Saw my first ever goldcrest in the flesh today at Leigh Woods, in and around the ivy on a tree trunk. 
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Goosander
Type of sea duck but really a Merganser (Sawbill) 
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Thank you! Also not sure it wasn’t a bit lost given it was in the river at Betws-Y-Coed this afternoon.
Although they are clsssed as “sea ducks” they spend much of their time on rivers. Perfectly normal environment for them.
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Love bird names like this. I guess ‘Grey Browntail’ just doesn’t scan so well… 
Lovely pinsharp image, too 
Just been watching a Lesser Redpoll in the garden, had to look it up. I don’t recall seeing one here before.
Not my photo
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Incredible 
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Depressing
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At least there’s finally been a prosecution - and a (theoretically…) preventative one at that -
There needs to be much more of this sort of thing. The perps will be obvious, but catching the cunts and making prosecutions stick is quite another…
Sadly it will make no difference at all. It has gone on for decades and our most persecuted raptor isn’t getting any relief anytime soon.
The gamekeepers are expendable and the real guilty parties - the estate owners - get away with it. As always, “the staff” will take the rap.
Prosecutions are few and far between and they will remain so unless the police get the funding to seriously pursue them.
A token “wildlife crime officer” has no chance, it’s pissing in the ocean, I’m afraid.
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This ^^^
= depressing
Opinions?
Have to wonder what the knock-on effect to the (non-fish) species it preys upon would be, as well as resource competition with other birds…
Seems like a shit idea esp for fish and Herons- Is Re introducing black death “worth exploring?” that was also about in medieval times .
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A lot of reintroduction schemes are extremely expensive and have, to say the least, debatable benefits.
I would rather see that money spent on habitat management, protection and development, to ensure that declining populations of many extant species are safeguarded.
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