FIRECREST TOURS : Guided Birdwatching & Wildlife Days

Earlier this month we blogged about the discovery of a dead peregrine in the Pentland Hills Regional Park just south of Edinburgh (see here). The dead adult male, part of a breeding pair, had been found in May and toxicology results confirmed he had been killed with a highly toxic banned poison, capable of killing […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/31/parliamentary-questions-on-poisoned-peregrine-in-pentland-hills/

Earlier this month we blogged about the discovery of a dead peregrine in the Pentland Hills Regional Park just south of Edinburgh (see here). The dead adult male, part of a breeding pair, had been found in May and toxicology results confirmed he had been killed with a highly toxic banned poison, capable of killing […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2yIPvcK via IFTTT

Press statement from Hertfordshire Constabulary (25 Oct 2018): Red kite shot in Ashwell Officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Rural Support Team are currently investigating the shooting of a Red Kite. The injured bird was spotted by a local gamekeeper on a bridleway called Green Lane, just off Northfields Road in Ashwell, on Saturday September 29. However […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2PlLHHV via IFTTT

Press statement from Hertfordshire Constabulary (25 Oct 2018): Red kite shot in Ashwell Officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Rural Support Team are currently investigating the shooting of a Red Kite. The injured bird was spotted by a local gamekeeper on a bridleway called Green Lane, just off Northfields Road in Ashwell, on Saturday September 29. However […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/27/red-kite-shot-in-ashwell-hertfordshire-2/

Today’s earlier blog post (here) on the hypocrisy of the Scottish Government’s reaction to #Goatgate took a bit of a side swipe at the length of time it’s taking the Scottish Government to introduce regulation, enforcement and accountability to the driven grouse shooting industry. But here’s a bit of perspective on the matter. At least […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/at-least-scottish-ministers-are-listening-those-at-westminster-not-so-much/

Today’s earlier blog post (here) on the hypocrisy of the Scottish Government’s reaction to #Goatgate took a bit of a side swipe at the length of time it’s taking the Scottish Government to introduce regulation, enforcement and accountability to the driven grouse shooting industry. But here’s a bit of perspective on the matter. At least […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2qd6OxH via IFTTT

An opinion piece for the New Statesman today, discussing the Scottish Government’s quick reaction to the peverse trophy-hunting of goats and its less-than-quick reaction to the equally peverse trophy-hunting of driven red grouse. Article available here Advertisements RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/trophy-hunting-of-goats-is-no-less-peverse-than-driven-grouse-shooting-new-statesman-opinion-piece/

An opinion piece for the New Statesman today, discussing the Scottish Government’s quick reaction to the peverse trophy-hunting of goats and its less-than-quick reaction to the equally peverse trophy-hunting of driven red grouse. Article available here Advertisements from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2EIIRZu via IFTTT

Once again, we’re having to report on the deliberate persecution of a protected bird of prey in the Moy area of Highland Scotland, a well-known raptor persecution hotspot. RPUK map showing location of Moy: Police Scotland has issued the following appeal for information this morning: Appeal after buzzard reported trapped south of Inverness Police Scotland […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2O5cL9n via IFTTT

Once again, we’re having to report on the deliberate persecution of a protected bird of prey in the Moy area of Highland Scotland, a well-known raptor persecution hotspot. RPUK map showing location of Moy: Police Scotland has issued the following appeal for information this morning: Appeal after buzzard reported trapped south of Inverness Police Scotland […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/25/buzzard-caught-in-illegally-set-trap-near-moy/

Diversionary feeding of hen harriers (where alternative food is provided for breeding birds to reduce the number of red grouse chicks they might otherwise have taken) has long been an option for grouse moor managers who complain that hen harriers eat ‘too many’ grouse. This practice has been studied in depth during the Langholm Moor […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/new-paper-from-langholm-study-shows-effectiveness-of-hen-harrier-diversionary-feeding/

