Please help the ducklings by sending emails to the email addresses further down the page.
and signing the petition
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/duckings-being-killed-from-neglect-of-our-council?source=facebook-share-button&time=1493776099
so far this year there have been 4 clutches of ducklings born. 2 lots of 12 one 13 and one lot of 14. The first clutch born went straight down the sluice. all gone in a day.
Out of the others we only have 2 left of one clutch, and 3 from another clutch, and none left of the 4th clutch. I have only managed to rescue one duckling, it was well battered, and wet, and died before I got it home.
Last year a late batch of 13 ducklings were born. No other ducklings were on the pond, so everyone noticed these new ones. The next morning I got a call to say a few ducklings had made it through the wheel alive, and were being washed down stream.
I went down to rescue them. One died in my hands, the ordeal had been too much for it. I managed to get another two alive. One of these died the next day, so only one duckling saved out of 13.
A previous time 6 ducklings went down the sluice. On this day I had noticed the ducklings were missing, mum only had 4 with her, when a few hours before she had 10.
Ducklings do go missing from various natural reasons, but it's not normal for 6 to go missing in a few hours.
I went down to see if I could find them, and I found two that had got through the wheel alive and were being washed down stream.
I had to go for help, because of the heavy rain fall the stream was very high, and the water was running fast, so not an easy task catching two ducklings on my own.
I got the net and help, and we managed to get the ducklings.
Both alive and well, but if I hadn't noticed them missing, they would have been washed further down stream, and without their mum, so they would not have survived.
The two survivors stayed with me until they were able to fly and survive on their own. (just over two months old)
I looked all over for the missing 4 ducklings but they were no where to be seen, so they must have been stuck in the wheel.
On another occasion someone rang me to say that there were 4 ducklings just past the sluice. This is the bit of water just before the wheel.
The ducklings cant get out of this area, and can't swim against the fast flowing water for long, and when they get tired, they get washed into the wheel, so you have to act quick.
I rushed straight down, and had help with me, but there was only two.
I managed to get one, and just couldn't get the other. It was getting dark, and I couldn't see it. These were older ducklings, and I knew where they slept at night, so I went and took the one I rescued back to it's family.
I went back with a torch to see if I could find the others, but I couldn't find them. I looked again in the morning, but they were no where to be seen.
It is very distressing because I know they will have suffered.
Ducklings are going missing all the time, and in clutches of 6 or more, so it's not nature taking them, it's the sluice.
It's an absolute disgrace that Nafferton parish council have caused this, and are doing nothing to put it right. This is happening on a regular basis, and no one is doing anything about it. No one seems to be able to make the Nafferton council solve the problem, they made.
The two council members that took the meshing off, that was in place to protect the ducklings, knew that it had been put on to protect the ducklings, and they knew it would cost the lives of most of the ducklings born.
The post that was put on face book by the vice chair of the parish council, (copy below) proves they knew about the ducklings going down the sluice. So they just didn't care.
How awful is that?
and signing the petition
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/duckings-being-killed-from-neglect-of-our-council?source=facebook-share-button&time=1493776099
so far this year there have been 4 clutches of ducklings born. 2 lots of 12 one 13 and one lot of 14. The first clutch born went straight down the sluice. all gone in a day.
Out of the others we only have 2 left of one clutch, and 3 from another clutch, and none left of the 4th clutch. I have only managed to rescue one duckling, it was well battered, and wet, and died before I got it home.
There is no place these ducklings can go except down the sluice. Nature does take ducklings, and we do have a swan that kills some of them. When they go missing in a few hours in 5, 6 and seven's, then you know it's not nature, and you know where they have gone.
It's a race to see if you can rescue any alive. Once they go through the wheel there isn't much chance of them coming out of it alive.
Believe me these poor babies suffer. The parish council are lying to everyone, and saying it's a low risk that ducklings are going down into the wheel. They are using an old statement from the RSPCA which was given last year for the situation at that time.
This was for the last 9 ducklings (the only survivors) on the mere.
They were older, and although they couldn't fly off, they did have their wings, so the risk assessment was put at low. For that period in time. It was not for the small ducklings, risk was assessed as high for the small ducklings.
The council were told, the small ducklings don't stand much of a chance, and the RSPCA explained why.
They are lying to people by using this old statement that was not for small ducklings.
I informed the RSPCA of what they are doing. It now seems that the RSPCA are backing off, and say they cant make the council do anything. So looks like the RSPCA can take on the small guys, but can't take on the council. I thought they were for the prevention of cruelty to animals? Ducklings going down the sluice and getting pulverised in the old wheel, is cruel, and it can be stopped. Some of the poor babies get stuck in the wheel, and you cant get to them to help them. You can hear them, but cant help them. It's an absolute disgrace that this is being allowed to happen. The ducklings need people power. they need YOU!!
