FIRECREST TOURS : Guided Birdwatching & Wildlife Days

In July an injured red kite was found by a member of the public in woodland near Corby, Northants – she’d been shot and had three shotgun pellets lodged in her body. We blogged about her here. She was cared for by Simon Dudhill and team at The Raptor Foundation in Cambridgeshire. Simon said at […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2QhnOOB via IFTTT

In July an injured red kite was found by a member of the public in woodland near Corby, Northants – she’d been shot and had three shotgun pellets lodged in her body. We blogged about her here. She was cared for by Simon Dudhill and team at The Raptor Foundation in Cambridgeshire. Simon said at […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/28/despite-best-efforts-shot-red-kite-didnt-make-it/

Following the publication of the RSPB’s 2017 Birdcrime Report on Tuesday (here), the Moorland Association has issued not one, but two public statements in response. Blimey, Police Supt. Nick Lyall must have made quite an impact last week. The first response, published on the same day as Birdcrime, was as follows: It’s the usual flannel […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/27/more-smoke-mirrors-from-moorland-association-on-raptor-persecution/

Following the publication of the RSPB’s 2017 Birdcrime Report on Tuesday (here), the Moorland Association has issued not one, but two public statements in response. Blimey, Police Supt. Nick Lyall must have made quite an impact last week. The first response, published on the same day as Birdcrime, was as follows: It’s the usual flannel […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2xVo7XB via IFTTT

The RSPB published its 2017 Birdcrime Report yesterday. It didn’t contain any surprises – we all know that crimes against birds of prey continued in 2017, and that these were largely associated with game-shooting estates. The online report can be read here The very useful appendices (actual data) can be accessed here The RSPB’s interactive […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2ON5ufI via IFTTT

The RSPB published its 2017 Birdcrime Report yesterday. It didn’t contain any surprises – we all know that crimes against birds of prey continued in 2017, and that these were largely associated with game-shooting estates. The online report can be read here The very useful appendices (actual data) can be accessed here The RSPB’s interactive […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/26/rspbs-2017-birdcrime-report-documents-ongoing-illegal-raptor-persecution/

The Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG, also known as the PAW Raptor Group, England & Wales) has a new Chair – Police Supt Nick Lyall. He’s off to a good start – he’s set up a blog, in the spirit of openness, to discuss the workings of this group and to report on any […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/meet-the-new-chair-of-the-paw-raptor-group-police-supt-nick-lyall/

The Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG, also known as the PAW Raptor Group, England & Wales) has a new Chair – Police Supt Nick Lyall. He’s off to a good start – he’s set up a blog, in the spirit of openness, to discuss the workings of this group and to report on any […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2QPRnrp via IFTTT

Press release from RSPB (20/9/18): SHOT RED KITE ‘LIKE BALLOON BURSTING’ A red kite seen falling from the sky accompanied by the sound of gunshots is the latest in a series of concerning incidents involving birds of prey in the Peak District National Park. Climber Adam Long heard gunshots and saw the bird fall from […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2xnCuEL via IFTTT

Press release from RSPB (20/9/18): SHOT RED KITE ‘LIKE BALLOON BURSTING’ A red kite seen falling from the sky accompanied by the sound of gunshots is the latest in a series of concerning incidents involving birds of prey in the Peak District National Park. Climber Adam Long heard gunshots and saw the bird fall from […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/climber-witnesses-shooting-of-red-kite-in-peak-district-national-park/

Pheasant and partridge shooting will no longer be allowed on publicly-owned land in Wales from 1 March 2019 following a vote this afternoon by the Board of the statutory conservation agency Natural Resources Wales. [Pheasant photo by Holly Heyser] Natural Resources Wales (NRW) currently leases four areas of woodland for shoots across mid-Wales, generating approximately […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2MNMps9 via IFTTT

Pheasant and partridge shooting will no longer be allowed on publicly-owned land in Wales from 1 March 2019 following a vote this afternoon by the Board of the statutory conservation agency Natural Resources Wales. [Pheasant photo by Holly Heyser] Natural Resources Wales (NRW) currently leases four areas of woodland for shoots across mid-Wales, generating approximately […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/natural-resources-wales-bans-game-shooting-on-public-land/

A Peoples Manifesto for Wildlife is published today. Written by Chris Packham and a number of others, it seeks to offer 200 ideas to address some of the most critical concerns affecting the UK landscape and its wildlife. This manifesto will be handed to Michael Gove MP at the Peoples Walk for Wildlife this Saturday, […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/19/a-peoples-manifesto-for-wildlife-by-chris-packham-et-al/

