BBC News video footage here, including an interview with the RSPB’s Black Isle Red Kite Officer, Brian Etheridge, and a local resident calling for a jail term for the poisoner(s).
A detailed article in the Guardian, written by Severin Carrell here, providing good background information about the poor conservation status of the Black Isle Red Kite population.
Previous blog posts on the Ross-shire Massacre here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
Photo of a red kite by Claire Marshall.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Here’s the link to the excellent research paper by Smart et al (2010) showing how illegal persecution is affecting the population growth of the Black Isle Red Kites:
Click to access smart_amar_sim_et_al_2010_tcm9-248263.pdf
Just e mailed Channel 4 news to suggest that it covers the Ross-shire massacre as a follow up to its excellent story on raptor persecution on grouse moors.
Perhaps others could do the same.
news@channel4.com
It is an interesting scientific paper for those who want to study such detail.
I would think that the generality of the public (who we all want on board) need a very much abbreviated version.
What ‘safe haven’ is Severin Carrell talking about!
Hopefully he will edit that out as the rest of the article and your pdf link proves the exact opposite.
I wrote to Severin Carrell. He replied that according to the RSPB the Black Isle was safe from raptor persecution and that any previous poisonings have been when the kites roam outside the area. Does anyone know if there is any evidence for this claim?
I notice the PAW map for 2005-2009 has poisonings in the Conan Bridge area so it doesn’t look like much of a ‘safe haven’ to me.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/paw-scotland/types-of-crime/crimes-against-birds/Poisoninghotspotmaps/2010/map-2005-2011
Although the map since 2009 has only poisoning in the Larg area and just to the south of Inverness.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/paw-scotland/types-of-crime/crimes-against-birds/Poisoninghotspotmaps/2009-2013/poison-map-09-13
Any clarification welcome.
I note in above that Doug McAdam condemns this slaughter and I welcome that, however his members, and other gamekeepers, xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx.
[Ed: that’s libellous!]
True though!
In that case not libel. But can you prove it?
Unfortunately, as a layman, no Andrew, but if not true, then where are the many hundreds of missing Red Kite that should be in the skies over Northern Scotland.