FIRECREST TOURS : Guided Birdwatching & Wildlife Days

Well this is very welcome news. The Leadhills (Hopetoun) Estate in South Lanarkshire has lost its appeal to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) against a General Licence restriction which had been imposed on the estate after ‘clear evidence of wildlife crime’ was found on the grouse moor. A quick re-cap: In late November 2019 Scottish Natural […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2S4mIs0

Well this is very welcome news. The Leadhills (Hopetoun) Estate in South Lanarkshire has lost its appeal to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) against a General Licence restriction which had been imposed on the estate after ‘clear evidence of wildlife crime’ was found on the grouse moor. A quick re-cap: In late November 2019 Scottish Natural […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2S4mIs0 via IFTTT

A young hen harrier named Mary that hatched on the Isle of Man in 2019 and had been satellite-tagged by the RSPB’s LIFE Project was found poisoned on a pheasant shoot in Co Meath in Ireland in November 2019. Tests revealed she had consumed the banned poison Carbofuran which was found on a pigeon bait […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2tVnlfr via IFTTT

A young hen harrier named Mary that hatched on the Isle of Man in 2019 and had been satellite-tagged by the RSPB’s LIFE Project was found poisoned on a pheasant shoot in Co Meath in Ireland in November 2019. Tests revealed she had consumed the banned poison Carbofuran which was found on a pigeon bait […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2tVnlfr

A critically injured buzzard was found at Rushup Edge, near Mam Tor in the Peak District National Park on 13th January 2020. A veterinary examination revealed shot in the body and a broken wing. Unfortunately due to the extent of its injuries the buzzard had to be euthanised. Derbyshire Police’s Rural Crime Team issued this […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2uHj27w

A critically injured buzzard was found at Rushup Edge, near Mam Tor in the Peak District National Park on 13th January 2020. A veterinary examination revealed shot in the body and a broken wing. Unfortunately due to the extent of its injuries the buzzard had to be euthanised. Derbyshire Police’s Rural Crime Team issued this […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2uHj27w via IFTTT

Sixty six years after it became illegal to kill birds of prey in the UK, five pro-shooting organisations yesterday issued a statement professing ‘zero tolerance’ for raptor persecution. For those new to the subject of illegal raptor persecution in the UK this statement might look credible. For those of us who can spot sophistry at […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/316yZQv

Sixty six years after it became illegal to kill birds of prey in the UK, five pro-shooting organisations yesterday issued a statement professing ‘zero tolerance’ for raptor persecution. For those new to the subject of illegal raptor persecution in the UK this statement might look credible. For those of us who can spot sophistry at […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/316yZQv via IFTTT

A rare opportunity to join the dynamic RSPB’s Investigations team on the front line, tackling illegal raptor persecution and other crimes against birds in Wales. [Photo: an illegally killed sparrowhawk being retrieved by an RSPB Investigations Officer. Image by Guy Shorrock] Here’s the job spec from the RSPB: Assistant Investigations Officer Location: Bangor, Wales The […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/36FrAc1

A rare opportunity to join the dynamic RSPB’s Investigations team on the front line, tackling illegal raptor persecution and other crimes against birds in Wales. [Photo: an illegally killed sparrowhawk being retrieved by an RSPB Investigations Officer. Image by Guy Shorrock] Here’s the job spec from the RSPB: Assistant Investigations Officer Location: Bangor, Wales The […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/36FrAc1 via IFTTT

Quelle surprise! It’s another year and another opportunity for a load of dead pheasants to be dumped. Here are two more cases reported on social media in recent days, one load dumped in North Yorkshire and another in West Yorkshire, to add to previous reports of shot dumped birds in Cheshire, Scottish borders (here), Norfolk […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2Rxl4A8 via IFTTT

Quelle surprise! It’s another year and another opportunity for a load of dead pheasants to be dumped. Here are two more cases reported on social media in recent days, one load dumped in North Yorkshire and another in West Yorkshire, to add to previous reports of shot dumped birds in Cheshire, Scottish borders (here), Norfolk […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2Rxl4A8

A rare and exciting opportunity to work with white-tailed eagles in Scotland on a six month full time contract as the RSPB’s Sea Eagle Project Officer in East Scotland. [Photo by SakerTours] The salary’s rubbish but nobody works in conservation to make a mint: £19,602-£21,236 pro rata. Closing date for applications: 16 February 2020 Interview […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2tLj6TF

A rare and exciting opportunity to work with white-tailed eagles in Scotland on a six month full time contract as the RSPB’s Sea Eagle Project Officer in East Scotland. [Photo by SakerTours] The salary’s rubbish but nobody works in conservation to make a mint: £19,602-£21,236 pro rata. Closing date for applications: 16 February 2020 Interview […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2tLj6TF via IFTTT

