Looking back at the Bill: tumultuous times fighting for the British fancy

IT WAS 40 years this September when the finishing touches were put to the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Bill, which duly became an Act in September 1982.

That was a period of great upheaval to the British bird fancy and changed the thinking of birdkeepers forever. Few know how close we came to losing the hobby completely.

Fortunately, we had some forward-thinking people who were