Diversionary feeding of hen harriers (where alternative food is provided for breeding birds to reduce the number of red grouse chicks they might otherwise have taken) has long been an option for grouse moor managers who complain that hen harriers eat ‘too many’ grouse. This practice has been studied in depth during the Langholm Moor […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2OIgkrn via IFTTT

The Scottish Government-commissioned review of grouse moor management continues, with the Review Group, chaired by Professor Alan Werritty, taking evidence from a variety of individuals and organisations. For new blog readers, this review was ordered in May 2017 by Environment Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham after the publication of another review, ‘Analyses of the fates of […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2JaAiFe via IFTTT

The Scottish Government-commissioned review of grouse moor management continues, with the Review Group, chaired by Professor Alan Werritty, taking evidence from a variety of individuals and organisations. For new blog readers, this review was ordered in May 2017 by Environment Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham after the publication of another review, ‘Analyses of the fates of […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/werritty-review-evidence-of-raptor-persecution-on-some-grouse-moors-compelling-shocking/

An exciting new partnership will be launched in Scotland in early November – Revive: the coalition for grouse moor reform. The Revive coalition is an unusual alliance of campaigners, scientists and policy advocates from the fields of social justice, conservation, animal welfare and environmental protection, coming together to present the case for the reform of […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2Cvdb6W via IFTTT

An exciting new partnership will be launched in Scotland in early November – Revive: the coalition for grouse moor reform. The Revive coalition is an unusual alliance of campaigners, scientists and policy advocates from the fields of social justice, conservation, animal welfare and environmental protection, coming together to present the case for the reform of […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/20/revive-the-coalition-for-grouse-moor-reform-coming-soon/

We learned about the suspicious disappearance of satellite-tagged hen harrier Mabel on Thursday (here), the same day we learned about the suspicious disappearance of satellite-tagged hen harrier Thor (here). As usual, we’ve been tracking the official responses of the so-called partners in the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG), which was established in 2011 and […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/20/responses-to-missing-hen-harrier-mabel/

We learned about the suspicious disappearance of satellite-tagged hen harrier Mabel on Thursday (here), the same day we learned about the suspicious disappearance of satellite-tagged hen harrier Thor (here). As usual, we’ve been tracking the official responses of the so-called partners in the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG), which was established in 2011 and […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2q1TZWZ via IFTTT

Yesterday we were hit with the news of two missing hen harriers – ‘Thor’, a young bird tagged by the RSPB who disappeared in a wildlife crime hotspot in the Bowland AONB (here) and then later in the day, ‘Mabel’, a young bird tagged by Natural England who disappeared in a wildlife crime hotspot on […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2P9aRcF via IFTTT

Yesterday we were hit with the news of two missing hen harriers – ‘Thor’, a young bird tagged by the RSPB who disappeared in a wildlife crime hotspot in the Bowland AONB (here) and then later in the day, ‘Mabel’, a young bird tagged by Natural England who disappeared in a wildlife crime hotspot on […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/responses-to-missing-hen-harrier-thor/

Hot on the heels of this morning’s news that satellite-tagged Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ in Bowland on 3 October (here), there’s now news of another one. Hen harrier ‘Mabel’ hatched from the only nest in the Yorkshire Dales National Park earlier this year (you’ll remember, the nest that was declared by the Yorkshire Dales Moorland […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/18/hen-harrier-mabel-disappears-near-grouse-moor-on-yorkshire-dales-national-park-boundary/

Hot on the heels of this morning’s news that satellite-tagged Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ in Bowland on 3 October (here), there’s now news of another one. Hen harrier ‘Mabel’ hatched from the only nest in the Yorkshire Dales National Park earlier this year (you’ll remember, the nest that was declared by the Yorkshire Dales Moorland […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2pYzZVl via IFTTT

