Legal vandalism!!

[Colin Key]

Just over one month ago, whilst walking my dog near the dunes at Alvor, I had the incredible experience of seeing and hearing about 300 Bee-eaters come in off the sea. They were so exhausted that I could probably have gone and picked them up (had to put "Bodi" on the lead in case she went after them). After 30 minutes or so they became active again and most of the flock moved on leaving behind a contingent which have nested there in a vertical sand face for as long as I can remember. Over the next couple of weeks I counted 42 pairs occupying nest holes, and I believe that many of these had immediately bred and were subsequently feeding young.

The dunes at Alvor are sacrosanct and an important ecosystem for plants and animals, as well as birds (many breeding pairs of Kentish Plover and Short-toed Lark, in addition to the Bee-eaters) and there is a warning sign that the maximum fine for driving over the dunes (walking is permitted) is €28,000 (yep, twenty-eight thousand Euros!).

The local district council (Câmara Municipal de Portimão) has now moved in with two two huge diggers and four heavy trucks and within a week has removed the dunes. The sand is being dumped on the beach nearby to replace sand lost during the last bad winter (where several beach-front restaurants have been on the verge of collapse) and the area where the dunes were is to become an "official" park for caravans and camper vans (in an attempt to keep all the mainly German and Dutch vehicle owners in one place).

I have photographed this activity and sent emails to the local Câmara (Dept Ambiente), as well as to other organisations, but not received a single response.

Watching the nests of these gorgeous birds being gouged out of the sand cliff, and seeing and hearing them (to my mind) trying to warn the other birds, did, I must admit, bring tears to my eyes.

There really is no hope. If this happened in the U.K. there would be heavy fines and probably custodial sentences. I would willingly kill the b@stards who authorised this.


http://www.pbase.com/accentor/image/111730324.jpg


http://www.pbase.com/accentor/image/111730513.jpg

Disillusioned,

Colin :cry:

[MichaelF]

Can you raise it directly with the EU? Try your MEP for first port of call. And all the candidates for the forthcoming European elections.

[chris tynan]

Hi Colin
I have visited Portugal on many occasions and the Algarve has loads of fabulous beaches. Why cant they close a couple and let wave and wind replace what was there. Sand always moves and it will be deposited somewhere else and become a problem! In the UK to do this you would need environmental impact surveys and loads of other things. You must continue to pressure the Portugese government.
Regards
Chris

[Colin Key]

Thank you Michael and Chris for your replies.

I am quite heavily involved in conservation of other sites which are rather more sensitive (in terms of breeding and wintering birds) and I can state categorically that the Portuguese Government, at both local and national level, are not in the least bit interested in environmental preservation.

I have previously been in touch with various people at the EU Parliament (the current President of the EU Parliament, Durão Barroso, is Portuguese) on other matters and never received a single response. They are, in me view, all about as useless as Lord Peter "Mantlepiece".

The mind-set here is completely different from the U.K. Conurbations, golf courses, retail parks, or anything else which brings in revenue is good, virgin habitat with a wealth of wildlife is seen as non-productive waste ground, and the drive to convert the latter into the former as soon as possible is fuelled by greed.

Believe me, there really is no hope; just glad I have lived to see the "good stuff".

Colin :beer:

[Red-eyed Video]

If this happened in the U.K. there would be heavy fines and probably custodial sentences.

This has happened in the UK, not Bee-eaters of course but Sand Martins. The was a large sand hill next to a gravel pit which had been excavated and the hill had a nice compacted flat side which the birds nested in. All the nests were destroyed in minutes by an excavator loading a lorry. Why they couldn't have taken the sand from the other side until the young had fledged beggars belief.

The manager of the site apologised and said it wouldn't happen again, it didn't. They broke up the steep sides each spring as the birds arrived to stop them nesting there again.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Man in his arrogance looks at himself and thinks himself the greater work!!!

(Something like that by Darwin).

This makes me very angry too. I hope the nests were not occupied even though it does not lessen the crime. Wishing to raise fists to even the digger operator and knowing in the long run and greater scheme that it would prove futile to do so is quite despairing.

Could you advise me who I could write an email to to raise my disatisfaction and hopefully throw a small measure of enlightenment?

[Hirundo]

awesome photo of Bee-eater

[Colin Key]

Andrew: Yes, the nests were occupied and I suspect that some birds were sitting on eggs. That was what made this such a pitiful sight - as they destroyed the cliff face at one end the first birds to be displaced seemed to be trying to communicate with, and warn, the others which were still "in residence".

