The police this morning seized 29 protected birds (waders) after a police patrol was alerted to the presence of trappers in Bahrija.

The alert was raised by international bird watchers on the first day of a CABS watch. CABS has called its watch Operaton Safe Haven.

The team said that after detecting the trapping site its members observed it from a stand-off distance and it soon became clear that two nets, both some 40 meters long, had been set up.

"We became suspicious and decided to take a closer look" says CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld. The distinctive taped calls of a Redshank, a protected species, were heard emitting from a loudspeaker. Through a spotting scope the CABS members were able to confirm the presence of protected bird species in an aviary adjacent to the trapping site.

"As we began to collect evidence on film from a nearby track, a stout half-naked middle aged man ran out of the hut, blocked our way, and began to regale us with foul language."

The man then opened the birdwatchers' car door and spat directly in the face of the co-driver. Everything was recorded on film.

"In order to prevent the situation escalating the conservationists drove off and alerted the police. The A.L.E. patrol which arrived promptly arrested the culprit shortly afterwards and took him to the police HQ in Floriana for questioning."

A second A.L.E. patrol meanwhile searched the trapping site and freed 29 Little Stints as well as Wood and Common Sandpipers. The birds, which were neither ringed nor registered with the authorities, were confiscated and later released into the wild at Ghadira Nature Reserve.

CABS said the trapper faces prosecution for offences against bird protection regulations. A further charge of spitting at the CABS team member was dropped on the insistence of CABS the man having apologised in writing.

The CABS teams will be in Malta up to October 4.