Jump to content

Towpath worry with Bird Flu

seaandland

By seaandland
in Fishing, Cycling and Walking

 Share

Featured Posts

carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted
I dont think its as cut and dried as that, we only need one more scare away from the farms and all hell will break loose, it will be a media frenzy, remember, its a quiet news year

Well all we can do is sit and fret about it :banghead: . As a great philosopher once said (was it Doris Day?) 'whatever will be will be'.

 

Besides, I see from your profile you work for BW (and E baston is member no.2 on your website) don't you have any inside goss on the subject? Surely BW have some sort of contingency plan?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomsk Experienced

tomsk

Posted
Posted
Well all we can do is sit and fret about it :banghead: . As a great philosopher once said (was it Doris Day?) 'whatever will be will be'.

 

Besides, I see from your profile you work for BW (and E baston is member no.2 on your website) don't you have any inside goss on the subject? Surely BW have some sort of contingency plan?

 

 

Mr Baston doesn't come to play here anymore, who upset him?>

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chris J W Influencer

Chris J W

Posted
Posted (edited)
Seems to be lots of dead swans around the Witham area.......have they got bird flu? (bet it was Reynard)

On a serious note - if you do see lots of dead birds that that, erm, aren't dead for a readily obvious reason you really should inform Defra (The number is: 08459 335 577). Just in case ... always better safe than sorry.

 

Have a gander (!) at Defra info on AI in the UK

 

[edit for typos and addition of URL]

[edit for me being an arse and typing without thinking]

Edited by Chris J W
Link to comment
Share on other sites
seaandland Proficient

seaandland

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I do work for B/W but use this and OTHER sites as a canal lover and user, if I get any useful information that users will find interesting I will gladly share it with you all, as for Mr Baston, I don’t know him and have never met him, but he seems a nice guy by his PM`s and he does answer questions relating to B/W on my forum when he can.

As for inside information, well,,,, on the bank you’re always the last to know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Howard Contributor

Howard

Posted
Posted

Dont phone the RSPCA or a vet , who won't be any help at all ......

 

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have established a 24-hour hotline, enabling members of the public to report the suspicious death of birds in the United Kingdom. The number is: 08459 335 577

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chris J W Influencer

Chris J W

Posted
Posted
Dont phone the RSPCA or a vet , who won't be any help at all ......

 

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have established a 24-hour hotline, enabling members of the public to report the suspicious death of birds in the United Kingdom. The number is: 08459 335 577

 

Actually, you are right. I had a case of "being an arse and typing without thinking"[*] back there. I've edited my post accordingly.

 

 

[*] (It's what happens when you're thinking about two similar things at the same time!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted
I do work for B/W but use this and OTHER sites as a canal lover and user, if I get any useful information that users will find interesting I will gladly share it with you all, as for Mr Baston, I don’t know him and have never met him, but he seems a nice guy by his PM`s and he does answer questions relating to B/W on my forum when he can.

As for inside information, well,,,, on the bank you’re always the last to know.

 

I know what you mean. I used to work for Northants CC as a highways engineer and got fed up of members of the public telling me stuff my bosses should have told us first (including: 'guess what you've been privatised and you'll be working for ws atkins soon'. I left quickly after).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

Posted
Posted
This idea of closing the tow paths (as in during the foot and mouth crisis), what exactly does this mean, please? How does this affect liveaboards?

 

We were allowed to access the nearest bridge by foot or by bicycle but were not allowed to move the boats (except for water when 'necessary') and no dog walking but they were allowed out for a leak etc. We were stuck opposite the Kodak building in Hemel for the Foot in Mouth episode...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted
We were allowed to access the nearest bridge by foot or by bicycle but were not allowed to move the boats (except for water when 'necessary') and no dog walking but they were allowed out for a leak etc. We were stuck opposite the Kodak building in Hemel for the Foot in Mouth episode...

 

I was stuck outside the stophouse! Very amusing as I had just rescued Taplow from erdington with a condemnation order issued for it (crane out and destroy, no notice required). Lucy and Taplow stuck on one of the choicest 48hr moorings in the country and BW pretending I wasn't there whilst simultaneously telling me I couldn't move.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chris J W Influencer

Chris J W

Posted
Posted
I was stuck outside the stophouse! Very amusing as I had just rescued Taplow from erdington with a condemnation order issued for it (crane out and destroy, no notice required). Lucy and Taplow stuck on one of the choicest 48hr moorings in the country and BW pretending I wasn't there whilst simultaneously telling me I couldn't move.

 

Were any of you charged for "over staying" at visitor morrings, then? I'd be a bit peeved if I got a bill for an over-stay that wasn't my fault!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Purple Fairie Community Regular

Purple Fairie

Posted
Posted
Seems to be lots of dead swans around the Witham area.......have they got bird flu? (bet it was Reynard)

 

No Malc. I think the fact that most of them have no heads indicates that the foxes have been busy.

But yes, there are a lot of them this year! But then, I think the general swan population near us is larger than usual, although Smudge has just disageed with me so...... :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites
magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

Posted
Posted
Were any of you charged for "over staying" at visitor morrings, then? I'd be a bit peeved if I got a bill for an over-stay that wasn't my fault!

No, BW relaxed their regulations by necessity really and the time was positively good for some who were wanting to stay in a fixed place anyway :P but at the time we were keen travellers and it was a PITA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Supermalc Influencer

Supermalc

Posted
Posted
No Malc. I think the fact that most of them have no heads indicates that the foxes have been busy.

But yes, there are a lot of them this year! But then, I think the general swan population near us is larger than usual, although Smudge has just disageed with me so...... :P

 

Yes, pleased you agree with me it was Reynard. Roy has lost all but one of his chickens.

 

A few years ago I noticed there appeared to be more swans, and there is. Swan population has almost trebbled in the Brayford. Some are dying, and there have been attempts to discover why. When I first bought Wud, I was held up by RSPCA catching swans in the Glory Hole on my first trip from Burton Waters to Bardney. Despite several theories, the most likely is natural selection, due to overpopulation.

 

Can't prove it, but it appears it started with the F & M.

 

EA were excused cutting riverbanks, and didn't start again (until I told them) Didn't realize until later obviously. Then noticed the weed in the river was worse than ever before, partly due to a wet spring washing fertiliser from the farmland. Soon the river is 'alive' with fish, plenty of food so crap fishing (as has been reported to me my many of the fishermen I've seen).

 

Kingfishers seen for the first time for years in the last 2 or 3 (again so I've been told my people who've been on the river for years)

 

So the rivers never had more life.....including swans it seems. But on the Slea? probably the same number, especially as all the fish were wiped out two or three years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lesd Rising Star

Lesd

Posted
Posted
No, BW relaxed their regulations by necessity really and the time was positively good for some who were wanting to stay in a fixed place anyway :P but at the time we were keen travellers and it was a PITA.

 

How long were you all forced to stay in the one place ? It must have been months I assume ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 8 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.