Just a little over a month ago the RSPB told us that three of this year’s satellite-tagged hen harrier chicks had all ‘dsiappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on driven grouse moors (here). This morning they’ve announced the suspicious disappearance of another one. Here’s the RSPB’s report: Thor is no more: First hatched hen harrier in Bowland […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/18/hen-harrier-thor-disappears-next-to-grouse-moor-in-bowland-aonb/

Just a little over a month ago the RSPB told us that three of this year’s satellite-tagged hen harrier chicks had all ‘dsiappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on driven grouse moors (here). This morning they’ve announced the suspicious disappearance of another one. Here’s the RSPB’s report: Thor is no more: First hatched hen harrier in Bowland […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2CnkDAW via IFTTT

In yesterday’s blog (here) we discussed how the raptor-killing criminals have changed tactics to avoid detection and are going to greater lengths to remove/hide the evidence of their crimes. This latest case is a good example of how this may be happening and how this can lead to raptor persecution crimes remaining undetected. In March […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2Ox6dFV via IFTTT

In yesterday’s blog (here) we discussed how the raptor-killing criminals have changed tactics to avoid detection and are going to greater lengths to remove/hide the evidence of their crimes. This latest case is a good example of how this may be happening and how this can lead to raptor persecution crimes remaining undetected. In March […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/17/shot-goshawk-found-dead-in-angus/

The Scottish Government’s annual raptor persecution maps have just been released showing the number of reported crimes in 2017. A five-year map showing the number of reported raptor persecution crimes between 2013-2017 has also been published: An accompanying press release is as follows: Recorded cases of bird of prey poisonings at record low 2017 saw […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/16/2017-raptor-persecution-stats-show-criminals-getting-better-at-hiding-evidence/

The Scottish Government’s annual raptor persecution maps have just been released showing the number of reported crimes in 2017. A five-year map showing the number of reported raptor persecution crimes between 2013-2017 has also been published: An accompanying press release is as follows: Recorded cases of bird of prey poisonings at record low 2017 saw […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2EpqU1E via IFTTT

US grammy nominee Holly Lamar (real name Mary Holladay Lamar), 51, pleaded guilty at Chesterfield Magistrates Court on Friday to two offences relating to the illegal possession of a wild peregrine falcon. [Lamar arriving at Chesterfield Magistrates Court, photo by BBC] Derbyshire Police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit raided her home in Ashover Road, […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2On0faD via IFTTT

US grammy nominee Holly Lamar (real name Mary Holladay Lamar), 51, pleaded guilty at Chesterfield Magistrates Court on Friday to two offences relating to the illegal possession of a wild peregrine falcon. [Lamar arriving at Chesterfield Magistrates Court, photo by BBC] Derbyshire Police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit raided her home in Ashover Road, […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/songwriter-holly-lamar-pleads-guilty-to-possessing-wild-peregrine-in-derbyshire/

Following Tuesday’s news that a peregrine had been illegally killed with a highly toxic banned poison in the Pentland Hills Regional Park earlier this year (see here), we’d also blogged yesterday (here) about other recorded wildlife crime in this area, including the shooting out of a merlin’s nest in 2017: We’ve been asked some questions […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2CE2gZy via IFTTT

Following Tuesday’s news that a peregrine had been illegally killed with a highly toxic banned poison in the Pentland Hills Regional Park earlier this year (see here), we’d also blogged yesterday (here) about other recorded wildlife crime in this area, including the shooting out of a merlin’s nest in 2017: We’ve been asked some questions […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/merlin-nest-shot-out-in-the-pentland-hills/

The northern edge of the Pentland Hills is a familiar sight to residents of Edinburgh and can be seen from the Scottish Parliament building. [View of the Pentlands from Edinburgh, photo by Ruth Tingay] Designated as “a place for the peaceful enjoyment of the countryside“, the Pentland Hills Regional Park hosts over 600,000 visitors per […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2QDFfsH via IFTTT

