Blimey, where did the years go?
Thanks to all of you who’ve been with us since the start, literally sharing our goal of raising more awareness, and welcome to all those who’ve joined us along the way.
We’re often asked how we measure the failure or success of this blog. It’s almost impossible to answer because these things can be measured in different ways. For example, if we were to measure it in terms of the number of raptors still being illegally killed then we’d have to consider the blog a complete failure. But if we were to measure it in terms of the number of people we’re reaching (in terms of the number of blog hits), then we’re doing ok.
There’ll be no sitting on laurels around here though. There’s still so much more work to do and we hope you’ll stick with us as we continue to try and influence change.
Last year a wonderfully generous supporter stepped forward and paid for some of the time it takes to research and then write this blog. We’re enormously happy, and grateful, that funding has been received again this year. You know who you are – thank you so much.
Here’s to another productive year.
Cheers!
Raptor Persecution UK 
I would say that the only measure of success that you have any control over is how well you have done at spreading the word and raising public awareness. So I would like to congratulate you on your fantastic success in that.
With regards to the number of raptors still being killed, that is a failure, a failure for the shooting organisations and the Scottish and English Government, they are the ones tasked with ensuring that the laws are upheld and that protected wildlife is actually protected.
A quote from twitter which is very apt
“When driven grouse shooting is banned it will be because of a failure of government departments, ministers and those who claim to represent the shooting industry. Those who shoot and work within the law will pay the same price as the wildlife criminals. Sort it out while you can”
Oh yeah Happy Birthday
Congratulations and thank you. And thank you to your sponsor. With you all the way.
Happy Birthday. You have been enormously influential not least in providing an accurate database of raptor persecution incidents, most of which occur in dribs and drabs and are ignored by the media. Your blogs are always measured, accurate and knowledgeable. I hope one day there will be no need for this website but until then we would be lost without you!
You are doing a fantastic job; please keep going.
Happy 8th birthday and thanks for the blog.
Happy birthday. Thanks for the hundreds of hours that must go into keeping this blog factual. The lazy, complacent approach of the shooting industry will be their undoing in the end.
Very Happy Birthday & thank you for providing a light at the end of the tunnel.
Happy Birthday RPUK.
This website, Mark Avery and Chris Packham are the main reasons we’re in with a chance of forcing change for the better. Our persecuted wildlife depends on everybody involved and for that reason failure isn’t an option.
I see every person new to the cause as a success and one step closer to what we all want, the end of raptor persecution on an industrial scale.
Winning isn’t a matter of if, it’s a matter of when and that day can’t come quickly enough.
Keep up the fantastic work. Wouldn’t it be great if the blog hits reduced because raptor persecution was on it’s way out?
Maybe that will be another indication of success.
Congratulations. RPUK has become the focal point of my birding life. Shame that the dire state of affairs is such that this has to be so, but there is no substitute anywhere for the quality and quantity of the information you provide. I had intended enquiring about funding, but it appears that some equally praiseworthy source has already got that covered. Brilliant all round!
Happy 8th Birthday,and Thanks for all the Sterling Work you are doing,and we know for sure this is having a great impact in the fight against Raptor Persecution and Wildlife Crimes .we cant Thank you enough ☺😀🤗
Happy Birthday! I think your success can be measured by how many more people are now aware of raptor persecution (and links with driven shooting industry), how many more raptor persecution cases are reaching tabloids and news, how the Scottish government are taking steps to license grouse shooting, how the shooting industry are running scared because they know you’ve sat-tagged a shed load of Golden Eagles… the list could go on and on. Thank you for everything you do. Your blog makes essential reading and it’s a brilliant evidence-based archive of all the raptor persecution incidents in recent decades. Change is happening because of RPUK
Happy birthday and best wishes for the future.
If an online donation button was available I’m sure many would use it to help support the work that you do.
Completely agree – so many of us would happily chip in towards travel costs and other expenses.
Absolutely. I really really wish we could support you and Mark Avery financially. It must take a phenomenal amount of hard work to create such outstanding blogs. When people can see incredibly high quality work making a massive difference they want to help.
BTW, talking about amazing, inspiring people, is Iain Gibson OK? I haven’t read any of his wonderful contributions in a while.
It is a terribly sad thing that a blog on raptor persecution needs to exist at all and an indictment on the ‘sports’ that lie behind so much of the persecution and on the government that has been so ineffectual in stopping it. That said, you are doing a great job in keeping the public aware of the problem and continually reminding the government of its responsibilities. I am sure things would be much, much worse without your efforts. Congratulations on the anniversary and keep up the good work. (I would say ‘many happy returns’ but I would like to think that before too long you will make yourselves redundant!).
Thanks RPUK, Happy Birthday!!!
Happy birthday! Thank you for your marvellous achievements. Keep going!
Congratulations & thankyou for all your hard work.
I applaud your professionalism. It gives me the optimism to think that you will win the day!
Great work RPUK – like tho old Cook report when it comes to outing the criminal vermin behind the targetting of the most magnficient elements of our natural heritage
The blog is a huge success. An inspiration. A candle in a dark chasm. A candle which is sparking other lights into life, slowly, surely, one by one. However, the ultimate success of the blog will be when it can close itself down because it has achieved its aim – an end to the persecution. It’s a long road, it’s all uphill, but we’re climbing every day.
Congratulations, one and all. The very fact that the tweed disease are terrified of you is a worthy measure of this blog’s success.
Thank you for a fantastic site and the crusade against the raptor killers. We have a long way to go but the more public are made aware of this criminal element in our countryside, the more pressure we can put on this sordid affair.
Happy Birthday RPUK and please keep up the good work
Happy Birthday RPUK & thank you for your fine work!
Thank you and happy 8th. birthday RPUK.
8 years and going stong lets hope you get stronger and right the rights of those doing wrong.
Well done to those we know and to those we don’t and that your efforts will not be in vain and our Raptors will flourish and be seen everywhere in our skies again.
Keep up the great work and pressure everyone
Thanks for everything you’ve done over the past eight years.
A very big Happy Birthday, and Thank You for everything you do. And another big Thank You to your donor.
Amazing contribution and many thanks. I often wonder how you find time for your lives away from the blog and the research and reading you must do. I’m sure that the progress towards change would not be happening without you .
Thank you and congratulations. Your cool headed forensic analysis of the facts is superb. Keep at it. The tide is most definitely turning.
Well done and Happy Birthday, RPUK. You’ve helped so much in so many ways.
thanks so much for your hard work in bringing all this law breaking and killing of our wonderful birds of prey to light. I am learning . driven grouse shoots also spread toxins when they are burning the heather and this should be taken a lot more seriously by the gov. the toxins spread for miles and miles.
All best wishes. You are providing an invaluable public service by documenting and reporting the abuses that are the hidden face of many shooting estates.
Happy Birthday.
Would you like to comment on reports that your blog made-up allegations that the Golden Eagle Fred was shot on a driven grouse moor and dumped out at sea?
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/fred-the-golden-eagle-police-investigation-still-very-much-ongoing/
So many have already paid tribute, quite rightly, to what you have and continue to achieve. Like your counterparts (Avery, Packham et. al.) you have provided inspirational motivation, thank you for that. Long may you continue to expose in your measured way the criminal activity which is rife on our moors. Here’s to your continued success, your cohorts salute you;)
I am in awe of R.P.U.K,your tenacity,thoroughness,commitment is exceptional.I read the blog daily if I can.Thanks for your hard work through all the years.Happy Birthday.