FIRECREST TOURS : Guided Birdwatching & Wildlife Days

Today is a milestone. It’s the day that 123,077 members of the public forced members of Parliament to debate the issue of driven grouse shooting in Westminster. That’s an incredible achievement, and although we’re not expecting to hear anything more than an establishment-led whitewash today, it’s just the beginning. Whatever the outcome this afternoon, we’re […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2e30DE1

Today is a milestone. It’s the day that 123,077 members of the public forced members of Parliament to debate the issue of driven grouse shooting in Westminster. That’s an incredible achievement, and although we’re not expecting to hear anything more than an establishment-led whitewash today, it’s just the beginning. Whatever the outcome this afternoon, we’re […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2e30DE1

We’re often told how ‘beneficial’ driven grouse shooting is to rural communities and how supportive local residents are of their nearby grouse shooting estate. There was plenty of testimony to this ‘rural idyll’ in the written evidence submitted to the Westminster Petitions Committee’s inquiry on grouse shooting. That’s hardly a surprise when some local residents […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2ftovG8

Another of this year’s young satellite-tagged hen harriers has been found dead. This time it’s Rowan, a bird that hatched at Langholm and was being satellite-tracked by the Hawk & Owl Trust. Here’s a joint statement put out by the Hawk & Owl Trust and Natural England: The body of a juvenile, male hen harrier […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2eVl0p5

A buzzard with shotgun injuries has been found in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, this week. It had a broken femur. The bird has undergone surgery and is currently in rehabilitation with the wonderful Jean Thorpe of Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation. A quote from Jean: “Amazing work once again by Mark Naguib of Battleflatts vets. The shot buzzard […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2ei4JJh

An investigation by Friends of the Earth has revealed that grouse shooting is costing tax payers millions of pounds every year. In an article in today’s Guardian (here), FoE shows how just 30 grouse moors in England received £4 million pounds in public subsidies during 2014 alone. These estates include those owned by lords, dukes, […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2dOhrDw

This morning, the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee heard evidence on the call for the licensing of all gamebird hunting in Scotland (grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting). The petition (here), submitted by the Scottish Raptor Study Group (SRSG) and supported by RSPB Scotland, raised 7,600 signatures over a six-week period this summer. A petition briefing […] Read in full at Raptor Persecution UK http://ift.tt/2eAf3zc