A gamekeeper is due to appear before Wrexham Magistrates tomorrow (Thurs, 28 March 2024) after being charged with alleged wildlife crime offences.
According to court documents, Stuart Hart, 47, faces two charges – Using a trap to kill or take a wild bird (in this case, a Goshawk) and possession of an article capable of being used to commit a summary offence.
Young goshawk in a cage trap. Photo by RSPB (file photo, not linked to this case)
A press release about this case issued by North Wales Police earlier this month (here) was quite vague, with no details about the date of the alleged offences and no detail about the location other than ‘on the outskirts of Wrexham‘.
Hopefully more detail will be available after tomorrow’s hearing. This will be the defendant’s first court appearance and he’s yet to enter a plea.
NB: Comments are closed until criminal proceedings have concluded.
UPDATE 31 March 2024: Defence solicitor in prosecution against gamekeeper Stuart Hart wants to challenge admissibility of RSPB video evidence (here)
UPDATE 30 April 2024: Case discontinued against Ruabon Moor gamekeeper Stuart Hart (here)
Last week the Scottish Parliament voted through the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, introducing new licensing schemes for grouse shooting, wildlife trapping and muirburn, the total banning of snares and the granting of additional investigatory powers for the Scottish SPCA.
A hen harrier celebrates the news. Photo by Ruth Tingay
I’ve already blogged about the reactions from REVIVE, OneKind and RSPB Scotland, contrasted with the reactions from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, BASC and Scottish Land & Estates (here).
Here are a few more reactions and articles:
The Scottish Greens, whose Bute House Agreement with the SNP put this issue right at the top of the political agenda, reaction here.
Press statement from North Yorkshire Police (25th March 2024):
APPEAL AFTER SPARROWHAWK SHOT AT NOSTERFIELD NATURE RESERVE
We’re appealing for information following the shooting of a Sparrowhawk at Nosterfield Nature Reserve.
The Sparrowhawk is thought to have been shot dead with a pellet gun on either Wednesday 20 or Thursday 21 March. Sparrowhawks are classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5.
If you saw anyone in the area of the nature reserve with an air rifle or similar weapon please email colin.irvine@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Colin Irvine.
If you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org
Please quote NYP reference 12240050719 when passing on information.
A fascinating new study has been published today in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Diversity, providing an in-depth analysis of the movements of young satellite-tagged golden eagles in Scotland and an examination of the physical barriers (water and unsuitable terrestrial habitat) that may restrict movement between different regions of Scotland.
Here’s the citation: Fielding, A.H. Anderson, D., Barlow, C., Benn, S., Reid, R., Tingay, R., Weston, E.D. and Whitfield, D.P. (2024). Golden Eagle Populations, Movements & Landscape Barriers. Diversity, 16(4), 195.
It is the latest in a long line of scientific papers produced by the Golden Eagle Satellite Tag Group (GESTG), a formal collaboration of scientists and researchers from several organisations that are involved with golden eagle research in Scotland who share tag data & other information for the purpose of furthering golden eagle research and conservation. I’ll try and blog about the other papers soon.
Golden eagle adult & nestling. Photo by Chris Packham
Using over 7 million dispersal records from satellite tags fitted to 152 golden eagle nestlings between 2007-2022, this research found that there were no movements by young golden eagles tagged in the Highlands to the southern uplands.
Similarly, there were no movements from eagles tagged in south Scotland to the Highlands, with the exception of one young eagle in 2015 which flew north to the Highlands in 2016 but was later probably illegally killed in the notorious Eastern Highlands in May 2016.
Fig.3 from the paper showing golden eagle flight lines during natal dispersal across Scotland & Northern England. Map copyright Fielding et al. 2024
These results provide justification for the bolstering of the vulnerable south Scotland golden eagle population by translocating chicks and juveniles from further north. Natural recolonisation by golden eagles from the Highlands is quite clearly unlikely.
The study also demonstrates the reluctance of golden eagles to undertake large sea crossings, as evidenced by the already-known genetic isolation of the golden eagle sub-population in the Outer Hebrides. No satellite-tracked eagles tagged as nestlings moved between the Outer Hebrides and the Inner Hebrides or mainland Highlands, in either direction. Three tagged eagles from the Outer Hebrides made several possible but apparently aborted attempts to fly towards the mainland Highlands.
Flights across smaller water bodies were less problematic with frequent movement of golden eagles between the Inner Hebrides and the Highland mainland. However, eagle flights between Lewis/Harris and the Uists in the Outer Hebrides were surprisingly rare.
The paper concludes that the Scottish golden eagle population appears to be composed of three relatively isolated sub-populations. The largest is in the Inner Hebrides and in the mainland (Highlands) north of the Highland Boundary Fault; the second is the large Outer Hebridean sub-population; and the third, and much smaller and more vulnerable, is the southern Scotland sub-population. The authors suggest that recolonisation of golden eagles in northern England is likely to occur from terrestrial flights from south Scotland as opposed to flights over water into NW England.
