causing such loss of biodiversity the authorities would not be long in making their enquiries, but it seems that misinformed and mis/disinforming bodies are given a free pass to inflict their damage on our common wealth as they see fit.
Another own goal by MSM, they could - in the interests of balance - at least give the Songbird Survival group a moment or two of comment, to open up and inform the debate from a more scientifically robust viewpoint, but much like their monopolistic, dictatorial view regarding causes of climate change, they see it fit to disinform an all too gullible general public audience, who are largely unaware of the issues at stake, in particular for vulnerable ground nesting birds and other species.

 

[ion]

Could that be a mink Ion ?

I have had mink on site for years and they never achieved that level of destruction.
An otter tried one day and the cob beat the tar out of him to the extent that he was bleeding from numerous cuts.
The Marten is relatively recent, about 5 years I'd say

 

[ion]

When the Pine Martens and Buzzards started to increase their territories in Ireland from the 90s onwards there was a noticeable decrease in grey squirrel population. In fact the buzzards got the credit first as they were more noticeable.
What was pleasantly surprising was how quickly the red squirrels reappeared, albeit in very low numbers. The likes of the National Parks and Wildlife Service were very slow to credit the buzzards and martens with reducing the greys. I couldn't put my finger on the exact date but years earlier they sponsored a PhD student who concluded that grey squirrels were not a threat to trees.
I've seen at first hand the marten damage to release pens and poultry from the late 80's. This was from a population that was spreading naturally.
I believe that even in Ireland there were relocations by NPWS.
In the 80's I saw martens in Wicklow, and they were widespread on the west coast.
When they have finished off the grey squirrels easy pickings, it's natural that they turn their attention to the next easy prey.
In the much missed Stalking magazine I think it was Struthan Robertson who wrote about the depradations of the Marten in the Highlands. That would have been the 90's?

 

[countrryboy]

Aye Ion
I was going to suggest Otter too.
Can have a major impact on duck ponds, even wild migratory duck will stay clear of fed ponds with an otter bothering them.

A few years ago a mate was enjoying watching a family of Mallard.
The usual started off at 8 or 10 and every nite or 2 their would be another 1 .missing.
At the age could off been anything.
Eventually 3 left getting bigger, seen the Otter take the bloody mother.

A local nature reserve i was on committee for years, and still do practical chainsaw/tree surgery jobs for them for free.
Must be 10 or 15 yrs since they fledged a Mallard.despite having cracking habitat, fed all year and 50+ resident duck.
Simply refuse to control anything.
Last month the reserve manager will lift 50+ pecked eggs once or twice a week.
Quite literally 2 or 3 pair of corries.
My final year on committee all summer everyone was taking some absolutely cracking photos of stoats.
Then they wonder why no ground nesting birds left.


Just can't tell them owt.

That reserve is a cracking place and the manger does a massive amount with kids, handicapped etc, all voluntary.
It's his pride and joy.
Yet ( and I bet many reserves are the exact same) it actually does more harm for local wildlife than good.
Attracts birds in with feed and habitat that will never breed successfully and likely just feed some predator or other.

 

[TURNBOLT]

Derbyshire wildlife trust have apparently already released Pine Martens into Ambergate woodland and are hoping to release more next year into Ravensdale park woodland near Muggington.

 

[countrryboy]

That's wot I came on to write originally before I went off on 1.

I'm always amazed how little video evidence of nest predation ( esp raptor on raptor or HH nests on the deck) or predation in general.

The amount of wildlife cams and the length of time nests have been filmed 24/7.
Any rsp b reserve that can is spending fortunes on predator proof fencing but trying to deny predation is even a factor in many birds decline.

U see the odd Badger killer a hedgehog but its always the 'freak or rogue' badger.
Despite everyone noticing the clear trends.

 

[jall55]

Derbyshire wildlife trust have apparently already released Pine Martens into Ambergate woodland and are hoping to release more next year into Ravensdale park woodland near Muggington.

I thought they were still in discussion stage and working towards 2030 release ?

 

[Pine Marten]

This is total slander, I have done no such thing.

 

[jall55]

I have said similar in the past to GWCT
They appeal for money to buy a camera or two to evidence incidents - yet they and BASC have thousands of members with trail cams - We could all submit predation incidents - it would save them countless hours processing and give robust data rapidly

That's wot I came on to write originally before I went off on 1.

I'm always amazed how little video evidence of nest predation ( esp raptor on raptor or HH nests on the deck) or predation in general.

The amount of wildlife cams and the length of time nests have been filmed 24/7.
Any rsp b reserve that can is spending fortunes on predator proof fencing but trying to deny predation is even a factor in many birds decline.

U see the odd Badger killer a hedgehog but its always the 'freak or rogue' badger.
Despite everyone noticing the clear trends.

 

[TURNBOLT]

I thought they were still in discussion stage and working towards 2030 release ?

I have said similar in the past to GWCT
They appeal for money to buy a camera or two to evidence incidents - yet they and BASC have thousands of members with trail cams - We could all submit predation incidents - it would save them countless hours processing and give robust data rapidly

It was a from a genuine source.

 

[countrryboy]

I have said similar in the past to GWCT
They appeal for money to buy a camera or two to evidence incidents - yet they and BASC have thousands of members with trail cams - We could all submit predation incidents - it would save them countless hours processing and give robust data rapidly

This is going back a bit, say 10 yrs or so, up about Aviemore/Boat of Garten area.

Some Ospreys started nesting on a sporting estate away from the famous long established nest.
Within the first 3 or 4 yrs had 2 incidents ( from memory it was 1 chick 1 yr and 2 the next year) caught on camera of chick's being attacked and knocked from the nest.

Makes u wonder how many times it actually happens and been covered up and tapes lost as does not suit their narrative.
And how many years as they have been videoing 5hem long before cameras were easily accessable

 

[ion]

This is total slander, I have done no such thing.

Perhaps there should be a hornets nest emoji to be inaugurated by yourself.
Any resemblance to persons lving or dead is entirely coincidental. Where is the emoji button to be found by the way.

 

[seedawood]

I'm generally in favour of most types of 're-wilding' and species restoration BUT; I used to keep tabs on what was described as "the only genetically pure" population of Red Squirrels in the 'core area' in mid Wales. A year after the pine marten re-introduction by VWT near Devils Bridge which is at the top of the forestry network that represented the red squirrel 'core area' I could find no recent signs of red squirrels but lots of pine marten droppings- many containing squirrel claws, there are very few grey squirrels in this area (as the habitat is to poor even for them) which is one reason why the reds had survived there.
Since then there have been odd reports of red squirrels well outside the 'core area' but I have heard of none from inside. A situation which is not helped by the 'red squirrel project' seeming to have lost its funding and gone very quiet.
Will the dispersed red squirrel population have sufficient contact to survive? Not sure if anyones watching.

 

[old keeper]

I saw on the news today that they have finally stopped issuing badger cull licences. What a farce that all was. Four years ago, we finished our very successful cull here. Now, badger numbers are almost back to what they were, pre-cull.

 

[countrryboy]

I saw on the news today that they have finally stopped issuing badger cull licences. What a farce that all was. Four years ago, we finished our very successful cull here. Now, badger numbers are almost back to what they were, pre-cull.

Did u notice much difference in wildlife coming back?

The problem u have is vulnerable wildlife the populations are so low now all over the country.
Their is nothing to spread into the void and repopulate the area?

Did the farmers notice Tb numbers decrease?

Most farmers/ farmers back3d scientists say it does work.
Yet the badger hugging paid scientist argue very strongly the opposite.
And not as if much room for grey