Rare visitor at Ghadira bird sanctuary - BirdLife reacts to comments

R.Bajada

Mar 31st 2008, 14:40

Mr Cachia Zammit, hunting puts every hunter in contact with nature and makes you feel part of it and whether it's open or closed season there's nothing that can hold me from obseving nature. Also being a hunter I know my game, I manage to distinguish a collared dove from a turtle dove in flight at a long distance so no wonder I was able to reckon a spoonbill, and by the way if I (being a hunter) had the intent (as you imply) to kill it, then Birdlife Malta wouldn't have seen it at Ghadira!!!

Stefan Azzopardi

Mar 30th 2008, 23:58

Do you seriously think that the hunters need to read the Times to know about the spoonbill? their grapevine, complemented by the use of 2way radios and mobile phones is enough.

Birdlife did well to inform the public. It gave people like me a chance to go and observe this wonderful creature, about whose visit i wuld certainly have not known about.

Not informing the public about this coz of the hunters is not the way to do it. Informing the public AND insisting upon police protection was the right decision.

Well done Birdlife, keep up the good work!

Raymond Sammut

Mar 30th 2008, 06:07

This species is mostly a loner, capable of a hush type of chatter, and is usually active at night looking for aquatic insects. The bird will have travelled from as far south as Kenya, and with summer approaching in Malta, it will now proceed further north, most likely Spain and perhaps as far as the British Isles through Bay of Biscay, being a water bird.
Such is the splendour of the Maker of this planet. Thank you Birdlife Malta. When I grew up over there, I never got to see and experience such things, it saddens me to say. I hope that
Maltese children today, rather than being brainwashed at school, will instead be a little luckier. Potentially the Maltese Isles can have large numbers and large varieties of these transitory visitors on a seasonal basis if the Maltese government were to stop collecting gun license fees, restore natural waterways, establish a forestry department and promote education. It is far more challenging to shoot with a camera and make a documentary, than to shoot with a gun and stuff or cook the animal. The former is creative, while the latter is atavistic.

Stephen Florian

Mar 29th 2008, 18:36

God bless this beautiful bird and protect it. It belongs to nature and is intended to be shared by all mankind, not just any greedy hunter. I congratulate the photographer fpr such an artistic shot.

connie borg

Mar 29th 2008, 16:58

I don't agree with these photos ,they only serve as a temptation.if it is so that the season is closed why say that there are still hunters /poachers around where are those whose job is to stop them!

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 29th 2008, 16:20

Exactly Andrew, the spoonbill landed in the reserve Thursday but R Bajada already knew that the bird was around so that shows that when a big rare bird is around there is no need for Birdlife to advertise its presence for the local shooters to know about it. And as for the healthy population of Storm Petrel etc, I'm sure that that's not thanks to trigger happy shooters. Thank you Birdlife Malta for giving us the chance to enjoy such spectacular birds even here in our islands.

Andrew Gatt

Mar 29th 2008, 12:08

Excuse me, Richard, but the Ghadira Reserve is not an exclusive Bird Hotel! For all you know, the spoonbill was spotted elsewhere and if so, well, it;s still alive and kicking! And by the way, I think that misinformation about bird numbers is Birdlife's forte.....claims that hunters blast everything that flies are not supported by facts. We have 10% of the WORLD population of Yelkouan Shearwaters, record numbers of wagtails this year, healthy Strom Petrel and Cory's Shearwater populations. Yet according to the infamous book "Fatal Flight", 18,000 of these birds are shot every year!!! Plus another 5 million, naturally! Give it a rest!!!!!

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 29th 2008, 07:36

Strange that R Bajada said that the spoonbill had been seen around for at least 3 days. By whom? The spoonbill was first sighted at the reserve on Thursday 27th March and the article on this site appeared the day after. So again, how come R Bajada knew about the spoonbill before even Birdlife knew about it? It is very convenient for the hunters to keep Maltese citizens in the dark about the birds visiting our islands as they always want to give the impression that nothing ever comes over here.

Raymond Sammut

Mar 29th 2008, 02:24

Thanks to Christopher for a very nice image. Check it out, please. Perfect diagonalisation, maximising capture, with ample clearance at each tip. I could not achieve that even if I lived to be a hundred.

