RECENT INFORMATION ON THE RUDDY DUCK CULLING (by Judith Smith)

Wigan Council decided at a Cabinet meeting in mid November to accede to a DEFRA request to allow a cull of Ruddy Duck at Pearson’s Flash, Wigan Flashes, and Pennington Flash, Leigh. It is unlikely to occur at the latter site as the great majority of birds are at Pearson’s Flash. There was no consultation with local ornithological groups, and the first we heard about it was in the local papers. 

Letters to Wigan local papers in response to news in the Wigan Evening Post  and Leigh Reporter of proposed cull:

1. From the County Recorder and Asst County Recorder to Wigan Evening Post and Leigh Reporter, 20.11.06

Dear Sir,

We read in the Wigan Evening Post and Leigh Reporter last week of the proposed cull of naturalised American Ruddy Ducks at Pennington Flash and Pearson’s Flash (Wigan Flashes) by DEFRA, which has apparently been agreed, or is about to be agreed, by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (under whose aegis Pennington Flash falls) and Wigan Planning Department, who own the Wigan Flashes.  This was the first intimation we had received about this event.  It had not been mentioned at the Pennington Flash User Group 14.11.06. Neither Graham Workman nor Mark Champion (Wigan Flashes Project Officer) had the courtesy to contact either us or the Leigh Ornithological Society.

So much for consultation with the community, in this case with those who are knowledgeable about this species in the Wigan MBC area, and have studied it since breeding first occurred in 1981.

We would like to make the following points:

1. The decision by DEFRA to institute this nationwide cull was taken at the end of the 1990s, based on research carried out 1992-96.  The reason was to protect the Spanish population of White-headed Duck, with whom the Ruddy Duck interbreeds and produces fertile hybrids, and whose numbers had declined to double figures, possibly only 22 by 1977, due entirely to hunting and habitat degradation. At that time, a noted British conservationist living in Spain introduced several pairs of White-headed Ducks from Pakistan on his own initiative, as the White-headed Duck would have become totally extinct if he had not done so.  Later, the Spanish government brought in protection measures for the species, and there are currently over 2500 birds. The British government decided to cull Ruddy Ducks as, at that time, some migrating birds were reaching Spain to overwinter, and it was assumed, though never proved, that these were from Britain (it is possible they were escapees from French collections). Between the 1980s and 2000, a total of 84 Ruddy Ducks were shot in Spain, along with 57 hybrids.

2. Since the late 1990s, the European winter climate has ameliorated so much that numbers of several wild duck species which used to winter here from further north and east have fallen away quite dramatically. Duck which used to move from Britain to southern Europe have now no need to do so, as our waters remain ice-free. In consequence, wintering Ruddy Duck numbers in Wigan have gradually increased, despite a local decline as a breeder in recent years, and since 1998 the main concentration has been at the Wigan Flashes.  These are birds which might otherwise have migrated to Spain. It is a waste of valuable energy to move away from breeding grounds in Britain if it is not necessary to do so.

3. Local studies of breeding Ruddy Ducks have never indicated any harmful effect on any other native species, even where the waters have been small, and/or where rare species have been involved. This is because the Ruddy Duck breeds very late in the summer when other species have completed their breeding cycle.  By contrast, other introduced species, notably American Mink, Grey Squirrel, and Red-eared Terrapin, all have an extremely damaging effect on our native wild bird populations. The introduced Canada Goose, lacking the predator and environmental controls to be found in its native land, has multiplied by a factor of about 10 in the last twenty years, creating health hazards and causing crop damage.  One must speculate why the government has chosen to cull only Ruddy Duck.  Can it be because this species is extremely easy to shoot, as they do not fly in the daytime? Despite this, the cull is reputed to have cost more than £2 million so far, of taxpayers’ money.

4. The numbers of Ruddy Duck on Pennington Flash are now in single figures, so it would be uneconomic to carry out this exercise there.

5.  There are no statutory public footpaths which can be closed, at Pearson’s Flash. The water is surrounded by woodland, scrub and reedbeds, frequented at all times in daylight hours by dog walkers, bikers, birdwatchers, anglers and others.  There is a real risk to the public from the high-velocity rifles which will be used in this cull and any person suffering injury will be able to claim very substantial damages from the government, or Wigan MBC, or both.

6. We feel confident that the continentals, known for their love of shooting all varieties of birds, will easily be able to dispatch any Ruddy Duck which decides to winter in Spain, plus any hybrids which may be produced.  Opinions within the ornithological world differ widely about the morality of culling a species merely to protect its genetic purity, and whether indeed the two species, if left alone, would in fact interbreed on a wide scale.

