Gauteng Smallholder December/ January 2018 | Page 7

Bullet fragments killing Ground Hornbills accumulate in the bird and it eventually dies. Horrible the things Man does without thought of the consequences. Michael Doveton Stellenbosch S Rosy Cheeked Parakeets ruin UK vineyard ir – Your piece on vultures (November): While I was at the Mabula Game Lodge recently I was shown their Ground Hornbill Project. It's a huge ugly bird, white wingtips and red around the eyes and on the throat. As critical to the environment as the vulture. The project is trying to preserve the bird from extinction. It is dying from lead poison- ing. Apparently when an animal, usually buck, is shot, the bullet tends to shatter. The hunter discards the damaged flesh which is devoured by the ground hornbill. The lead fragments Sir ~ Earlier in the year you wrote about the alien Rosy Cheeked parakeets g athering in surprising numbers in areas of Gauteng. Well, spare a thought for the chaps who run Forty Hall Farm in Enfield, London's only commercial vineyard since medieval times. Rosy Cheeked Parakeets have severely dented the grape harvest. Recently, volunteers picking chardonnay and pinot noir varieties at the vineyard saw 60 parakeets fly away when they sounded the bird scarer. Apparently, there are esti- mated to be up to 50 000 parakeets living in Britain, mainly in London and north Kent. We enjoy the wide variety of articles in your magazine – keep it up! The Editor welcomes your letters, comments and opinions, but reserves the right to edit and shorten as necessary. Senders’ names and addresses must be included. Afrikaans letters will be translated. Post mail to: Letters, PO Box 14648, Bredell 1623 or fax [phone] or e-mail [email protected] 5 www.sasmallholder.co.za MAILBAG Fred (name supplied) Nietgedacht Facebook posts are enjoyed S ir ~ I really enjoy the short pieces that you put up so frequently on the Gauteng Smallholder Facebook page. They are interesting and informative and some of them are hilarious! It must take you some time to do it, but I for one appreciate it. Margaret (name supplied) Muldersdrift