Press release from Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation (18th July 2023):
FIRST WHITE-TAILED EAGLE IN 240 YEARS FLEDGES IN ENGLAND
In a landmark moment for conservationists, the first white-tailed eagle for over 240 years has fledged from a nest in the wild in England. The chick is the first successful breeding attempt of the white-tailed eagles released by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation’s project to return this lost species to England.
White-tailed eagles are Britain’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and were once widespread across England. Human persecution caused their extinction with the last pair breeding in southern England in 1780. In 2019, Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation began a reintroduction programme to restore these iconic birds to the English landscape.
Two of the birds released by the project in 2020 – female G405, originally translocated from the Outer Hebrides and male G471, from north-west Sutherland – reared the male chick earlier this summer. The location of the nest, on private land with no public access, is not being disclosed for the welfare of the birds and to prevent any disturbance to them or the landowner either this year or if the birds return to breed at the same location.
The chick was ringed and fitted with a satellite tag by licensed ornithologists from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation enabling the project team to track this historic bird’s daily progress through its life.
Roy Dennis MBE, Founder of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, said:
“This is a very special moment for everyone who has worked on, supported and followed this ground-breaking project. Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. Many thought it was impossible but we knew food for eagles – fresh and salt water fish, cuttlefish, rabbits, hares and wild birds – was plentiful. I visited the Isle of Wight as a young birdwatcher in the 1950s, saw the last breeding location at Culver Cliff and knew they should be restored. It is early days, but this is a very significant milestone and we are heartened by the enthusiastic support shown by so many people and that the sight of these huge eagles in the sky inspires hope for restoring nature. We still have a long way to go, but the feeling of seeing the first pair reach this stage is truly incredible.”
The birds are one of three territorial pairs that have now become established in southern England and the first to breed.
Steve Egerton-Read, White-Tailed Eagle Project Officer for Forestry England, said:
“We are thrilled that this moment has happened and at such an early stage in the project. At only three years old, it is remarkable that the pair have successfully bred, with most white-tailed eagles not attempting to do so until they are at least four or five. This pairs’ ability to breed and fledge their chick at this early age is extremely encouraging.”
“It is really hard to put into words just what an incredible moment this is for the return of these iconic birds to England. It is evidence of just how well the eagles are starting to fit back into this landscape and how, with a little help, nature can begin to return and thrive. Although it has not been possible to set up a public viewing site at this location, we are hopeful that one of the other pairs that has become established in southern England will choose to nest in a location that we can share with the public in future years.”
To date, 25 white-tailed eagles have been released by the reintroduction project with 16 still surviving. A further release of young white-tailed eagles is planned for later this summer from the project team’s base on the Isle of Wight.
The reintroduction of white-tailed eagles is conducted under licence from Natural England, the Government’s wildlife licensing authority. All of the young birds involved in the project are collected under a NatureScot licence from the wild in Scotland and brought to the Isle of Wight.
ENDS
Huge congratulations to everyone involved in this project – what fantastic news! Although it’s telling that the nest location is being kept secret, and quite rightly so in my view, for fear of disturbance.
It’s not been plain sailing for this project, with a number of the translocated eagles inevitably becoming the victims of illegal persecution, most notably the poisoned eagle found dead on a shooting estate in Dorset last year that resulted in one of the biggest police wildlife crime fiascos witnessed in recent years (e.g. see here and here).
And then there’s the poisoned white-tailed eagle found dead on a shooting estate in West Sussex in October 2021. Toxicology results confirmed it had been killed by ingesting the banned pesticide Bendiocarb (see here). Strangely, Sussex Police have remained coy about publicising this case and nobody seems willing to provide an update on the status of the investigation ever since May last year when the Chief Constable assured conservationists that the investigation was “very much ongoing” (see here).
I’d hope, as we approach the two-year anniversary of this illegal poisoning, that Sussex Police will manage to provide an update. A lot of people care passionately about these eagles and their reintroduction to southern England and rightly expect to see the police do everything in their power to bring the eagle-poisoner(s) to justice. Two years of stubborn silence isn’t a good look and if this young, historic fledgling suffers the same fate there’ll be uproar.
For those who don’t want to poison white-tailed eagles and would much rather enjoy the thrilling experience of seeing one in the wild, one of the best opportunities to see them in southern England is still from one of the regular ‘bird boats’ run by the charity ‘Birds of Poole Harbour‘ throughout the summer (the same charity that has worked with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to reintroduce ospreys to Poole Harbour). A number of eagles seem to spend a lot of time foraging and just hanging out in the harbour. You’ll need to book quickly though as these boat tours are incredibly popular (for obvious reasons!). Boat tour details here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Great news and hopefully the first of many to come .
How ridiculous the English gamekeepers will soon put a stop to this no doubt with the support of that xxxxx character.
