Two injured herons were found gunned down, one over the De La Salle College football grounds and another later in Gozo, which means at least four protected birds have been killed since the start of the hunting season. 

The protected grey heron (russett griż in Maltese) was found still alive in the college grounds in Cottonera but died a few moments later, when it was taken to a veterinarian, according to BirdLife Malta.

The incident bore echoes of a similar case in April 2015 when a shot protected bird landed in the yard of neighbouring St Edward's College in Cottonera while the children were on their school break. The incident had sparked so much anger that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was forced to close the hunting season prematurely.

BirdLife officials were later called to Mġarr ix-Xini in Gozo to retrieve another injured protected bird, this time a night heron (kwakka). The bird was discovered by a 16-year old Xewkija resident while walking in a nearby valley.

The bird had an injury in one of its wings which shows it was shot. The bird was weak when it was collected by CEO Mark Sultana and succumbed to its injuries while being transported to the vet, BLM said.

The autumn hunting season has been open for only a week. During the past days, BirdLife received two shot bee eaters which were retrieved by members of the public in two separate incidents, one in Għaxaq and the other in Dwejra.

BirdLife's campaign against illegal hunting has been met with anger from some hunters who have intimidated and insulted the NGO's CEO.