Letters | Sunday, 15 November 2009

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Maurice Mizzi, hunting and his Hoopoe

In his article “Obstetrical October” (4 October 2009) Mr Maurice Mizzi tries his hand at ornithology and fails miserably. Comparing shots “heard in the countryside at this time of year are more numerous than those we heard in spring”, he concludes that government should not exercise its right, recognised by the recent European Court of Justice judgment, to derogate for spring hunting.
For his information the shots heard at this time of year are not on turtle dove and quail since these migrate between the end of August (season opens 1 September) and the first three weeks of September. The court judgment concerns hunting of turtle dove and quail – the shots he hears now do not form part of the equation.
But what really fascinates me about Mr Mizzi and his birds is his prowess at bird photography. Mr Mizzi “last week” was lucky enough to photograph a Hoopoe in his garden. “His most welcome guest”, which as he states was “a hungry Hoopoe”, posed “sexily for his camera two feet away”.
Mr Mizzi seemed so happy about this fact that he even remarked that this particular Hoopoe allowed him to take “more photos then I have ever taken of my other wingless kind of birds”.
Well for anyone interested in seeing how credible Mr Mizzi and his birds (winged or not) truly are, I suggest readers compare the photo he claims to have taken with the following identical photo on the internet dated 6 December, 2008: http://goeastyoungwomantodubai.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/the-hoopoe/
Is this how Mr. Mizzi expects to gain credibility about his birds?
I can quote seven other websites that carry the identical picture of the Hoopoe in question should Mr Mizzi have any doubts.

Mark Mifsud Bonnici
Kaccaturi San Ubertu,
San Pawl tat-Targa

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