R.Bajada

Mar 28th 2008, 22:23

I agree that Police should be present to watch the spoonbill on 24hr basis because the way it has been advertised by Birdlife makes me think that something is going to happen to this bird. While I hope it enjoys the stay in-Ghadira and flies again peacefully to its destination, if something happens to it (hopefully NOT), considering the media coverage and the timing some might be happy about its misfortune.......surely not the hunters! What a coincidence that Birdlife saw the spoonbill on the same day of a press release by FKNK while the spoonbill has been seen around for at least 3 days!!!

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 28th 2008, 18:52

To all those who think that Birdlife shouldn't have advertised such a rare bird please note that as soon as this spoonbill landed at the reserve, hunters already knew about it. Thanks to this article now all Maltese citizens can enjoy this bird this weekend, if it remains there.

Christina Borg

Mar 28th 2008, 17:24

While I appreciate Bird Life’s comments I want to be more positive about this whole issue. There are hunters I know personally who are not only law abiding hunters but who also do their utmost to regulate the few hunters who are not law abiding. I do not fear the majority of hunters. Hunters are usually the first people to know about such rare visitors. But it only takes one single Rambo (to borrow Wistin’s choice of words) to create the current negative perception that all hunters are out their waiting to shoot on anything that flies. There are some reckless drivers out there who risk our lives on the roads by not obeying the law. And sometimes people die because of these non law abiding drivers. Should we consider banning driving altogether? My argument is not one in favour of hunting as I don’t support hunting. But I try to understand and not demonise the hunter’s perception of reality.

joe dimech

Mar 28th 2008, 16:55

It would be the greatest PR debacle if something unwarranted had to happen to this Eurasian Spoonbill. And if something of the sort did happen, it would just prove that the best possible thing to do is to ban hunting completely.

John Schranz

Mar 28th 2008, 16:35

Come one guys. the hunters knew about the bird at 5 a.m I'm sure.

I think it was a good idea to publicise this. In this way the bird is now in the news and is at the centre of public attention more than it would have been otherwise. Which means that the outcry if it is shot down will be even greater. I mean, imagine someone proposing to allow Knut the polar bear to die after he had become famous - no chance!

So any hunter in a slightly right sense will definately think twice befroe pressing that trigger.

Just think about it. If it does get shot it will not be any, whatever bird which would have been hit but a bird which we know the name of and have even see a photo of. Don't you think you'd want to see justice done to the killer even more than ever?

Andrew Gatt

Mar 28th 2008, 16:10

No, Charles.....read my post again please........the idiots I referred to are the absolute and diminishing MINORITY of poachers. The majority of hunters respect the law but are collectively blamed for the actions of the few. Plus, Malta is a tiny dot on the map, and our few open areas of countryside are even tinier dots. Illegalities are easily visible and widely reported....unlike in our voiciferous European neighbours who seem to imply that they are whiter than white. Hunting laws are regretfully broken many, many times there as well. In our case, it's "give a dog a bad name and hang him"

C Mallia

Mar 28th 2008, 16:10

Birdlife does well to share its happiness with the nation that such a rare species visits us.

Its part of the pleasure in observing nature and its educational. It also shows that reserves and conservation works.

It is not the problem of birdlife that we have opportunistic poachers roaming about the countryside, but of law enforcement and it is no solution to the problem for birdlife to simply stay quiet and not "advertise" such occurence as some asserted.

Anthony Mizzi

Mar 28th 2008, 16:09

If this visitor was rare, it will be rarer for sure by the end of the week.

Hasher penalties needed for shooting at such beautiful creatures and certainly these fies and penalties be published so hunters get second doubts when thinking of shooting such birds.

Please once and for all, let us have fines related to crime, once gone such a bird, there is no coming back.

I would , with such a photo include anyone shooting down this bird is liable to a fine for ...how much €?

Hope the fine will not as ridiculous as that for hoarding explosives.

JC Sullivan

Mar 28th 2008, 15:53

Are you really that naive to think that it takes an announcement from BirdLife to let people know such a beautiful creature is visiting the Island!!!!

What BirdLife has done was is actually protecting the bird NOT endanger it.

charles scerri

Mar 28th 2008, 15:13

yeahh sure Mr Gatt...facts speak for themselves.. but I am an idiot no?

Paul Mizzi

Mar 28th 2008, 15:12

I think Birdlife and the editors should refrain from publishing such stories if we really want to safeguard the safety of such birds.

Tony Caruana

Mar 28th 2008, 15:07

To me publishing this photo now it's as if Birdlife wish that this bird is shot by some someone in order for them to make there usual propoganda!