This study, along with all the others the GESTG has produced, highlights the importance of satellite-tagging golden eagles in Scotland and puts to bed the ridiculous claims made by the grouse shooting industry that ‘tag data serve no purpose other than to try and entrap gamekeepers‘ and there’s no need to satellite tag golden eagles because ‘we know all we need to know‘.
Of course we don’t know all there is to know about golden eagles in Scotland – indeed the research undertaken by the GESTG is revealing just how little we previously understood and how much more there is to learn. What is more certain is understanding why the grouse shooting industry is so against any form of raptor tracking (see here, here, here, here and here). Indeed, it was the result of satellite-tracking golden eagles and uncovering patterns of widespread illegal persecution on some driven grouse moors that played a significant part in the Scottish Parliament’s decision last week to introduce a grouse moor licensing scheme to tackle ongoing illegal persecution.
Thanks to generous funding from Natural Research, the paper is available free of charge and can be read/downloaded here:
The passing of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill yesterday, voted for by almost everyone (except the Scottish Tories and the SNP’s Fergus Ewing MSP) has been the hot topic of conversation today.
For many, the Bill has been the focus of daily life for exactly one year, when it was first introduced on 21 March 2023. And of course, the issue of raptor persecution on grouse moors, which is what triggered this Bill in the first place, has been the focus of daily life for many of us for longer than we care to remember, well before the introduction of the Bill.
With such a long history of campaigning, the responses to the passing of the Bill yesterday were entirely predictable. Conservationists are very happy with it, recognising it as an important stride forward but fully cognisant that our work here is not yet done. You can read responses from REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform here, from OneKind here, and from RSPB Scotland here.
The grouse shooting industry is furious with it, mainly, from what I can tell, because it feels humiliated. It’s an industry founded on privilege and self-entitlement and has done pretty much what it wants for about 150 years, unhindered by the societal rules by which the rest of us must abide. To have the Scottish Parliament vote to introduce legislation that will finally hold the industry to account is hugely embarrassing. Imagine having to listen to a Government Minister say this about you in the Parliament’s debating chamber:
“There were those who disagreed with the principles of the bill, but if the grouse-shooting community had shut down raptor persecution— stopped the killing of our most iconic birds of prey—we would not have had to legislate in this way. Sadly, that community did not shut it down, so it is now up to us to make sure that it does so. It is for that reason that the bill is before us today”. – Scottish Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie, 21 March 2024.
I guess that’s why there wasn’t a single representative from the industry sitting in the public gallery at Holyrood yesterday.
Not that I have any sympathy. The grouse shooting industry has been given chance after chance after chance to rid itself of the criminals within. It has failed to do so, instead going on the offensive, repeatedly denying that raptor persecution even exists and conducting a disgusting campaign of hate, smear and abuse targeted against those who were prepared to call them out.
I don’t believe that every grouse shooting estate is ‘at it’, but I do believe that there are more ‘at it’ than are not. And even the ones that are not, they do know who is responsible – the entire industry knows – but the industry has refused to blacklist. Now they’re all going to suffer the consequences.
You can read the responses to the passing of the Bill from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association here, from Scottish Land & Estates here and from BASC here.
BASC’s response is particularly interesting as it claims the new legislation “is unworkable for gamekeepers and land managers” and “will beruinous to the rural economy“. Does that mean that BASC thinks that sustainable grouse moor management isn’t viable? That grouse moor management relies upon the illegal persecution of birds of prey, the use of inhumane snares to trap foxes and other wildlife and the routine setting alight of deep peat moorland? That would be an extraordinary admission!
So what happens next?
Now the details of the Bill have been finalised and passed, NatureScot can get on with finalising the details of the codes of practice for grouse shoot licensing and muirburn licensing that will be used to support the implementation of the new legislation. I’ll post details when they become available.
The timing of the ban on snares and wildlife trap licensing is yet to be determined.
It is fully expected that grouse shoot licensing will be in place for the start of the 2024 grouse shooting season on 12th August. The muirburn licence is more complicated and it is anticipated that won’t be in play until September 2025.
Here is a copy of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill as passed:
In the last few minutes, the Scottish Parliament (with the exception of the Scottish Tories & Fergus Ewing of the SNP) has voted overwhelmingly in support of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill!
Votes for = 85
Votes against = 30
No abstentions.
This new legislation will bring in a licensing scheme for grouse shooting, a licensing scheme for muirburn, a licensing scheme for wildlife traps, a ban on all snares and increased investigatory powers for the Scottish SPCA.
More soon…
BLOODY WELL DONE, EVERYONE!
UPDATE: Here is the official report of what was said in Parliament today and who voted for/against the Bill:
For anyone who still wants to pretend that the grouse shooting industry isn’t responsible for the systematic extermination of hen harriers on grouse moors across the UK, here’s the latest catalogue of crime that suggests otherwise.
[This male hen harrier died in 2019 after his leg was almost severed in an illegally set trap that had been placed next to his nest on a Scottish grouse moor (see here). Photo by Ruth Tingay]
This is the blog I now publish after every reported killing or suspicious disappearance.
