A fascinating article appeared in The Observer on Sunday, reproduced in The Guardian, presumably timed to coincide with the Inglorious 12th. Called ‘Why the claws are out for the RSPB‘, it would score pretty highly on the shite-o-meter and is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Magnus Linklater, whose name produces the amusing anagram ‘Glum Anal Stinker’.
It would take forever to address every single inaccuracy in the article and to be honest, in keeping with the theme, who can be arsed? Fortunately there are more hardy critics who have ripped the article to shreds in the comments section underneath the article (see here). Magnus has something of a track record, going back several years, for slagging off the RSPB and for advocating raptor ‘control’ (see here, here, here etc etc….yawn). Rumour also has it that he might just have grouse-shooting interests in Perthshire, although these alleged ‘credentials’ were not revealed in his mini-biography at the top of the article.
The SGA described this article on their Facebook page as “quality investigative journalism“. That ringing endorsement should probably tell you all you need to know about the ‘quality’ of this piece. Ironically, the article has probably been the best advert for joining the RSPB in the last ten years! You can join here.
RSPB: 1 – Magnus: 0
Raptor Persecution UK 
Riemore Estate I thought – but I could be wrong…………………
J
I’ve posted here before but got a bit of a cold reception. However I feel I have to say that I think it is poor that you resort to just insulting someone’s name. It actually demeans you and your website.
I have to agree insulting someone’s name just seems immature and disrespectful and compromises the seriousness of this blog.
Riemore is correct, near Dunkeld…has a grouse moor…he married its owner I believe.Likes ospreys, not so keen on harriers.Ive seen a very similar article from him before – I hope the Guardian didnt pay too much for it. I agree with one of the online comments on it, that its an obvious set up for a George Monbiot reply…if so its another example of the rather tedious press and media habit of manipulating conflict.
Overall the thing that annoys me most about these kind of articles is the assumption that no one has tried bringing the “sides” together..thats been going on since the 1960s through such as Mike Everett and Roy Dennis. The problem is not that conservation wont make compromises, its the fact that shooters think that killing a “quota” of raptors is a compromise.
There is no doubt that Magnus writes well, but its also well known that his writings are usually “opinion” rather than “fact”. It may stem from his education at Eton (I’m in charge, I’m right) or from his time as newspaper editor…writing opinion columns…..
In my opinion, a simple case of deliberate manipultation of truth that would place his fictional writings amongst the shelves of Enid Blyton and others.
Regards the anagram It made me laugh but was probably inappropriate. hope those who complained also made their feelings known to shooting times a few weeks ago when Alasdair Mitchell refered to us as the Raptor Taliban, highly inappropriate
I rather liked the anagram – Private Eye will probably use it in one of their crosswords. It seems somehow poetic that the proper name transmogrifies into something so horrid – a sort of reversal of the “handsome is as handsome does” idea.
Thought it was Riemore – easily identifiable from Atholl Estates new mixed plantings on Duchary Hill as a complete wasteland of heather recently bisected by a newly bulldozed road. This would be the same Riemore estate where a couple of years ago I found a dead Pinemarten in an “inappropriatly placed” trap as the local WPO termed it……………………..
Pip
Yup I finally got around to joining RSPB after reading this tripe. Surely a candidate for this years upper class twit of the year awards he is.