An injured buzzard was found by a member of the public by the side of the B6345 road near Acklington Mart, Northumberland on 4 January 2020. It was transferred to Blyth Wildlife Rescue where x-rays revealed shotgun pellets in both wings. [Photos via Jane Hardy] The buzzard is still undergoing treatment and assessment at the […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/36wLXbB

An injured buzzard was found by a member of the public by the side of the B6345 road near Acklington Mart, Northumberland on 4 January 2020. It was transferred to Blyth Wildlife Rescue where x-rays revealed shotgun pellets in both wings. [Photos via Jane Hardy] The buzzard is still undergoing treatment and assessment at the […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/36wLXbB via IFTTT

Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Yorkshire is one of the most notorious raptor persecution blackspots in the UK. Here it is in the news again, following the discovery of a critically injured kestrel suffering shotgun injuries. This is the THIRD shot kestrel we’ve reported on this blog in the last week […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/316V5Tj

Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Yorkshire is one of the most notorious raptor persecution blackspots in the UK. Here it is in the news again, following the discovery of a critically injured kestrel suffering shotgun injuries. This is the THIRD shot kestrel we’ve reported on this blog in the last week […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/316V5Tj via IFTTT

Just three days ago we blogged about a kestrel that had been found shot in Huddersfield (see here), one of several shot kestrels in the UK in recent years (e.g. see here, here, here, here and here). Here’s another one. This time the kestrel has had to be euthanised in Gloucestershire after suffering devastating injuries. He was seen falling to the […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2TSOh9Z via IFTTT

Just three days ago we blogged about a kestrel that had been found shot in Huddersfield (see here), one of several shot kestrels in the UK in recent years (e.g. see here, here, here, here and here). Here’s another one. This time the kestrel has had to be euthanised in Gloucestershire after suffering devastating injuries. He was seen falling to the […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2TSOh9Z

A kestrel was found shot in the Hade Edge area of Huddersfield, Yorkshire on Saturday 18th January 2020. It has been rescued and is currently undergoing treatment at Meltham Wildlife Rescue. [Photos from West Yorkshire Police Wildlife Crime Officer PC Newsome, on Twitter as @WYP_CNewsome] Well done to this police wildlife crime officer for getting […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2GcNEAi via IFTTT

A kestrel was found shot in the Hade Edge area of Huddersfield, Yorkshire on Saturday 18th January 2020. It has been rescued and is currently undergoing treatment at Meltham Wildlife Rescue. [Photos from West Yorkshire Police Wildlife Crime Officer PC Newsome, on Twitter as @WYP_CNewsome] Well done to this police wildlife crime officer for getting […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2GcNEAi

If you want an example of desperate, nasty vindictiveness, then look no further than this piece from the Countryside Alliance and Daily Mail, who have gone after Chief Inspector Lou Hubble (Head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit) for participating in the spoof rap video we posted here on Xmas Eve (see here). The headline […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2RCkpvR via IFTTT

If you want an example of desperate, nasty vindictiveness, then look no further than this piece from the Countryside Alliance and Daily Mail, who have gone after Chief Inspector Lou Hubble (Head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit) for participating in the spoof rap video we posted here on Xmas Eve (see here). The headline […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2RCkpvR

Wildlife campaign group Wild Justice has today sent a formal legal letter to the Secretary of State, asking about the apparent lack of action from DEFRA on the need to properly assess the annual release of millions of non-native gamebirds. The letter is a pre-action protocol letter, which gives DEFRA notice of a proposed claim for […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2sIqG0J via IFTTT

Wildlife campaign group Wild Justice has today sent a formal legal letter to the Secretary of State, asking about the apparent lack of action from DEFRA on the need to properly assess the annual release of millions of non-native gamebirds. The letter is a pre-action protocol letter, which gives DEFRA notice of a proposed claim for […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2sIqG0J

Once again the Spanish authorities are leading the way with their zero tolerance approach to illegal raptor persecution by imposing another meaningful penalty on an individual who was found guilty of poisoning four vultures (one Cinereous and three griffon) with a banned pesticide in 2012. [A poisoned griffon vulture, photo by Hristo Peshev] According to […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/37dUIsi via IFTTT

Once again the Spanish authorities are leading the way with their zero tolerance approach to illegal raptor persecution by imposing another meaningful penalty on an individual who was found guilty of poisoning four vultures (one Cinereous and three griffon) with a banned pesticide in 2012. [A poisoned griffon vulture, photo by Hristo Peshev] According to […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/37dUIsi

Professor Alan Werritty, Chair of the Scottish Government’s Grouse Moor Management Review Group, will give evidence to the Environment, Climate Change and Environment (ECCLR) Committee on Tuesday. Professor Werritty will be joined by Professor Alison Hestor and Professor Colin Reid, who also served on the grouse moor management review group. Documents prepared for the evidence […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2R6um5N via IFTTT