The northern edge of the Pentland Hills is a familiar sight to residents of Edinburgh and can be seen from the Scottish Parliament building. [View of the Pentlands from Edinburgh, photo by Ruth Tingay] Designated as “a place for the peaceful enjoyment of the countryside“, the Pentland Hills Regional Park hosts over 600,000 visitors per […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/armed-criminals-running-amok-in-the-pentland-hills-nr-edinburgh/

Following yesterday’s news that a peregrine has been found poisoned in the Pentland Hills (here), Alison Johnstone MSP (Scottish Greens, Lothian) has issued a statement: Peregrine falcon found dead in the Pentland Hills The Raptor Persecution UK blog has revealed that a peregrine falcon was found dead in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh earlier this year. I am […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2REZMyb via IFTTT

Following yesterday’s news that a peregrine has been found poisoned in the Pentland Hills (here), Alison Johnstone MSP (Scottish Greens, Lothian) has issued a statement: Peregrine falcon found dead in the Pentland Hills The Raptor Persecution UK blog has revealed that a peregrine falcon was found dead in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh earlier this year. I am […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/lothian-msp-alison-johnstone-speaks-out-on-pentlands-poisoned-peregrine/

We were recently informed that a peregrine had been found dead in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh way back in May this year (five months ago). We were also advised that toxicology results had shown it had been poisoned with a banned poison. [RPUK map: Pentland Hills, just south of the Edinburgh City ByPass] Given […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2QAvcof via IFTTT

We were recently informed that a peregrine had been found dead in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh way back in May this year (five months ago). We were also advised that toxicology results had shown it had been poisoned with a banned poison. [RPUK map: Pentland Hills, just south of the Edinburgh City ByPass] Given […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/peregrine-found-poisoned-in-pentlands-not-far-from-freds-last-known-location/

Press release from North Yorkshire Police (8 Oct 2018): In January a dead buzzard was found in suspicious circumstances on top of a dry-stone wall, next to a layby on the Kildale to Commondale road near Percy Rigg in the North York Moors. [Google map showing the road between Kildale and Commondale and surrounding grouse […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/08/buzzard-found-poisoned-in-north-york-moors-national-park/

Press release from North Yorkshire Police (8 Oct 2018): In January a dead buzzard was found in suspicious circumstances on top of a dry-stone wall, next to a layby on the Kildale to Commondale road near Percy Rigg in the North York Moors. [Google map showing the road between Kildale and Commondale and surrounding grouse […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2Czr2Kc via IFTTT

The Scottish animal welfare charity OneKind has played a blinder by appointing Bob Elliot as its new Director. Bob has worked for the RSPB for the last 14 years, previously as Head of Investigations in Scotland and currently as Head of Investigations UK. He’s well known for his unflappable, good-humoured and straight-talking approach and his […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/03/bob-elliot-appointed-new-director-at-onekind/

The Scottish animal welfare charity OneKind has played a blinder by appointing Bob Elliot as it’s new Director. Bob has worked for the RSPB for the last 14 years, previously as Head of Investigations in Scotland and currently as Head of Investigations UK. He’s well known for his unflappable, good-humoured and straight-talking approach and his […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2O0yl43 via IFTTT

Press release from Humberside Police (2 Oct 2018): BUZZARD FOUND DEAD WITH TRAP WOUNDS TO HEAD We are investigating the suspicious death of a common buzzard found at the end of August in the western area of the East Riding of Yorkshire. X-rays of the bird show that it has previously suffered shotgun injuries as […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/yorkshire-police-investigate-suspicious-death-of-buzzard-found-with-head-injuries/

Press release from Humberside Police (2 Oct 2018): BUZZARD FOUND DEAD WITH TRAP WOUNDS TO HEAD We are investigating the suspicious death of a common buzzard found at the end of August in the western area of the East Riding of Yorkshire. X-rays of the bird show that it has previously suffered shotgun injuries as […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2xS4W1B via IFTTT