Icy weather and Comorants

[waggy]

Thanks for the piccy, John. It's brought back some lovely memories of rowing a boat along that stretch in 1966 with a beautiful blonde on board. I suppose I'd have to take her skating this week, though.

---------- Post added at 13:06 ---------- Previous post was at 13:00 ----------

I guess that depends on how one reads 'the Prairie'

Regarding 'Dirty Harry' I think you might have to define that further.

Why, 'Make my day', of course.

 

[flightliner]

Why not try a gas gun: the same as farmers use on oilseed-rape to keep pigeons off.

Waggy,The gas gun idea has been considered but the lake is right by the side of urban development and would prove very disturbing to local residents- thanks for the suggestion however.

---------- Post added at 20:16 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

This seems to work very well indeed on the Hampshire Avon:

Applying for a shotgun licence in the UK

Peter, have had mine a little while now- wish I had done it a long time ago!!

 

[Phil Hatton 2]

I've heard that they will take otter too where possible. Perhaps the Angling Trust should adopt it as a mascot

 

[architeuthis]

Have been worried about the increasing numbers of cormorants where I live and had no idea of the size of fish they can take

Bird Versus Pike: Bird Wins! | Fishing Fury - A fishing blog with attitude!

 

[tigger]

Have been worried about the increasing numbers of cormorants where I live and had no idea of the size of fish they can take

Bird Versus Pike: Bird Wins! | Fishing Fury - A fishing blog with attitude!

Those pictures of the cormorant with the pike are a joke (photoshopped). what a crock of sheeeeit !

 

[architeuthis]

you sure they are fake?

BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In Pictures: Cormorant swallows pike

BBC NEWS | England | Wiltshire | Hungry bird swallows whole pike

cant see why someone would go to the trouble to photoshop 4 photos and make up a story about a cormorant, I would at least have had nessie swimming past and an alien in a dingy

 

[flightliner]

Looks pretty convincing to me guys.

 

[tinka tinka]

Having seen these birds eat eels around 4lb in weight, (I kid you not) I have no doubt the photo is good.
We anglers have to wake up to the fact that these birds WILL wipe out our waters.

 

[tigger]

Having seen these birds eat eels around 4lb in weight, (I kid you not) I have no doubt the photo is good.
We anglers have to wake up to the fact that these birds WILL wipe out our waters.

Not a chance tinka tinka. The bird doesn't weigh that ! It really is amazing how people sensationalise things. We, or should I say some anglers need to get their facts right before spouting nonsense.
I for one have had hold of cormorants both dead and alive and there's not alot to them. You people most likely belive a swan will break your arm with it's wing n'all !

 

[matthew barter]

Ha, Ha. Tigger a couple of months ago they all believed on the Chris Evans show (because someone had texted in) that Sea Eagles were flying off with full grown adult sheep.
Nonsense, probably two, one in each talon they were observing younguns practicing.

 

[tinofmaggots]

Seen UFO's drop green men on the backs of Cormorants an what seems like a fishing contest taking place

 

[waggy]

Thought some of you might find this interesting:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/cormorantfacts_234731.pdf

 

[richiekelly]

Thought some of you might find this interesting:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/cormorantfacts_234731.pdf

how old is this information? the reason i ask is that the ACA is quoted as being a sponser.

 

[tinka tinka]

Tigger, for your information the Phalacrocorax carbo (European Cormorant) can range in weight from 3lb to 11lb with a typical weight in the Uk of between 4lb and 8lb.

Ask yourself the question why would a bird lover want to doctor his pictures to show the cormorant is a bigger killer than already made out ?

The bird I watched devour the eel took approx 5 mins to swallow and had to dive under the surface many times to assist in getting it down its neck but down it did finally go.

Maybe the bird you speak of handling was a Common Shag or a grebe !

On a serious note we anglers should all be fighing this problem together not thowing derogatory comments at each other.

 

[waggy]

how old is this information? the reason i ask is that the ACA is quoted as being a sponser.

The cormorant information booklet was first published in 2006 and the monitoring of cormorant popns is ongoing as is the progress of all wild birds.

 

[flightliner]

The cormorant information booklet was first published in 2006 and the monitoring of cormorant popns is ongoing as is the progress of all wild birds.

Monitering comorants-- its a joke-- a few years back I arrived on a very wet morning on the river Trent, Sat in a land rover were two EA guys who asked us what we were doing(???????) er- fishing!. Anyway they told us they were doing a survey of comorants but they were waiting for the rain to stop before they got out of the 'rover. We set off and on arrival there were fortythree of the things resting on a boom spread over the rivers width. They left after a while and a bit later the rain stopped and up came the survey team to do their count-- we told them how many there had been only a very short while earlier but they informed us that they could only record what they saw at the time of looking (three left)and that was what they recorded. Those guys were/are issued with foul weather kit but were just tossing it off. I would have given them the sack!!

 

[tigger]

Tigger, for your information the Phalacrocorax carbo (European Cormorant) can range in weight from 3lb to 11lb with a typical weight in the Uk of between 4lb and 8lb.
The bird I watched devour the eel took approx 5 mins to swallow and had to dive under the surface many times to assist in getting it down its neck but down it did finally go.

Maybe the bird you speak of handling was a Common Shag or a grebe !

On a serious note we anglers should all be fighing this problem together not thowing derogatory comments at each other.

I've handled above one tinka tinka and just like a sea gull when you get hold of one there's nowt to it.

I'm interested in your weight estimation of the eel, how did you decide it weighed 4lb ?

Maybe you should try reading the link Waggy put up

 

[matthew barter]

I probably should have put this on the otter board but hadn't had enough beer.
God created the planet and made animals mans servants.

Or, Fish have been around for millions of years, millions of years later came birds, then otters.

Thank heavens in the last five minutes man came along to save the poor little fish that for millions of years were being DEVASTED.

If princess Di were her she wouldn't allow this sort of GENOCIDE.

Believe what you want, please don't ask for proof!

 

[tigger]

I think that the cormorant is being blamed for damage done to fish stocks caused by other problems.
To be honest though if a water is being constantly bombarded with them it wouldn't be difficult to rattle a few out of the sky rather than just go on about them. They wouldn't be difficult to shoot.

 

[waggy]

I probably should have put this on the otter board but hadn't had enough beer.
God created the planet and made animals mans servants.

Or, Fish have been around for millions of years, millions of years later came birds, then otters.

Thank heavens in the last five minutes man came along to save the poor little fish that for millions of years were being DEVASTED.

If princess Di were her she wouldn't allow this sort of GENOCIDE.

Believe what you want, please don't ask for proof!

Belief beggars reason! We want evidence and proof.