The buzzard that was found shot in Colchester, Essex, earlier this month has unfortunately not survived its injuries.
It was found on 11th January 2023 near to Hardy’s Green and Heckford Bridge and was picked up by a member of the public.
The buzzard had suffered a broken wing and internal injuries and was being cared for by professionals at Colchester Owl Rescue. It succumbed to its injuries over the weekend.
Thanks to Essex Police’s Rural, Wildlife & Heritage Crime team for the update.
Essex Police’s investigation into the shooting of this buzzard is ongoing. If anyone has any information please contact Essex Police on Tel: 101, quoting incident reference # 42/13298/23.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Very sad:-(
According to a BBC report -Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said protecting the natural environment is fundamental to the health, economy and prosperity of the country.
The BBC article quotes him as saying-
“This plan provides the blueprint for how we deliver our commitment to leave our environment in a better state than we found it, making sure we drive forward progress with renewed ambition and achieve our target of not just halting, but reversing the decline of nature,”
The latest figures show key animals and plants have declined by 82% between 1970 and 2018.
I would suggest that if the government is really committed to reversing the decline in nature it needs to deal effectively with the wildlife criminals who are responsible for acts like the killing of this Buzzard, dumping dead Goshawks in a carpark, or stamping on Hen Harrier chicks.
Rather than just empty words, perhaps a good place to start would be the suspension of killing any wildlife for fun or sport.
This might just take away the incentive of some of those involved in game management for the illegal persecution of raptors, of which some species such as the Hen Harrier are critically endangered.
This along with other raptor persecution is a national disgrace.
Governments are good at empty words. For my part they can ban pheasant shooting and remove them because they are so destructive and prey on native wildlife like lizards and slowworms
Exactly. I fail to understand how the release of millions of none native birds such as the pheasant and red legged partridge into the countryside each year can be compatible with governments plans to increase biodiversity and regenerate nature. Conservation and wildlife regeneration does not have to be tied to game bird management and the shooting industry.
Likewise the failure to take effective measures to end the unlawful killing of birds of prey by regulating the game shooting industry and putting out of business those estates where wildlife crimes are being committed is also not compatible with the governments statements on nature recovery.
If we see a change of government at the next general election, and the election of a party not so directly tied to vested interests in the countryside, then hopefully this new government will take the necessary action that the current government has failed to deliver.
But vested interests in the countryside will still be well represented by the various bodies which represent those interests, and we shouldn’t forget just how powerful they are at lobbying politicians and confusing issues so that progress becomes bogged down and necessary change doesn’t happen.