Kingfishers - Grrrrr!

Paul Boote · Jun 17, 2013

I am assured that this photo is not a fake - https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/935794_475198929229472_753898973_n.jpg

"Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile"

jacksharp · Jun 17, 2013

Proportionately, that is probably a bigger pike than anyone on this forum has caught!

bennygesserit · Jun 17, 2013

jacksharp said:
Proportionately, that is probably a bigger pike than anyone on this forum has caught!

Its certainly a massive kingfisher

---------- Post added at 22:15 ---------- Previous post was at 22:13 ----------

wagglechance · Jun 17, 2013

i think we need chris hammond to validate the apparent size of this kingfisher.

jacksharp · Jun 17, 2013

bennygesserit said:
Its certainly a massive kingfisher

---------- Post added at 22:15 ---------- Previous post was at 22:13 ----------

Kingfisher? I thought it was an Osprey in drag!

Paul Boote · Jun 18, 2013

In this morning, a press release from the Pike Action Group:

"We the undersigned are disgusted by these ongoing cowardly Kingfisher attacks on our cherished pikelets (a damned good snack when there is little else around). Something must be done."

E. Sox., Supreme Destroyer, PAC (failed) ATr (ate it), Keith (a mere snack) etc.

'PAG: Tough on Predators, tough on the causes of Predators (except, of course, Us)'

Hmm.

Something clearly must be done, but I'm not sure exactly what...

Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC} · Jun 18, 2013

wagglechance said:
i think we need chris hammond to validate the apparent size of this kingfisher.

I'm no expert Waggle but if I had to be brutally honest I'd say it looks almost too good to be true. No real way of telling if it has been manipulated outside of forensic expertise I guess. Having said that I'd say it is almost certain that small pike do get taken occasionally by Kingfishers.

Whether real or contrived it is a superb picture.

sam vimes · Jun 18, 2013

Is anyone actually remotely bothered by a kingfisher taking little pencil jacks (or any other small fish for that matter)?
I'm certainly not. If it would be so kind as to teach its northern bretheren how it's done, we might see the current population explosion on my local water thinned a little.

Paul Boote · Jun 18, 2013

I certainly couldn't. Merely a wry observation about how we Anglers are dogged by double standards, about how we can get our knickers in a right twist when it comes to Predators, about what fools when can make of ourselves when we get up on our soapboxes...

Peter Jacobs · Jun 18, 2013

While you might argue a literal 'double standard' I think that the argument of the scale of the predation is a far wider and more important criteria.

I would argue that the wholesale slaughter by cormorants, or indeed Otters, cannot in all logic (or honesty) be compared with the relatively minute amout of very small fish that the Kingfisher takes in the course of a year.

Wouldn't you?

bennygesserit · Jun 18, 2013

sam vimes said:
Is anyone actually remotely bothered by a kingfisher taking little pencil jacks (or any other small fish for that matter)?
I'm certainly not. If it would be so kind as to teach its northern bretheren how it's done, we might see the current population explosion on my local water thinned a little.

an explosion of Pike on my section of the canal caused by the eating of pike ( by Anglos ) and the throwing of any large pike "behind the hedge" by some.

Sam do you think it might be an easily identifiable cause in your waters case ?

sam vimes · Jun 18, 2013

Paul Boote said:
I certainly couldn't. Merely a wry observation about how we Anglers are dogged by double standards, about how we can get our knickers in a right twist when it comes to Predators, about what fools when can make of ourselves when we get up on our soapboxes...

I know what you were getting at, I just didn't think you were getting the reaction you seemed to want. Maybe you'll have to change your bait.

Sure, there are double standards out there in angling land. Some folks are stupidly extreme. However, many don't care that much, regardless of whether the predator is a seal, otter, cormorant, kingfisher, mink or heron. I suspect that the reaction you get from folks depends entirely on their familiarity with and the frequency of the predator concerned. Whether the animal concerned is indigenous also has influence. I can't get my knickers in a twist over otters, they've been on my local river as long as I've been fishing. Seals are unlikely, so no need for concern from me. Cormorants have already done the bulk of their work so have moved on, with a bit of added persuasion. Mink are relatively few and far between, probably because of the otters.

Paul Boote · Jun 18, 2013

And they're off!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pour a kettle of boiling water over a column of ants coming out of a nest and up a wall and through the window to my immediate left. B'stards!

sam vimes · Jun 18, 2013

bennygesserit said:
Sam do you think it might be an easily identifiable cause in your waters case ?

Absolutely and utterly not. There are plenty of tiny pike simply because the pike have bred well for the last couple of years. The cyclic decline of the resident perch has probably helped in that respect. I've no doubt that the bigger pike will steadily cannibalise the tiny ones in due course.

---------- Post added at 13:58 ---------- Previous post was at 13:57 ----------

Paul Boote said:
And they're off!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pour a kettle of boiling water over a column of ants coming out of a nest and up a wall and through the window to my immediate left. B'stards!

You were fishing, don't moan when the bites finally come.

Paul Boote · Jun 18, 2013

sam vimes said:
You were fishing, don't moan when the bites finally come.

Merely a bit of much-needed humour and leftfield levity. Remember them?

Clearly, in their blinkered fish-obsessed state, some don't.

Leave a few of you chaps to bite each other now; you clearly need to do this, so who am I to stop you?

Dentures in. Off you go.

sam vimes · Jun 18, 2013

Let's just say that your idea of humour and mine don't really correlate. No real surprise there, I don't really think we'll ever have much in common. I'm sure that's as much a relief for you as it is for me.

Paul Boote · Jun 18, 2013

Let's just agree to "Grrrrr!", Sam.

sam vimes · Jun 18, 2013

I'd rather not "grrrrrr!" If that's ok? Something a little less negative perhaps? I can't quite stomach a "ya" and definitely not a "yehaaaaw". How about a nice simple "yay"?

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jun 18, 2013

Not sure what the predators are in my biscuit tin but the biscuit population has taken a big hit of late

Chris Hammond ( RSPB ACA PAC} · Jun 18, 2013

Interlude...

Kingfishers - Grrrrr!

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