As the respected periodical British Birds stated in 1999:

' When faced with a long list of biodiversity actions, many of which are difficult, intangible, expensive and not necessarily in the short-term interests of the economy, politicians and environmental agencies will always tend to jump on easy targets.'

Yours sincerely

2. From the Chairman of Leigh Ornithological Society to Leigh Reporter and Wigan Observer, 20.11.06

Some readers of last week’s papers, especially nature lovers, will probably have been outraged to read about the proposed Ruddy Duck cull at Pennington Flash.

As chairman of Leigh Ornithological Society, which has an excellent history of voluntary conservation work at the flash and elsewhere in the borough, I wish to inform all readers that the Society does not support the cull and had no knowledge of it until the article appeared recently.

The Society at present enjoys excellent links with Wigan Council, and members attend meetings of the Pennington Flash Unser Group, but there has been no consultation whatsoever about the proposed cull, not even at last week’s User Group meeting at which members were present.  Not only has the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust wildlife and countryside manager taken it upon himself to support the cull without consulting local wildlife organisations and community groups, but there is no conclusive proof that such a cull would be effective and the method of control (by shooting) would send out the wrong message to the illegal shooting fraternity.  Most importantly, the very notion of a cull at Pennington is totally incompatible with the image of the Flash as a family-orientated venue where people take great pleasure in viewing the wildlife.

I have written to all Wigan Councillors and relevant officers expressing the society’s disapproval of the cull and disappointment at the way the news was broken.  At a time when the council is making excellent progress in involving members of the community in the decision-making process and keeping us informed on all kinds of developments in the borough, it is quite disgraceful that no attempt has been made to sound out the public’s sentiments about such a sensitive issue.

Any readers who share my views should register their displeasure with officers and councillors alike, so that future decisions affecting the enjoyment of the general public are dealt with in a more sympathetic and courteous manner.

David Shallcross

Response from Wigan Metro (partly censored by Wigan papers) to our letters

Ruddy Duck Cull

Joint statement by Wigan Council and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust

There are several things we need to point out in reply to Mr Shallcross:

1.                    There’s an international agreement, which the British government is supporting, to cull the Ruddy Duck whose existence in large numbers is threatening the survival of its closely related cousin, the White-headed Duck. A cull is supported by both the RSPB and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, so Mr Shallcross' s opposition is contrary to the views of the wildlife agencies.

 

2.                    We fully understand that this is a very emotive issue. But it’s also very clear that under international agreements the council, like landowners across the UK, has little alternative but to accede to a cull. To have refused permission would have been in direct contravention of those agreements. 

3.                    The cull will NOT be carried out by the council or Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (WLCT), but by licensed operatives acting on behalf of the government’s Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, who have done similar culls on 90 sites across the UK - including those managed by the RSPB, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and county wildlife trusts.  All we have agreed to do is to allow access to land at Wigan Flashes and Pennington. In fact the numbers likely to be affected at Pennington are extremely small.

 

4.                    On the question of consultation, the article in the Evening Post was published before the council’s Cabinet considered the issue. The political process means this had to happen before external groups were consulted, but now that it has been to the Cabinet we’ll be consulting the Wigan Biodiversity Partnership at its next meeting.

 

5.                    The comments attributed to WLCT’s wildlife and countryside manager were in fact taken directly from the report to councillors which was not ‘press-excluded’ as we believed it was right to be open about this issue.  No-one from either the council or WLCT spoke directly to the Post’s reporter Richard Bean, so to criticise the wildlife and countryside manager for publicly supporting a cull is unfair.

 

6.                    Leigh Ornithological Society plays an important role at Pennington Flash and we do not want this issue to affect the strong working relationship that the society has with WLCT staff on site.

Response to the Wigan MBC statement by Leigh OS and GMBRG:

Leigh Ornithological Society

10 Holden Brook Close, LEIGH, WN7 2HL e-mail: chairman@leighos.org.uk

 29 November 2006

Dear Mr Hill

Re: Ruddy Duck Cull 

In response to your joint statement by Wigan Council and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.

I know you are aware of the role Leigh Ornithological Society plays not only at Pennington Flash but throughout the borough and beyond. We continue to financially support as best we can the winter feeding station at Pennington and the nest box scheme at the Wigan Flashes. We have a good working relationship with WLCT staff and our statement was not one of criticism but of surprise regarding consultation, especially as we had attended relevant user group meetings shortly before the press release. I wish you to know this is not an issue of emotion as we are supportive of measures taken at Pennington Flash regarding control of Canada Geese, and we would also support the control of Mink, Grey Squirrels and Terrapins which have a huge predatory impact on many wild birds, their eggs and young. With regard to the  “international agreement" you mention, only four countries - Britain, France, Portugal and Spain - have signed up to the agreement to control Ruddy Duck numbers:  28 others (from Europe and the Middle East) have not.

