If Barbara is the person I think you are referring to, she also feeds the pigeons and has caused an infestation of mice for her neighbours in Abbeville Road (the council has intervened as her flat was overrun as she was feeding the rodents too, and in an appalling state..). She is an animal lover but sadly, has some issues.

Dear All,

The Chairman of Friends of Clapham Common has investigated this thoroughly with Lambeth and has issued the following statement on our website in response: http://claphamcommon.org/uncategorized/ ... hing-else/

I hope that this provides you with some peace of mind but if you do have any further concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Shanade

This is very disturbing. Also, I'm sure Barbara means well but the ducks and geese shouldn't be given bread, as she seems to do several times a day! Perhaps someone needs to have a word.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... vationists

Dear Hannichka

Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention and thank you so much for your vigilance surrounding the wildlife, it is really great to know that residents like yourself are looking out for them.

I am on the committee for Friends of Clapham Common and will send them all this topic thread right now. We have contacts at Lambeth Council so we will get on to this right away and I will come back to you once we know more.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or other concerns please do not hesitate to contact me. You can contact me on here or on my FCC email: shanademcclellandfcc@gmail.com.

NB. For anyone that does take particular interest in the maintenance and preservation of the wildlife and greenery of the Common (as well as having a voice for issues concerning the Common), you may be interested to become a member of Friends of Clapham Common. Anyone is welcome and we are also looking to fill a couple of roles on the committee currently too. If you are interested, please see our website on our to become a member or you can contact me directly on my email above as I look after the memberships.
http://claphamcommon.org/membership/

Best,

Shanade

This is awful and so sad. We need the wildlife around here, my little boy really enjoys seeing the ducks and it's the closest thing we have to any nature in this busy City- why would anyone want to kill those poor innocent creatures!!!

I really hope the council looks into this and the "Ranger" is bought to account over this. He is supposed to protecting the wildlife surely?!

Hi Mungomuffit,
I haven't reported it yet - wanted to find out if anyone else has seen it or noticed - yes, please find out if you can! It's horrid to think no one is even aware.

For all the Clapham locals, I'm sure a good few have seen the diminutive older lady who feeds the geese, ducks and assorted birds by both of the ponds at the Common (her name is Barbara). I happened to stop and chat to her last week and she was extremely distressed as the local 'ranger' for the Common (I think his name is Mr Bolton) was seen pouring cement into an alcove where the ducklings which the ducklings used to get out of the pond - effectively - and deliberately - drowning them. There are only a couple of ducklings left now, the ones who didn't drown have been allegedly removed by a man who was seen over several nights picking off the remaining ducklings and putting them in a bag (to eat? to sell???) and despite calls to the council nothing has been done at all.

In the same timespan the ducklings were killed Mr Bolton hacked down all of the reeds by the smaller pond (nearest Abbeville Village), removing the vital habitat for the remaining geese and ducks (as well as the pleasant and almost bucolic view!). A pair of Egyptian geese with one gosling are struggling to survive as the area is looking like a wasteland and they have no protection from the Canadian geese (who have been trying to kill the gosling); the random groups of (aggressive) fisherman don't really help either.

It is bizarre to me that the Common -which seems to be undergoing revitalisation in other areas (replanting/community gardens etc) is so oblivious to the wildlife it is so lucky to have. Did anyone else notice the ducklings drown/get taken? If our community doesn't stick up for them they will simply disappear altogether and it's disgusting that the Council is not seeking to protect them.