LACK OF INTEREST

The proposed action by the Government and health officials to vaccinate children under three years old against Avian Flu is highly commendable, costly and probably not altogether 100% effective. As too were their efforts to establish whether or not the wild bird population carried the virus, by culling wildfowl at various locations in England.

In addition bird sanctuary operators were asked to note and report any sudden deaths among their flocks of birds. Apparently such policies do not extend to the North of Scotland for on Wednesday the 18th I noticed one of my flock of eighteen free flying Barnacle Geese was failing. By Thursday it was floating on the pond very dead indeed. I was quite certain that it had not suffered gunshot wounds, nor did it display the symptoms of swallowing fallen lead shot from the beach. Accordingly I gingerly placed it in a plastic bag but not before I photographed it.

Next I placed the bag in the the ever ready ‘Wheelie Bin’ and telephoned the Health and Safety Department at Highland Council. There I spoke to Mr Andy MacTaggart, who, after consulting with his colleagues called me back and said that it was not something his department dealt with but suggested I contact DEFRA, the Highland official then provided the appropriate telephone number.

When I called the number the ‘man at the end of the line’ gave me yet another number to call. This led to the DEFRA department that registered chicken flocks and had nothing to do with investigating dead birds. He suggested I get back to the main number. Against my rising temper I did just that but was told again to contact yet another number. By this time I had enough and hung up. Later in desperation I called the Alness Police Station and spoke to Sergeant Gregor Hay, who said he would contact DEFRA and ask them to contact me. This never took place. As a last resort I e-mailed the News of the World but the article failed to make the Sunday edition.

I am happy to say the 100 or so free flying birds at SCOTTFAB show no more signs of sickness, but if the lack of response as related in the aforementioned paragraphs is what would happen in a real emergency, God help us all.

GOOD NEWS

A letter from the CFPA Chairman, Jimmy Gray, to the `Highlander' has confirmed that despite the rumours circulating around Invergordon, the Port Authority do not have any partners in their bid for the defunct Nigg Yard.

Also CFPA are the preferred bidders for the facility. This must be very good news for local contractors and hauliers.