The other day, a young male green woodpecker sat on the ground waiting for my 16-year-old son to drop him a peanut (much loved by this species of bird).

The woodpecker is a wild bird which, had it tried this stunt in the Maltese countryside, would quite possibly have been blasted to ribbons by a hunter or illegally caught by a trapper.

The London Times has just carried a pretty damning article about hunting and trapping of birds in Malta.

A few weeks ago, the Daily Telegraph published a similar complaint about spring hunting in Malta.

When British friends and acquaintances of mine comment about Malta, virtually the only complaint they have to make is about hunting.

The same goes for other European people I have met over the years. Several have refused on principle to visit the island and try to ensure none of their friends or family do either.

And, yet, for reasons known best to itself, the Ornis committee has recommended allowing spring hunting yet again. The hunters will be free to pursue their barbaric and wanton destruction of tens, if not hundreds of thousands of wild birds (How can anyone in this day and age call this Neanderthal activity a "sport"?) and Malta's reputation abroad will continue to resemble a cow pat.