KITE CONTROVERSY
Having read in your May issue about the book Meadowland by John Lewis-Stempel, I decided I should read it. When I got to page 80, I was horrified by what he had written. He clearly suggests that a red kite killed his black lamb.
I have lived and shepherded in what used to be called kite country most of my life and I have never heard such rubbish. A red kite is incapable of killing a lamb, black or of any other colour. Kites live on worms and carrion, and they have to rely on crows, ravens or foxes to cut open carcasses for them before they can feed.
There are enough idiots out there trying to justify killing birds of prey without being fed rubbish like this by people who should know better.
John Davies, via email
I don’t always agree with Sara Maitland’s opinions, and often disagree. But this is fine, and promotes debate. How dull would life be if we simply all agreed or acquiesced? I am fully onboard with her article on dog behaviour in the countryside, in your May issue, and enjoyed the read.
I used to have a working English springer called Honey. She was my gun dog and was (in my biased opinion) a superb example. I’ll always remember a time when I showed her a chocolate ball and simply said, “leave”. I then rolled it some four yards from me. She looked at me, I looked at her, and with a simple head gesture she went for the chocolate. I then said, “Honey, bring.” She returned it and placed it in my hand without as much as a tooth mark.
Now, I admit this is an extreme level of training, but Sara made the good point that a well-trained dog can be enjoyed. But it’s important to remember that the dog will enjoy it more also, not having to be checked or pulled back or shouted at several times a minute. If more people shared this view, it would go a long way to not only protecting our countryside, but allowing all to enjoy it, too. Mark Cubitt,
North Yorkshire