OVER the years you have printed many pictures and articles relating to the peregrines at Symonds Yat and the like, usually referring to the protection of these birds. What about the other side of the story and the protection of all the other birds preyed on by hawks?

The most heart-rending thing I have ever seen is a hawk taking a bird to the ground and tearing its head off while it is still alive, especially as I had encouraged this bird into my garden to feed. I could never condone anyone shooting or harming any creature but I can understand having witnessed them at first hand how people feel about these birds especially as the fault lies with man for breeding and releasing large numbers of these birds and upsetting the balance of nature. You would think by now we would have learned our lessons from past mistakes made.

I have fed wild birds since I was a child and to watch birds in the garden is a great delight. If a hawk appeared in my garden it was a rare and wonderful sight but now we endure almost weekly attacks by birds of prey. I have had a bird house built especially to enable the birds to feed in safety.

All over the country people are experiencing the same thing and the worst stories are from the people who keep racing pigeons.

This was a gentle, relaxing sport in past times but in recent years it has become extremely stressful. If a pigeon did not return from a race or training flight it was assumed it had got lost and would probably return later, now it is almost inevitable it was taken by a hawk.

People are leaving the sport in their hundreds but this is partly their own fault. We all moan about the hawks to friends in clubs, pubs and back gardens and all have our theories about a solution from killing all hawks to keeping pigeons in for several months (this theory being that without pigeons, hawks would taken even more garden birds and this would upset more people) but it is all talk.

So come on bird lovers and pigeon racers! Get off your backsides, put pen to paper. One letter like this will go unnoticed, thousands would not. You have a very large voice, so use it.

If you do not act soon there will be no birds to feed in the garden and no pigeons to race. The RSPB should be the RSPH – it's the only bird they are protecting! – A very concerned bird lover, Coleford.