Professor Alan Werritty, Chair of the Scottish Government’s Grouse Moor Management Review Group, will give evidence to the Environment, Climate Change and Environment (ECCLR) Committee on Tuesday. Professor Werritty will be joined by Professor Alison Hestor and Professor Colin Reid, who also served on the grouse moor management review group. Documents prepared for the evidence […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2R6um5N

Just before Christmas Scottish Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon told the Environment Committee that the Scottish Government was ‘actively considering’ additional enforcement measures on wildlife crime. As part of this discussion, she told Committee member Mark Ruskell MSP (Scottish Greens) that the Government was considering whether current measures, such as General Licence restrictions which are imposed […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/30lHRl1 via IFTTT

Just before Christmas Scottish Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon told the Environment Committee that the Scottish Government was ‘actively considering’ additional enforcement measures on wildlife crime. As part of this discussion, she told Committee member Mark Ruskell MSP (Scottish Greens) that the Government was considering whether current measures, such as General Licence restrictions which are imposed […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/30lHRl1

On 26 November 2019 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) imposed a three-year General Licence restriction on Leadhills Estate, South Lanarkshire, after receiving what it described as “clear evidence” of wildlife crimes from Police Scotland (see here, here and here). Those alleged offences included the ‘illegal killing of a short-eared owl, two buzzards and three hen harriers’ that were ‘shot […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2saSD0U via IFTTT

On 26 November 2019 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) imposed a three-year General Licence restriction on Leadhills Estate, South Lanarkshire, after receiving what it described as “clear evidence” of wildlife crimes from Police Scotland (see here, here and here). Those alleged offences included the ‘illegal killing of a short-eared owl, two buzzards and three hen harriers’ that were ‘shot […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2saSD0U

Yesterday we blogged about how the Scottish Government’s latest annual wildlife crime report (2018) had shown that raptor persecution crimes have more than doubled since the previous year’s report (see here). And despite the Government’s decision to publish this report when everyone had already packed up and gone home for Xmas, it still drew a […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2FwBy4s via IFTTT

Yesterday we blogged about how the Scottish Government’s latest annual wildlife crime report (2018) had shown that raptor persecution crimes have more than doubled since the previous year’s report (see here). And despite the Government’s decision to publish this report when everyone had already packed up and gone home for Xmas, it still drew a […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2FwBy4s

Two days before Christmas the Scottish Government published its annual wildlife crime report, the seventh since it became a statutory obligation under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 for Ministers to lay a report on wildlife crime at the end of every calendar year. The current report is entitled the ‘2018’ report, but it […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2s6k7EW

Two days before Christmas the Scottish Government published its annual wildlife crime report, the seventh since it became a statutory obligation under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 for Ministers to lay a report on wildlife crime at the end of every calendar year. The current report is entitled the ‘2018’ report, but it […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2s6k7EW via IFTTT

Save the date folks – 18 July 2020 – as Hen Harrier Day arrives in Wales! Beginning in 2014, this annual event has since spread across the UK including England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, typically taking place on the weekend before the opening of the grouse-shooting season on 12th August. It’s brilliant to see people […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/2QsWlwi via IFTTT

Save the date folks – 18 July 2020 – as Hen Harrier Day arrives in Wales! Beginning in 2014, this annual event has since spread across the UK including England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, typically taking place on the weekend before the opening of the grouse-shooting season on 12th August. It’s brilliant to see people […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/2QsWlwi

Scottish Land and Estates (SLE), the grouse moor owners’ lobby group (amongst other things) has announced its new Chairman will be sporting estate owner Mark Tennant. Mark will begin his new role in April 2020 when the current Chair, Lord David Johnstone, steps down. We don’t know much about Mark other than what SLE has […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/37zTEhQ via IFTTT

Scottish Land and Estates (SLE), the grouse moor owners’ lobby group (amongst other things) has announced its new Chairman will be sporting estate owner Mark Tennant. Mark will begin his new role in April 2020 when the current Chair, Lord David Johnstone, steps down. We don’t know much about Mark other than what SLE has […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/37zTEhQ

On 20th December 2019, the day after the Werritty Review was published, The Times ran this comment piece from Magnus Linklater: The long delay in issuing the Werritty report suggests not only that the management of grouse moors in Scotland has proved far more complex an issue than was realised, but also that the balance between sporting […] RaptorPersecutionUK https://ift.tt/35i3P9B

On 20th December 2019, the day after the Werritty Review was published, The Times ran this comment piece from Magnus Linklater: The long delay in issuing the Werritty report suggests not only that the management of grouse moors in Scotland has proved far more complex an issue than was realised, but also that the balance between sporting […] from Raptor Persecution UK https://ift.tt/35i3P9B via IFTTT