Earlier this week this blog passed its ten year anniversary.
I’m not sure how that happened but as the number of blog views approaches 6 million it’s rewarding to see that the blog stats reflect a growing awareness of the illegal killing of birds of prey in the UK.
Massive thanks to all those who contribute – many of whom can’t be named but you know who you are – and thanks also to all those who comment and who share the blog through their own networks. To those who help fund my time, I’m indebted.
To maintain a blog like this requires significant effort. It can take its toll on some other aspects of life, and indeed it has, but it’s also brought great benefits, not least the opportunity to work with and get to know some pretty special people whose own efforts in this field and on related topics continue to inspire.
Foremost of these has to be Chris Packham and Mark Avery – our paths crossed as a direct result of this blog and led to the formation of Wild Justice. Two others of significance are Ian Thomson (Head of Investigations, RSPB Scotland) and Andy Wightman MSP, both of whom have been staunch supporters and providers of excellent advice – pictured here at last week’s Scottish Raptor Study Group conference:
[Ian Thomson, Ruth Tingay, Andy Wightman, photo by Andrea Goddard]
Back in 2010 I was pretty naive and didn’t expect to still be writing about this stuff ten years on. Fortunately these days, especially with the help of social media, it’s much more of a movement and there’ll be no turning back and shoving it all under a rug anymore.
Thanks to Andy Wightman MSP for lodging this motion of support at the Scottish Parliament earlier this week – it’ll be interesting to see who signs it and who doesn’t!
Raptor Persecution UK 
It doesn’t seem that long Ruth but well done to you and those other contributors, we know it is a full time occupation but the very fact that you have raised considerably the awareness of the widespread raptor persecution in the UK can only hasten its demise. I have acquaintances who don’t read the blog very often because and I quote” its depressing”, as I say to them forewarned is forearmed and don’t get depressed get angry and join the fight to end persecution of our wildlife. Congratulations once again, I hope somebody is buying you a cake!
Congratulations Ruth. I very admire the work you and your colleagues do. Best wishes for the future.
Well done for shining that very bright light and thankyou .
I will be really pleased when you no longer need to write this blog because raptor persecution is regarded as so antisocial that it isn’t practised any more; the very few incidents that occur are rapidly prosecuted and the perpetrators receive such swingeing sentences that they never do it again. Well, I can dream.
It is of course a shame (or perhaps ‘disgrace’ would be a better word) that there is still a need for a blog that is solely concerned with fighting raptor persecution but I have no doubt that the situation for our birds of prey would be substantially worse were it not for your efforts. Thank you for everything you have done over these past ten years. Keep up the good work – you will win in the end.
Thankyou to all who work tirelessly at Raptor Persecution UK. The tide is turning against driven grouse shooting (DGS) and all the damage and persecution to wildlife that it involves. Your blog is invaluable to ending DGS by informing the public and involved authorities
I appreciate all you do to highlight this blight in our countryside. Congratulations on reaching such viewing figures.
Congratulations and thank you to Ruth, who has been central to this big improvement in public consciousness, and for those around her who support the efforts of all involved. Maintain the pressure.
Ruth – you are an absolute STAR!!! ‘Nuff said!
So very glad you are there for the raptors and us. Many thanks for all you do, and happy birthday.
Happy Birthday, and Thank You! Can’t send you a cake, so just sent a little bit to WildJustice instead!
Well done and thanks Ruth!!! For all the bile that’s been thrown at you and RPUK over the years the respect and appreciation you’ve got has been even greater. You’re right you do meet some very special people along the way and this is a fight that needs winning, turning away and letting them win isn’t an option. The gap between the credibility this site enjoys and the lack of it on the other side just grows and grows. Happy tenth!!!
Congratulations, Ruth!
There is an industry out there without a conscience that :-
Kills raptors illegally
Releases without question an unbelievable number of non native birds for someone to shoot for profit.
That uses lead ammunition, a known poison.
That burns our heather moorlands with all sorts of wider consequences to our environment.
That relies on flawed General Licenses to kill some species that clearly need our protection.
Boy am I glad that I am on the right side of the argument and many thanks to you, your colleagues and Wild Justice for helping and informing me over the years.
Very many thanks and congratulations
Keep up the good work.
Congratulations Ruth! Your work is so very important and special. You do an incredible job informing about persecution horrors – giving us the truth and the full picture. The links & background are so interesting and informative, and enable us to see and understand just what horrendous crimes are allowed to go on. I can’t imagine the hours you must put into your work. Although crime figures are high, I’m sure they would be even higher without you raising awareness. Thank you for being there for the Raptors and for making a difference!
Happy Birthday!
Massive congratulations for doing what you do that as I see it is THE definitive site for the fight against all wildlife persecution. I’m well aware how much effort must go in to the work you do, so please keep up the excellent work and keep saying it ‘as it is’.
Thank you Ruth and all the people who support this blog. Thanks to your dedicated work, Raptor Persecution UK is an incredible, acknowledged, authoritative and influential source of information. Also thanks to the many amazing, thoughtful people who comment on this blog and contribute to the various wildlife campaigns in so many inspiring ways.
Ruth, your work has truly been transformative.
Congrats & Keep up the good work.
Well done. I don’t know how you manage your anger at the continued loss of our raptors but it’s helped me manage mine.
Happy Birthday. We owe an immense gratitute to you for all the work that you do. The blog is measured, accurate and provides a chronicle of evidence of the work of the “dark side.” I hope one day raptor killing will go the way of egg collecting but until then we offer you all the help and encouragement we can.
Well said, Alister (remember me?). Your comparison with the demise (to some extent) of egg collecting is too true. RPUK has provided tremendous up-to-date information and an opportunity for everyone to express their personal feelings or provide enhanced knowledge and understanding of the issues. They represent many of our views to Government and associated bodies. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have predicted this. However, despite the excellent and hard work of RSPB Investigation Officers, that organisation tends to lean towards a conservative approach to some quite serious matters, including to my mind a rather tame approach to whether the hen harrier v grouse dilemma should be ‘soft’ or ‘hard.’ My views tend towards a complete ban on all (not just driven) grouse shooting as a leftover tradition of past upper classes, and moors “supporting” breeding harriers within say 30 recent years should be declared SSSIs or the more significant moors designated as SPAs (Special Protection Areas). I know this is very unlikely to happen under a Tory Government, although the current SNP Government in Scotland could feasibly lead the way. Cynics may believe otherwise. I’m unsure whether the Labour Party would treat the problem as a priority.
I do indeed Iain. I hope you are well. Your comments are far more eloquent than mine. It may be that climate change, leading to a ban on muirburn, may the end of grouse shooting rather than raptor persecution. Time will tell. Either way it can’t come soon enough.
As another poster commented earlier, this blog has been transformative. It has been front and centre of a growing understanding of and anger about the continuing illegal persecution of raptors. That your accurate, measured & factual reports have sparked such a hysterical, emotional and often frankly ridiculous reaction from the shooting lobby tells its own story. Thank you.