I have done a bit of "digging" (forgive pun) since my last post and ascertained that this particular part of the dune system is (unlike the rest) not a "natural feature" - it was created by dumping sand dredged to open up the Ria for boats to get access to Alvor harbour. The Câmara Municipal de Portimão (Local District Council) is taking the line: "we put it there, so we can take it away". Rest assured that my feelings have been made known in no uncertain terms to the relevant authorities. But, there really is no hope and it is a totally useless battle. If you get down to Ria Alvor on your forthcoming visit and care to look westwards you will notice a lot of changes - the neighboring Câmara Municipal de Lagos have given permission for a new course at Palmares Golf Club and in the past few weeks many hectares of virgin woodland and scrub have been bulldozed (into mountains of trees and shrubs which have just been torched) with the loss of goodness knows how many breeding birds. In fact, by the time you get here the construction of the new 5-star "Palmares Beach Club" hotel will be underway on Meia Praia. Enjoy it while you can!! :cry::realmad:

Hirundo: Thanks for the compliment :smile:.

Colin

[Colin Key]

I realise that this is rather parochial and possibly of limited interest (although, given the number of birders who visit this area, maybe not?) but I find the underlying principles totally abhorrent.

This article has just appeared in the local "Algarve Resident" weekly newspaper:

http://www.algarveresident.com/story.asp?XID=31428

I have mentioned above my disgust at the removal of a dune system containing 42 pairs of breeding Bee-eaters by the local council to make way for a "caravan and motor-home park". It is now revealed that Alvor is to "benefit" from an EU grant of €18 million to fund this as well as creating a beachside carpark for 3,000 vehicles. And, just to make it environmentally acceptable they are saying: "bird-watching sites will be created for avid twitchers". There are no bloody birds left; as well as dis-homing the Bee-eaters they have also destroyed the breeding sites of large numbers of Kentish Plover and Short-toed Lark. With the invasion goodness knows how many German, Dutch and French camper vans together with 3,000 other cars bringing in day-trippers, wind surfers, and other cerebrally-challenged morons the area is DEAD.

There will be a load of greedy, ignorant, corrupt, fat-bellied Portuguese officials feeling very pleased with themselves over this - b@stards. :realmad:

Colin

[Jacqueline Burrell]

I have just returned to Cairo having spent a couple of days on the Gulf of Suez. The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the Bee-eaters.

There were far too many to count but certainly upwards of 200 pairs. They were in the trees, on the grass, in the bunkers at an eco-friendly golf course feasting on an abundant supply of insects before continuing their long hazardous journey northwestwards.

The British director of golf and his staff do everything possible to encourage wildlife with the exception of poisonous snakes and the crows and over the few years it has been open, they have developed a tremendous ecosystem starting with a huge variety of salt tolerant flora. It has become a very popular migratory stopover for a number of species from raptors to white storks, swallows and martins to bee-eaters.

It breaks my heart to think that having arrived safely in northern Egypt from Tropical Africa, the worst might yet be to come in the so-called civilised Western world. :cry:realmad:

[AndyB]

some terrific photos there Jacqueline

[Jacqueline Burrell]

some terrific photos there Jacqueline

Thanks, Andy:laugh:

[Derek Watters]

Hi Colin

I have just joined the forum and as I usually travel to the Algarve twice a year on family holiday (with a bit of birding as well :laugh:), I decided to have a look at the Algarve related postings.
I have seen several of your posts and understand your anger. Portugal reminds me of Ireland several decades ago when development was No.1 and no other issues, environmental or even health & safety, were properly concidered.
And yet in years to come they will lament the distruction of these great areas (Pera marsh, Alvor estuary, etc) and loose out on the environmental tourists that may have visited.
Perhaps the economic down turn will benifit us, in that some of the planned developments may well be shelved. Fingers crossed.

Keep up the good work

Derek

[Andrew Cunningham]

I returned to the same hotel recently and they are starting to recognise me on a more of a first name basis and much friendlier. I thought that was a good cue to point out that I keep returning to go birding in the Algarve and the adjacent Lagoa dos Salgados.

If we all mention birding as our reason for travel it just might cause a shift of opinion or possibly dare I say an ironically appreciable backhander in the right place!

You never know, an hotel manager might try to influence someone to keep the lake there! ;)

[Colin Key]

Hello Derek,

And a warm welcome to Surfbirds Forum (although this is not really the thread to be exchanging pleasantries!).

I hope that you will continue to post here and maybe submit reports (however brief) of your visits to Algarve. Also, take a look at "Fórum Aves" (linked to in my signature below), and please consider joining SPEA.

I have just spent a 14 hour day in the Alentejo today with my birding mate Roger and we had a most fantastic time. Five Rufous Bush Robins (including two at a new site where Melodious and Great Reed Warbler were performing), superb views of perched Rollers and Lesser Kestrel, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, two nesting colonies of Gull-billed Terns (some sitting on eggs - about 40 birds in total) with 5+ Collared Prantincole (also nesting) dive-bombing my Land Rover. Great Bustard with young (I have never seen that before) plus many other additions to the cast, of which seven male Montagu's Harriers were a real treat (ballet on wings!). To those who do not know what the Alentejo looks like, here is shot from today from "Monte de Salto", east of Castro Verde (32 ℃).

http://www.pbase.com/accentor/image/113003660.jpg

Kind regards,

Colin


P.S. I am pretty well "knackered" just now, but will respond in more detail to you and Andrew when I have recovered.

