Appeal for information from Northamptonshire Police, 1st May 2024:
APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER INJURED TAWNY OWL FOUND NEAR ORLINGBURY
Rural Crime Team officers are appealing for information after a tawny owl was found with a rifle shot wound in woods near Orlingbury.
The injured owl was found in Badsaddle Wood, between Orlingbury and Broughton off the A43, on the afternoon of Monday, April 1.
It was taken to a rescue centre where it sadly died from its injuries.
Like most birds in the UK, tawny owls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or capture a bird and also to damage or destroy their nests.
Officers investigating the incident are appealing for information about sightings of anyone with a rifle in the Badsaddle Wood area.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
Please quote incident number 24000191237 when getting in touch to ensure your information reaches the right person as quickly as possible.
ENDS
Raptor Persecution UK 
Yet another bird protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act has been shot and killed.
Penalties if anyone is ever caught must be far stronger than the usual slap on the wrist that are given out by our antiquated judiciary.
Is it possible that Rural Crime Teams could ask for help and information much earlier?
I very much appreciate that they have a very difficult task getting information at the scene of the shooting and the surrounding area as it can’t be ascertained when the poor owl was shot by some miscreant.
This nefarious offence happened 19 days ago so detail may well be forgotten if someone can offer their help
The injured owl was actually discovered on 1st April and the police appeal for info was published one month later on 1st May.
I’ve only just published it today as I’ve been away.
My apologies. This was not a dig at your good self nor Raptor Persecution UK, nor when you published this story here, but at any police force that seems to take an age to appeal for information from the public, in this case one month
Words fail me. What kind of sub human would kill such a beautiful bird
Time to introduce licensing for air weapons in England as has been done in Scotland. Every additional control will help.
I’ll never understand how and why people can be so callous and cruel, whoever did this is obviously sick in the head. I appreciate hearing and seeing owls so much to know that they are still around. I love seeing one perched up somewhere, magnificent birds.
Sick sad individuals with no worthy life. Imagine being such a worthless waste of a skin when your only enjoyment is killing a defenseless creature with a gun or anything for that matter. Someone lives or mixes with this skanky lowlife parent or partner or friend if they have any it beggars belief.