Killed from neglect.Last year a late batch of 13 ducklings were born. No other ducklings were on the pond, so everyone noticed these new ones. The next morning I got a call to say a few ducklings had made it through the wheel alive, and were being washed down stream.
I went down to rescue them. One died in my hands, the ordeal had been too much for it. I managed to get another two alive. One of these died the next day, so only one duckling saved out of 13.
A previous time 6 ducklings went down the sluice. On this day I had noticed the ducklings were missing, mum only had 4 with her, when a few hours before she had 10.
Ducklings do go missing from various natural reasons, but it's not normal for 6 to go missing in a few hours.
I went down to see if I could find them, and I found two that had got through the wheel alive and were being washed down stream.
I had to go for help, because of the heavy rain fall the stream was very high, and the water was running fast, so not an easy task catching two ducklings on my own.
I got the net and help, and we managed to get the ducklings.
Both alive and well, but if I hadn't noticed them missing, they would have been washed further down stream, and without their mum, so they would not have survived.
The two survivors stayed with me until they were able to fly and survive on their own. (just over two months old)
I looked all over for the missing 4 ducklings but they were no where to be seen, so they must have been stuck in the wheel.
On another occasion someone rang me to say that there were 4 ducklings just past the sluice. This is the bit of water just before the wheel.
The ducklings cant get out of this area, and can't swim against the fast flowing water for long, and when they get tired, they get washed into the wheel, so you have to act quick.
I rushed straight down, and had help with me, but there was only two.
I managed to get one, and just couldn't get the other. It was getting dark, and I couldn't see it. These were older ducklings, and I knew where they slept at night, so I went and took the one I rescued back to it's family.
I went back with a torch to see if I could find the others, but I couldn't find them. I looked again in the morning, but they were no where to be seen.
It is very distressing because I know they will have suffered.
Ducklings are going missing all the time, and in clutches of 6 or more, so it's not nature taking them, it's the sluice.
It's an absolute disgrace that Nafferton parish council have caused this, and are doing nothing to put it right. This is happening on a regular basis, and no one is doing anything about it. No one seems to be able to make the Nafferton council solve the problem, they made.
The two council members that took the meshing off, that was in place to protect the ducklings, knew that it had been put on to protect the ducklings, and they knew it would cost the lives of most of the ducklings born.
The post that was put on face book by the vice chair of the parish council, (copy below) proves they knew about the ducklings going down the sluice. So they just didn't care.
How awful is that?
This problem was caused by lack of maintenance of the sluice, and no one going to clear the rubbish, and two lazy council members.
We had a very wet winter, the spring was high, so water going into the mere was far more than normal, and with no one clearing the rubbish from the sluice, the water got slowly higher over the winter months. someone complained the water was too high, so the council went to check the sluice.
Rubbish needed to be cleared from the sluice, and the gate altering to allow for the extra water coming into the mere.
Rubbish needed to be cleared from the sluice, and the gate altering to allow for the extra water coming into the mere.
The two council members sent to do the job, decided that the easiest option for them, was to take off the meshing from the sluice, and let all the rubbish that had collected over the months, to go down the sluice.
The meshing was put in place 7 years ago, at the RSPCA's request, because of all the ducklings going down the sluice.
It has been on for all these years with no problems at all.
The meshing replaced the original metal sluice cover that had been cut off for the same reason the meshing has been taken off.
The meshing replaced the original metal sluice cover that had been cut off for the same reason the meshing has been taken off.
Lazy council members not wanting to clear the rubbish. Without a cover on, all the rubbish goes through the sluice, so no maintenance required.
The only problem with this is that all our ducklings go down the sluice along with any rubbish.
The mere is spring fed, the water flows very fast, and the ducklings just get washed into the big wheel.
Some get stuck in the wheel and die a horrible death, some hit the rocks below, and a few come through alive, but these can be injured. They then get washed down stream crying for their mum.
The mere is spring fed, the water flows very fast, and the ducklings just get washed into the big wheel.
Some get stuck in the wheel and die a horrible death, some hit the rocks below, and a few come through alive, but these can be injured. They then get washed down stream crying for their mum.
It's heart breaking what is happening to these poor babies.
It is not rocket science to sort this problem out, but Nafferton parish council will not do anything about it.
They have come up with many excuses, they have told many un truths, they have done their best to discredit me, so no one listens to me.
No one seems to be able to make them do anything? I have had the RSPCA wildlife officer down, and he went to a parish council meeting to talk to them.
