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Not Chuffed: a little snippet
Ian Mitchell
Port Ellen, Isle of Islay
Filed 03 Feb 04
www.land-care.org.uk
At Smaull farm Martin Bignal (Eric's son) who
farms the ground was prevented from cutting grass and grazing cattle
in a the field near the farmhouse because a corncrake had been heard
there.
At the same time the new owner of the farmhouse
(who is not interested in conservation etc.) wanted to renovate
a barn. He was temporarily stopped from that by the presence of
a new chough nest in the barn. The choughs produced four chicks,
all of whom died of hunger due to the fact that there was no food
for them in the field which had been kept free of cattle in order
to encourage the corncrake.
PS: All building on site is now permitted
only in the winter due to the choughs. The RSPB have already objected
to a generator on the site, though not on their ground. The new
owner is also planning a windmill, which ought to cause a certain
amount of entertainment!
Ian Mitchell
Further Reading Recommended by Land-Care
 Mitchell,
Iain (2002). Isles of the West: a Hebridean Voyage.
Birlinn, Edinburgh 2002 (2nd Edition, expanded and updated to 2001)
ISBN: 1 84158 150 X
£9.99 235 pp; 14 colour plates
Available from all good bookshops and from amazon.co.uk
Mitchell,
Iain (2004). Isles of the North. A Voyage to the Isles of the Norse
Birlinn, Edinburgh - due for publication June 2004
Macleod,
Kirsty (2004). Corncrakes, capercaillie and choughs
See ENVIRONMENT Homepage, filed 07 Jan 04, www.land-care.org.uk
Click Here to View
Mitchell,
Ian (2004). Capercaillie and choughs
See ENVIRONMENT Homepage, filed 08 Jan 04, www.land-care.org.uk
Click Here to View
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