A Peoples Manifesto for Wildlife is published today. Written by Chris Packham and a number of others, it seeks to offer 200 ideas to address some of the most critical concerns affecting the UK landscape and its wildlife. This manifesto will be handed to Michael Gove MP at the Peoples Walk for Wildlife this Saturday, […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2MM91ZO via IFTTT

There was an interesting article published in the Somerset County Gazette at the end of August (here), announcing that the police had cautioned an ’employee’ of the Chargot Estate (in the Exmoor National Park) for animal welfare offences. This case involved an illegally-set crow cage trap that had been covertly filmed by investigators from Animal […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/16/police-caution-employee-for-illegally-set-trap-on-chargot-estate-exmoor-national-park/

There was an interesting article published in the Somerset County Gazette at the end of August (here), announcing that the police had cautioned an ’employee’ of the Chargot Estate (in the Exmoor National Park) for animal welfare offences. This case involved an illegally-set crow cage trap that had been covertly filmed by investigators from Animal […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2D38fIn via IFTTT

Following the RSPB’s announcement on Thursday that three of this year’s satellite-tagged hen harriers have already ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on three grouse moors (here), we predicted that the grouse shooting industry’s ‘leaders’ would respond with a wall of silence, just as they have previously (e.g. see here). We weren’t wrong. [One of the missing […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2xiouLD via IFTTT

Following the RSPB’s announcement on Thursday that three of this year’s satellite-tagged hen harriers have already ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on three grouse moors (here), we predicted that the grouse shooting industry’s ‘leaders’ would respond with a wall of silence, just as they have previously (e.g. see here). We weren’t wrong. [One of the missing […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/15/grouse-shooting-industrys-reaction-to-news-of-3-x-missing-hen-harriers/

You could set your clock by the regularity of these reports. In news that will shock absolutely no-one, the RSPB has announced the sudden and inexplicable ‘disappearance’ of three young satellite-tagged hen harriers. All three had hatched this year, all three had vanished before the end of August, and in all three cases the tag’s […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/13/3-more-satellite-tagged-hen-harriers-disappear-all-on-grouse-moors/

You could set your clock by the regularity of these reports. In news that will shock absolutely no-one, the RSPB has announced the sudden and inexplicable ‘disappearance’ of three young satellite-tagged hen harriers. All three had hatched this year, all three had vanished before the end of August, and in all three cases the tag’s […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2xbsw8p via IFTTT

The North Wales Police Rural Crime Team has posted the following statement on Twitter this morning: There isn’t much detail to go on but presumably this harrier’s tag has suddenly and inexplicably stopped in highly suspicious circumstances, just like the 79% of other tags fitted to hen harriers between 2007-2017 (and remember this is 79% […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2M9WBL8 via IFTTT

The North Wales Police Rural Crime Team has posted the following statement on Twitter this morning: There isn’t much detail to go on but presumably this harrier’s tag has suddenly and inexplicably stopped in highly suspicious circumstances, just like the 79% of other tags fitted to hen harriers between 2007-2017 (and remember this is 79% […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/07/north-wales-police-investigating-possible-disappearance-of-another-satellite-tagged-hen-harrier/

For a second consecutive issue, Private Eye has featured a piece on the illegal persecution of raptors on grouse moors. Here’s what appeared in yesterday’s edition: And here’s what appeared in the previous edition two weeks ago: Well done that journalist, more of this please! Advertisements RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/06/well-done-private-eye/

For a second consecutive issue, Private Eye has featured a piece on the illegal persecution of raptors on grouse moors. Here’s what appeared in yesterday’s edition: And here’s what appeared in the previous edition two weeks ago: Well done that journalist, more of this please! Advertisements from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2Nl2WrS via IFTTT

On Saturday 22 September 2018 Chris Packham will lead the first Peoples Walk for Wildlife in London’s Hyde Park. Everyone is invited to come along to show your support for Britain’s beleaguered wildlife and unite in a call for greater action from those with the power to bring change. An event like this costs money, […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/09/03/crowdfunder-launched-to-support-the-peoples-walk-for-wildlife/

On Saturday 22 September 2018 Chris Packham will lead the first Peoples Walk for Wildlife in London’s Hyde Park. Everyone is invited to come along to show your support for Britain’s beleaguered wildlife and unite in a call for greater action from those with the power to bring change. An event like this costs money, […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2PxLzBk via IFTTT