The officer explained that the ducklings can't get out of the current of water that flows to the sluice gate, and once they go down the sluice there isn't much chance of survival for them.
He told the council that they had to put a sluice gate cover back on, to replace the old cover that had been cut off.
A cover that will protect the ducklings and protect from flooding.
A cover that will protect the ducklings and protect from flooding.
The council were also told that it should be maintained on a regular basis.
The council accepted this, and they even put a public notice out saying they had accepted the RSPCA's recommendations.
It wasn't a recommendation, they were told that they had an obligation to the wildlife on the mere,
and they had to do it.
and they had to do it.
A year on, and the council still have done nothing. It has been on TV (look north) and in the papers. The council told everyone that they would sort it out. But a year on now, the council have done nothing.
They keep telling people that they will do something but they still have nothing in place.
It's duckling time, and another summer of all the suffering for these poor ducklings.
Its a disgrace
Their excuse for not putting meshing back on is that they can't get insured for flooding with it on.
If you phone your insurance company and tell them some meshing caused a blockage, then for sure they wont insure you if you have it on.
This is what they did, and now use this as an excuse.
There is no excuse for not putting back the original metal grid that was put on the sluice when the mere was built many years ago.
This has been cut off by past parish council members, and needs putting back in place.
Not only does all our ducklings go down the sluice without this cover on, it is a danger to children.
There is no excuse for not putting back the original metal grid that was put on the sluice when the mere was built many years ago.
This has been cut off by past parish council members, and needs putting back in place.
Not only does all our ducklings go down the sluice without this cover on, it is a danger to children.
If a child falls in at this point, the water flow is very fast, they would be drawn through the sluice, and through the narrow tunnel that goes under the road.
No one could get to a child quick enough to rescue them if they went down the sluice and got stuck. I have seen children go down to the sluice area to try and get balls that have gone in the mere. The fast water takes any balls etc... to the sluice, so children know they can recover their balls, with a net.
This post that was put our local Nafferton Facebook group, proves the Council knew about the ducklings going down the sluice, and just didn't care.
The post below that was put on face book (click to enlarge)
Please email the parish council, phone them, and let them know how you feel about the situation.
The email for the clerk of the parish council Anne Tyler
anne@annetyler.orangehome.co.uk
The Chair of the parish council Sue Tait
thenaff@sky.com
The east riding of Yorkshire complaints of parish councils standards@eastriding.gov.uk
RSPCA jeremy.cooper@rspca.org.uk
RSPCA enqserv@rspca.org.uk
Please can you email all 4. Ask them why they are doing nothing to protect the ducklings
The Nafferton parish councillors are below
click to enlarge
click to enlarge
Jon Wortley has now left the council, but all the members below have done nothing to sort this problem out.
Lucky the duckling. The only survivor out of 13.
He is still with me, all grown up, and doing well
'Yes, ducklings will be pulverized, but otherwise some minor flooding may occur in a house'? It couldn't be clearer how little the council members care!! This is disgraceful.
ReplyDeleteSorry I deleted my post. Sorry I deleted my comment. The Meshing had been on the sluice for 7 years with no problems. The problem of the water level rising was due to the person looking after the sluice never went down to maintain it, so rubbish collected over the winter, and with all the rain we had, the water level got higher. It was not minor flooding like he said. The water was about to go over onto the bank, which was still within the mere boundary. Nowhere near any houses at all. The problem could have been solved by just taking away all the rubbish, and altering the sluice gate. but the easy option was to take off the meshing, so all the rubbish went through the sluice. There was a thick metal sluice cover on the sluice, which was put on when the mere was built. This has been cut off because it needed maintaining? The meshing was then put on at the RSPC'S request to save the ducklings. The original cover needs replacing, not only does all our ducklings go down the sluice without this cover on, it is a danger to children. If a child falls in at this point, they will be drawn through the sluice. It is a long narrow tunnel that goes under the road. No one could get to a child quick enough to rescue them if they went down the sluice and got stuck. It's a hazard to wildlife and children. I have seen children go down to the sluice area to try and get balls that have gone in the mere. The fast water takes any balls etc... to the sluice.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a great job Yvonne!
ReplyDeleteTrying my best. I have only sent this to a few friends at the minute, and my duck group. I will put it on the animal groups later. I hope I can get some support. If not the ducklings dont stand a chance. Year after year, they will suffer.
DeleteI agree the parish council are terrible and very unprofessional, when ever an important issue like this is put forward to them at their meetings they just laugh in your face. I was thrown off the Nafferton Village Facebook page for putting my opinion across, I had to block 3 parish council members as they was very rude and abusive. Im taking action against them with East Riding Council, I cant promise instant changes.
ReplyDelete