[john robinson]

Colin
I sympathise greatly with your views and understand completely your concern. I agree its all dispicable.
But- you do have a reputation for being somewhat " blunt " with people. Maybe a more gentle approach perhaps ???????
If any one shouts at me -I dont like em full stop. (Joke )
Cheers
John
Don't take offence - I might get a taty in me exhaust !!!

[FayJ]

It's sickening how so called 'progress' is still carried on without a damned thought for the wildlife which has EVERY RIGHT AS US to live in peace. The ignorance is appalling. The UK has its faults, but at least here wholesale bird colony destruction would be stamped on and the perpetrators prosecuted. Surely the European Union, which Portugal is a member of, is supposed to prevent this sort of thing? Or am I being naive?
I'm with Colin, the perpetrators are bastards.

As an aside, I saw my first Bee-eaters (Rainbow Bee-eater) in Australia last month, incredibly beautiful birds, now among my favourites.

[Colin Key]

Colin
I sympathise greatly with your views and understand completely your concern. I agree its all dispicable.
But- you do have a reputation for being somewhat " blunt " with people. Maybe a more gentle approach perhaps ???????
If any one shouts at me -I dont like em full stop. (Joke )
Cheers
John
Don't take offence - I might get a taty in me exhaust !!!

No offence taken John, but these people in southern Europe have absolutely no respect for "animals" (pets, domestic animals or wildlife) whatsoever. A gentler approach in which you attempt to explain that they are in violation of the law (and the Wild Birds Directive is in effect in Portugal) simply does not work.

If a local authority in the U.K. had destroyed a nesting colony of 42 pairs of Bee-eaters in the middle of their breeding season in order to create a caravan and motor-home park, then there would have been "officials" losing their jobs, being heavily fined and quite possibly going to prison.

The longer I live here, the more I hate them.

Colin :realmad:

[Colin Key]

It's sickening how so called 'progress' is still carried on without a damned thought for the wildlife which has EVERY RIGHT AS US to live in peace. The ignorance is appalling. The UK has its faults, but at least here wholesale bird colony destruction would be stamped on and the perpetrators prosecuted. Surely the European Union, which Portugal is a member of, is supposed to prevent this sort of thing? Or am I being naive?
I'm with Colin, the perpetrators are bastards.

As an aside, I saw my first Bee-eaters (Rainbow Bee-eater) in Australia last month, incredibly beautiful birds, now among my favourites.

Thanks Faye,

I am weary of attempting to go down the "official route" - I have spent a great deal of time over the past twelve years in rational correspondence with all relevant authorities (including the E.U. Parliament, RSPB Overseas Operations, Ramsar, etc.) but it is all to no avail. I do not think that the so-called European Union actually exists (other than to stuff the fat pig's pockets with expense accounts). I get the same old response every time, which goes something like: "we only make the laws, we cannot enforce them, and unless the individual member states and their own local authorities do so, we cannot intervene".

As soon as they have "nuked" Malta, if they have any bombs left I can suggest where they might be dropped (but wait until I have gone!).

This whole E.U. thing is a total farce. The very frustrating thing for me is that when I see things being destroyed I know that there is no "going back" - it will be impossible to correct all these mistakes, even if there was the will to do so.

Colin

P.S. Pleased you had a good trip - I have dipped into your reports on the "other channel" a few times.

[AndyB]

Over here, local birders have to monitor and report violations committed by federal agencies. Below is a recent heartbreaking account of how a local birder tried to stop the destruction of a colony of Tricolored Blackbirds with fledglings (world population 250,000) by a govt agency trying to clean things up. Despite calls and the work stopping briefly, the destruction continued a few days later.

http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/530476
http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/530593
http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/531728

[Colin Key]

Over here, local birders have to monitor and report violations committed by federal agencies. Below is a recent heartbreaking account of how a local birder tried to stop the destruction of a colony of Tricolored Blackbirds with fledglings (world population 250,000) by a govt agency trying to clean things up. Despite calls and the work stopping briefly, the destruction continued a few days later.

http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/530476
http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/530593
http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/LACoBirds/531728

Very depressing reading Andy.

And these are not isolated incidents - this sort of thing is going on at a pace in every developed country in the world. Where there is money concerned, birds and wild places do not matter one jot.

Colin :hmpf:

[FayJ]

P.S. Pleased you had a good trip - I have dipped into your reports on the "other channel" a few times.

Thanks Colin.

Over here, local birders have to monitor and report violations committed by federal agencies. Below is a recent heartbreaking account of how a local birder tried to stop the destruction of a colony of Tricolored Blackbirds with fledglings (world population 250,000) by a govt agency trying to clean things up. Despite calls and the work stopping briefly, the destruction continued a few days later.

It defies belief doesn't it? It's depressing how the human race is so rampant, with no thought for anything else. Quite frankly we behave like a disease.