Nursed spoonbill shot again

A spoonbill that was nursed back to health after it was found injured at Xlendi on September 25 was shot last week after it ventured out of the Ghadira Nature Reserve.

The bird was cured by BirdLife members and later released at Ghadira on October 9. Ghadira Reserve's managing warden Charles Gauci said last week the spoonbill flew out of the reserve twice and on each occasion shots were fired at it. "Last Friday it returned with some damaged wing feathers," Mr Gauci said.

With the hunting season in full swing, bird watchers have reported rampant abuse.

A short-eared owl was seen being shot from a speedboat at Bahar ic-Caghaq and flamingos, cormorants and avocets were noted being shot from boats off Qawra.

Hunters were also reported being seen and heard shooting in Buskett, before and just after the break of dawn.

Police from the administrative law enforcement squad have apprehended about 190 hunters and trappers since January 1. Sources said lately the police have seized "quite a few" electronic bird callers from trappers and found several trappers taking birds.

Two hunters were booked in Pembroke after the police found them in possession of heavy gauge pellets. The hunters had been noted shooting at gulls.