Well done to BBC Look North for an honest and accurate report on the hen harrier breeding season in Northumberland.
“Not what you’d call a bumper harvest“, says the presenter in his introduction, and then from the reporter, “The hen harrier is illegally persecuted by gamekeepers on driven grouse moors who believe the birds cause too much damage to the shooting business“.
What, no lame-brained tra-la-la-ing from Amanda Anderson (Moorland Association) about the number of hen harriers that have popped in through her kitchen window for a coffee and a chat? And no Andrew Gilruth, the GWCT’s very own Stepford Wife, droning on about whatever it is he’s been told to repeat that day?
No, not a word from any of the great pretenders.
There are good contributions from Dr Cathleen Thomas (RSPB Skydancer Project) and Tom Dearnley (Forestry Commission), although Tom was probably a bit optimistic when he said “The birds that fledged this year will go in to the breeding population….”. We doubt that very much; they’ll be lucky to be still alive by Xmas.
Anyway, have a watch of this refreshingly uncontaminated report but you’ll need to be quick as the programme expires at 1.45hrs today (Weds 8th).
You’ll find it on BBC iPlayer (here), starts at 2.32min and runs until 4.22 min.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Well that was refreshing. That segment would never be aired by BBC Scotland.
That gets the problem across quite well, though with RSPB driving their narrow message the huge public call for the ban was not heard. There is almost a suggestion the Forestry Commission are supporting RSPB’s stance.
Poor Amanda, her bedroom curtains must have been drawn too tightly.
The 18.30 Look North is available on the iPlayer until c1900 tonight. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bdg1dc/look-north-north-east-and-cumbria-evening-news-07082018
Unfortunately the evening performance involves a different, less enlightened, introduction.
What a difference in reporting. Reading this and comparing it to the recent item on Border T V where the reporter [ weatherman ] was totally not in any way shape or form competent on speaking about the tagging of Hen Harriers. It was akin to sending a wee boy out to do a mans job. Well done Look North.