Jubilee events in Cirencester will disturb nesting birds (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Jubilee events in Cirencester will disturb nesting birds

1:39pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 in Letters

WHILE reading several articles and the leaflet telling us of the celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I note we are going to have yet another horrendous firework display, once again in the Abbey Grounds.

It is a well known fact that this year has been a bad year for nesting birds. With the wet and windy weather birds that lost their first clutch will be attempting to breed again, which will make them late breeding.

This firework display will be at the height of the breeding season.

The song birds will be either sitting or brooding their young, the mallard ducklings will still be flightless and so will be the cygnets of the Queen’s bird, the mute swan.

According to the law, you must not interfere or disturb nesting birds, move or confine, unless injured. I presume this firework display will have explosions and powerful bright lights. This will frighten brooding birds out of their nests, possibly making them desert their eggs and young.

The mallards brooding their young, that are flightless, will fly off leaving their young to die of hypothermia, or fright, as this display will take place at night.

And as for the Queen’s bird, the mute swan, this could make them trample their young cygnets to death.

So I say to these people involved in their display don’t just think of yourselves, your enjoyment and making money, think of our wildlife first for a change please.

M J HAINES North Home Road Cirencester