Not PC to say

“One of your readers remarked on the lack of songbirds,” emails Annie Simpson. “One of the reasons is the overprotection of some species of raptors.

“I saw a sparrow hawk swoop down and pick up a thrush from near a bird table. It is not PC to say, but the like of buzzards do not need to be on a protected list. They are plentiful.

“What is well known by people in the countryside is that raptors feed on smaller birds, so there are fewer songbirds about. The RSPB know this too!”