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Great news
Great news we need more of these birds in England, they should be almost everywhere.
Great to hear this!….here in Sleat (South Skye) our community has now a stake in the Isle of Wight based WTE Reintroduction Project. Sleat Community Trust were approached by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation requesting permission to translocate one of our 2 chicks this year from our Community Forest nest. One of these was dully translocated in June, and we are looking forward to receiving
satelite tracking data once this bird is released – which will include our primary school plugging into “our” bird’s progress.
Thanks so much to Sleat Community Trust for the chick. I couldn’t think of a more precious gift. Let’s hope it has a long, safe and fertile life.
Hopefully it will replace the ones that some perverse individuals chose to destroy. And no doubt have perfect sleep about it. This is proof that nature and wildlife will not be stopped.
Great that they have raised the bird from egg to fledgeling. Just hope it is allowed to live it’s full life span
Press release from Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation (18th July 2023):
“The location of the nest, on private land with no public access, is not being disclosed for the welfare of the birds and to prevent any disturbance to them or the landowner either this year or if the birds return to breed at the same location. ”
What this means – reading between the lines – is not being disclosed for the welfare of the birds and to prevent any disturbance from xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx.
Chris Loder: “Dorset is not the place for eagles to be reintroduced. I’m not challenging government for more money for Dorset so it goes on this.”
Chris Loder: “For local people asking why I don’t want eagles in Dorset, killing our lambs and plaguing our farmers….”
The Guardian reported: “Loder’s 2019 election campaign benefited from a £14,000 donation from the Ilchester Estates, which runs shoots in his constituency.”
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Makeing Britain Great again.
Not if Chris Loder and xxxxx xxxxx get their way.
Wonderful news, I wish the chick a long (persecution free) life.
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Brilliant
Good news. They should name the chick “Charles” (or “Camilla” if it’s female) in honour of our new King and help to raise it’s profile even further.
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I was lucky to see White Tailed Eagles on Mull earlier this year.
Amazing.
I do hope land owners do not destroy them
Sorry Shirley but it looks very much as though you know who barstewards will get their way!!!!
Like many humane people, I am saddened when attempts to reintroduce “lost” species are thwarted by the purblind dominators of our whole British landscape. This success may direct the ire of those who are well-placed to wriggle out of any accusation of deeds involving the “sabotaging” of crucial attempts to increase biodiversity in particular areas, as they are being seen to endanger the dictatorship since 1066, of their estates. One such character, when making comment on the ANIMALS ABROAD BILL, IMPORT OF HUNTING TROPHIES, emphasised that it was important not to LIMIT PEOPLES’ PERSONAL CHOICE, and that they may be allowed to bring in body parts of iconic animals for taxidermy and other purposes! With BIODIVERSITY being one of the essentials in saving the planet, should we continue to allow such people to hold sway? The little eaglet will need all the protection conservationists can give it, and the police to stop toadying to those of obvious powerful local interest when wildlife crimes have been committed.
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what is the idiot on about. Leave all our fellow creatures to get on with their lives and give us xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx the planet can only be saved by stopping the emissions of carbon.
Overdue a reintroduction to East Anglia, with perhaps some Continental birds.
Aye, why not have the release site at Sandringham.
One wonders how many birds of prey are left at Sandringham? I’ll willingly take bets on “not many”
It’s great news but also worrying because unless these perpetrators of poisoning and killing in Dorset, Sussex, Ireland, Scotland,are brought to justice the birds are targets tagged or not their safety is in jeopardy. It’s too upsetting to be joyful I try to be optimistic but I’m still traumatized by the shooting and killing of our red kites here in north Yorkshire it has broke our hearts!!
Great stuff! Well done to all involved and fantastic that this happened so quickly I think it took ten years from initial reintroduction to first fledging in Scotland. It looks like the south coast does suit them as long as they can avoid poisoned baits!!!
WOULDN’T IT BE GOOD IF SCHOOLS HAD A CLASS DEDICATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, ANIMAL WELFARE ONES TOO. THEY COULD BE ONCE A FORTNIGHT AFTER SCHOOL HRS FOR AGES FROM 13 ON
Schools need to integrate environmental education at centre into the curriculum per se – as flagged up in “A People’s Manifesto for Wildlife” headed up by Chris Packham – and presented to Government – http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Manifesto-long-version-2.pdf
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White-tailed Eagles have been established up in Scotland for a long time and yet, just yesterday on BBC Scotland News, we get a story about a falconry introducing and training dogs to guard sheep flocks against the dreaded WTE ! He was pitching for funding to make this a reality for poor oppressed sheep farmers who allege to “have lost thousands of lambs” to these dreaded birds. No attempt by the report to qualify those remarks. This is what the population get fed so often.