If anything sums up the disgraceful ‘normalisation’ of killing birds in England, it’s surely the ‘raffle’ that shooting lobbyists BASC (the British Association for Shooting and Conservation) are holding to “win two days’ guided wildfowling for you and a friend at Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve.”
BASC notes in its sickening promotion that “Lindisfarne is renowned for its remarkable birdlife and breathtaking landscapes.
Recent counts recorded up to 13,000 pink-footed geese and 23,000 wigeon at the site.
You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the challenge of the sport at its finest, against the backdrop of stunning sunrises and sunsets.”
In other words, the organisation that grew from ‘wildfowling’ roots and has rebranded itself as all about ‘conservation’ is fundraising off the back of sending guns into a nature reserve famed for hosting “huge flocks of wintering waterfowl” – to kill ducks and geese…
Lindisfarne NNR
Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve is a 3,541-hectare (8,750-acre) Ramsar site, a wetland of international significance, founded specifically to help safeguard internationally important wintering bird populations. Six internationally important species of wildfowl and wading birds winter here, including Amber Listed Pale-bellied Brent Geese (Branta bernicla hrota, Lindisfarne is by far the UK’s most important regular wintering site), the Amber Listed Pink-footed Geese, and the Amber Listed (Eurasian) Wigeon.
Natural England’s ‘official guide’ to Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, says that “in autumn and winter the mudflats host huge flocks of wintering waterfowl, which arrive from the Arctic to feed on the extremely rich supply of marine creatures and vegetation living in and on the mud.” It urges visitors “to keep to existing routes to minimise damage to this very sensitive habitat.” Of the Pale-bellied Brent Geese it says “the Reserve is the largest wintering site in Britain and holds approximately half of the world population.”
Over and over again, we are told just how important Lindisfarne NNR is for biodiversity. In a section on “Help us to look after the Reserve”, Natural England asks that visitors “keep dogs on a lead or at heel at all times to avoid disturbance to birds” and not to “disturb wildlife, remove animals or plants or touch nests and eggs.”
On the last page of the pdf it says that “England’s National Nature Reserves are among the best wildlife and earth heritage sites in the country and many are important in an international context.”
And how does BASC celebrate this internationally important wildlife? By raffling it to its gun-toting members…
This article by Charlie Moores was first published by End Bird Shooting on 1 September 2025.
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