Wsitin Schembri

Mar 28th 2008, 14:44

Mr Buttner, Mr Millam and Mr Kelly,

Thank you for teaching us how to behave.

May I suggest that, before preaching to us Maltese, you try to get to know us.

Should you do that, I'm sure you'll discover that our rambos are a tiny minorty just as your own rambos.

Danica Rosso

Mar 28th 2008, 14:38

The problem is not the hunters. The problem is law enforcement. Most hunters are law abiding. Those who would shoot down such a beauty are gangsters not hunters.

Guzeppi Grech

Mar 28th 2008, 14:23

So, since birdlife is happily following the comments and reacting:
And feedback on my appeal for Police protection (see below). Have the boys in blue shown up yet at Ghadira Bird Sanctuary?

Corey Attard

Mar 28th 2008, 14:22

Malta birdlife good job keep the pressure on the police to protect our species,police should do a better job to catch the poachers on the sea, and on land.

Alex Mifsud

Mar 28th 2008, 14:21

Yes, I feel that Birdlife ought to reign their enthusiasm about such sightings for the ultimate safety of these rare birds. It is with a heavy heart that I comment in this way as after all a Nature reserve is there for the public to enjoy such sightings...and these can only do so if/when sightings are publicised. BUT we live in the real world where we know that publicising could risk the very life of this wonderful creature. Sad indeed. Why is humanity so intent on destroying God's creation??

Andrew Gatt

Mar 28th 2008, 14:17

As usual, any excuse to denigrate, insinuate and exaggerate by the anti-HUNTING (not anti-POACHING) lobby! I am sick and tired of the negative and provocative comments and name calling by the same people ad nauseum. Sure there are still idiots out there. But please be men enough to admit that the poaching problem has greatly diminished in recent years. Hopefully it will be eradicated once and for all. In the meantime, generalist and unfair comments such as these solve nothing and contribute nothing.

Paul Fenech

Mar 28th 2008, 14:05

What a nice bird... Lets hope this doesn't turn into another flamingo story...

Martin Büttner

Mar 28th 2008, 13:54

Wanna guess that soon we will read another headline about this rare spoonbill?
It will then read "Rare Spoonbill shot at Ghadira".
And wanna guess that then all investigations will come to the same result as usual: The responsible hunter could not be identified.

charles scerri

Mar 28th 2008, 13:36

In reaction to BirdLife I would like to point out that it's far much better to risk not seeing such a wonderful creature than to view it all messed up full of lead on the front page of tomorrow's Times

Carlo Brincau

Mar 28th 2008, 13:31

Who are you to give such a statement??? We are in Malta obvioulsy not everything is perfect, but we are one of the few countries were liberty and well behaviour can be admired by everyone... I have been listening to people on this site always saying negative things on the Maltese.. yes it is true there are some hunters who go too far but gradually everyone is becoming more aware on this issue, few years and even Malta will be educated on this subject.. the majority of Maltese loves nature.. so stop being so negative... this country is heaven when compared to other countries in the world were destruction (not only of birds) is the order of the day...

Bill Millam

Mar 28th 2008, 13:27

Yeah,
What's up with BirdLife? Are you guys with the hunters? Fly off to a safer haven you majestic creature before you meet the wrath of some barbaric hunter/s!

Guzeppi Grech

Mar 28th 2008, 13:13

I wish Birdlife would also react to my appeal for police protection and take the necessary steps to enlist law enforcement support. The vast majority would applaud! And it would work wonders for the Police Department's PR

Christian Abdilla

Mar 28th 2008, 12:37

It sounds a bit naive to advertise the presence of this wonderful bird while its still here in Malta - do they really believe that no one of our law-abiding hunters would dare shoot it down ? Why not publish this story AFTER the bird has left to ensure its safety ?

Guzeppi Grech

Mar 28th 2008, 12:19

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Kelly. I also wish to add that the sooner the poor endangered bird leaves the better. We've been embarrassed enough by trigger-happy rambos without adding the shooting of yet another protected bird on our island.
In fact I seriously call upon the Police Commissioner to assign 24 hour police protection.
Why not? To me the spoonbill deserves it and I would consider my Tax Euros as well spent.

Liam Kelly

Mar 28th 2008, 12:01

I'll give it half an hour before someone shoots it...thanks for telling them all where it is.