WWA Spring Vermin shoot a Success!!
WWA estuary Vermin Shoot 2016
Many thanks to the WWA members who made the effort to get out at first light on the morning of the 28th February 2016 to cover as many of the marshes and WWA controlled inland areas as possible in an effort to reduce the carrion crow population around the River Kent Estuary under the General License of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Less carrion crows around the estuary means that hopefully more of this years ducklings and other spring waders and songbird chicks will survive predation. The morning started clear and cold with very little wind, much better than last years driving rain and high winds however! The gunners on Milnthorpe and Fishcarling marsh and on the Heversham syndicate lease did the most damage shooting 62 corvids. 64.5% of these were carrion crows. Three more carrions were taken on the Ulpha side of the estuary. WWA Chairman and Secretary were ‘at em’ again over the weekend of the 5th and 6th March, adding another 7 carrions and a rook to the total. The final bag for the weeks Spring vermin shoot totalled an impressive 73 corvids. Although it’s a never ending battle already the Kent estuary is looking remarkably devoid of carrion crow since the shoot. It’s a pleasure to see the estuary full of shelduck, curlew, redshank, oystercatchers, mallard and greylag at the moment. We must continue to keep corvid numbers down during the breeding season.