Additionally, the fact that the Society's view is contrary to the views of other agencies is irrelevant.  We are an independent organisation committed to the conservation of wildlife in the Leigh area and we reserve the right to challenge any move which we consider to be ill thought-out or unnecessary, irrespective of the opinions and policies of other bodies.

With regard to the second point in the joint statement, access to land is entirely at the owner's discretion (DEFRA spokesman, Ian Henderson, 27th November, 2006).  The Council does have the right to refuse permission.

We would also like to make the following points:

1. The decision by DEFRA to institute this nationwide cull was taken at the end of the 1990s, based on research carried out 1992-96.  The reason was to protect the Spanish population of White-headed Duck, with whom the Ruddy Duck interbreeds and produces fertile hybrids, and whose numbers had declined to double figures, possibly only 22 by 1977, due entirely to hunting and habitat degradation. At that time, a noted British conservationist living in Spain introduced several pairs of White-headed Ducks from Pakistan on his own initiative, as the White-headed Duck would have become totally extinct if he had not done so.  Later, the Spanish government brought in protection measures for the species, and there are currently over 3,000 birds. The British government decided to cull Ruddy Ducks as, at that time, some migrating birds were reaching Spain to over winter, and it was assumed, though never proved, that these were from Britain (it is possible they were escapees from French collections). Between the 1980s and 2000, a total of 84 Ruddy Ducks were shot in Spain, along with 57 hybrids.

2. Since the late 1990s, the European winter climate has ameliorated so much that numbers of several wild duck species which used to winter here from further north and east have fallen away quite dramatically. Duck which used to move from Britain to southern Europe have now no need to do so, as our waters remain ice-free. In consequence, wintering Ruddy Duck numbers in Wigan have gradually increased, despite a local decline as a breeder in recent years, and since 1998 the main concentration has been at the Wigan Flashes.  These are birds which might otherwise have migrated to Spain. It is a waste of valuable energy to move away from breeding grounds in Britain if it is not necessary to do so.

3. Local studies of breeding Ruddy Ducks have never indicated any harmful effect on any other native species; even where the waters involved have been small, and/or where rare species have been involved. This is because the Ruddy Duck breeds very late in the summer when other species have completed their breeding cycle.  By contrast, other introduced species, notably American Mink, Grey Squirrel, and Red-eared Terrapin, all have an extremely damaging effect on our native wild bird populations. The introduced Canada Goose, lacking the predator and environmental controls to be found in its native land, has multiplied by a factor of about 10 in the last twenty years, creating health hazards and causing crop damage.  One must speculate why the government has chosen to cull only Ruddy Duck.  Can it be because this species is extremely easy to shoot, as they do not fly in the daytime? Despite this, the cull is reputed to have cost more than £2 million so far, of taxpayers’ money.

4. The numbers of Ruddy Duck on Pennington Flash are now in single figures, so it would be uneconomic to carry out this exercise there.

 5.  There are no statutory public footpaths which can be closed, at Pearson’s Flash. The water is surrounded by woodland, scrub and reed beds, frequented at all times in daylight hours by dog walkers, bikers, birdwatchers, anglers and others.  There is a real risk to the public from the high-velocity rifles which will be used in this cull and any person suffering injury will be able to claim very substantial damages from the government, or Wigan MBC, or both.

6. We feel confident that the continentals, known for their love of shooting all varieties of birds, will easily be able to dispatch any Ruddy Duck which decides to winter in Spain, plus any hybrids which may be produced.  Opinions within the ornithological world differ widely about the morality of culling a species merely to protect its genetic purity, and whether indeed the two species, if left alone, would in fact interbreed on a wide scale.

As the respected periodical British Birds stated in 1999:

' When faced with a long list of biodiversity actions, many of which are difficult, intangible, expensive and not necessarily in the short-term interests of the economy, politicians and environmental agencies will always tend to jump on easy targets.'

Some local authorities (e.g. Essex) have had the courage to stand up to this governmental bullying; what a pity if Wigan isn’t one of them at the moment. 

Lastly, point 4 of the joint statement mentions that there will be consultation at the next meeting of the Wigan Biodiversity Partnership.  I wish to assure you that it will also be discussed at forums attended by Society members and Wigan Council personnel at forthcoming meetings.  In the meantime we will continue to monitor the Spanish situation and base our future responses upon up-to-date information from that country, which we are in the process of obtaining.  Until that information is available, we ask you to suspend this cull.

Yours sincerely

David Shallcross, (Chairman), Leigh Ornithological Society.

Judith Smith, (Greater Manchester County Bird Recorder) & Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group.

Ian McKerchar, (Assistant County Recorder).

David Wilson, (ETNA  member).