“They disappear in the same way political dissidents in authoritarian dictatorships have disappeared” (Stephen Barlow, 22 January 2021).
Today the list has been updated to include the most recently reported victim, a satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Shalimar’ that disappeared in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in the Angus Glens on 15 February 2024 (here).
I’ve been compiling this list only since 2018 because that is the year that the grouse shooting industry ‘leaders’ would have us believe that the criminal persecution of hen harriers had stopped and that these birds were being welcomed back on to the UK’s grouse moors (see here).
This assertion was made shortly before the publication of a devastating new scientific paper that demonstrated that 72% of satellite-tagged hen harriers were confirmed or considered likely to have been illegally killed, and this was ten times more likely to occur over areas of land managed for grouse shooting relative to other land uses (see here). Incidentally, a further scientific paper published in 2023 by scientists at the RSPB, utilising even more recent data, echoed these results – see here).
2018 was also the year that Natural England issued a licence to begin a hen harrier brood meddling trial on grouse moors in northern England. For new blog readers, hen harrier brood meddling is a conservation sham sanctioned by DEFRA as part of its ludicrous ‘Hen Harrier Action Plan‘ and carried out by Natural England (NE), in cahoots with the very industry responsible for the species’ catastrophic decline in England. For more background see here and for a critical evaluation of the trial after 5 years see this report by Wild Justice.
Brood meddling has been described as a sort of ‘gentleman’s agreement’ by commentator Stephen Welch:
“I don’t get it, I thought the idea of that scheme was some kind of trade off – a gentleman’s agreement that the birds would be left in peace if they were moved from grouse moors at a certain density. It seems that one party is not keeping their side of the bargain“.
With at least 123 hen harriers gone since 2018, and 27 of those being brood meddled birds, there is no question that the grouse shooting industry is simply taking the piss. Meanwhile, Natural England pretends that ‘partnership working’ is the way to go and DEFRA Ministers remain silent.
*n/a – no hen harriers were brood meddled in 2018
‘Partnership working’ according to Natural England appears to include authorising the removal of hen harrier chicks from a grouse moor already under investigation by the police for suspected raptor persecution (here) and accepting a £75k ‘donation’ from representatives of the grouse shooting industry that prevents Natural England from criticising them or the sham brood meddling trial (see here). This is in addition to a £10k ‘donation’ that Natural England accepted, under the same terms, in 2021 (here).
Thankfully, the Scottish Government has finally decided to act by introducing a grouse moor licensing scheme under the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill. This new legislation, due to be voted on by the Scottish Parliament today, will mean that grouse shooting estates will have their licences suspended/revoked if, on the balance of probability, it is shown that any new raptor persecution crimes are linked with grouse moor management on that estate.
So here’s the latest gruesome list. Note that the majority of these birds (but not all) were fitted with satellite tags. How many more [untagged] harriers have been killed?
February 2018: Hen harrier Saorsa ‘disappeared’ in the Angus Glens in Scotland (here). The Scottish Gamekeepers Association later published wholly inaccurate information claiming the bird had been re-sighted. The RSPB dismissed this as “completely false” (here).
5 February 2018: Hen harrier Marc ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Durham (here).
9 February 2018: Hen harrier Aalin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).
March 2018: Hen harrier Blue ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park (here).
March 2018: Hen harrier Finn ‘disappeared’ near Moffat in Scotland (here).
18 April 2018: Hen harrier Lia ‘disappeared’ in Wales and her corpse was retrieved in a field in May 2018. Cause of death was unconfirmed but police treating death as suspicious (here).
8 August 2018: Hen harrier Hilma ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Northumberland (here).
16 August 2018: Hen harrier Athena ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
26 August 2018: Hen Harrier Octavia ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
29 August 2018: Hen harrier Margot ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Heulwen ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).
3 September 2018: Hen harrier Stelmaria ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
24 September 2018: Hen harrier Heather ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
2 October 2018: Hen harrier Mabel ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
3 October 2018: Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Bowland, Lanacashire (here).
23 October 2018: Hen harrier Tom ‘disappeared’ in South Wales (here).
26 October 2018: Hen harrier Arthur ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park (here).
1 November 2018: Hen harrier Barney ‘disappeared’ on Bodmin Moor (here).
10 November 2018: Hen harrier Rannoch ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Her corpse was found nearby in May 2019 – she’d been killed in an illegally-set spring trap (here).
14 November 2018: Hen harrier River ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Nidderdale AONB (here). Her corpse was found nearby in April 2019 – she’d been illegally shot (here).
16 January 2019: Hen harrier Vulcan ‘disappeared’ in Wiltshire close to Natural England’s proposed reintroduction site (here).
28 January 2019: Hen harrier DeeCee ‘disappeared’ in Glen Esk, a grouse moor area of the Angus Glens (see here).
7 February 2019: Hen harrier Skylar ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire (here).
22 April 2019: Hen harrier Marci ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
26 April 2019: Hen harrier Rain ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Nairnshire (here).
11 May 2019: An untagged male hen harrier was caught in an illegally-set trap next to his nest on a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire. He didn’t survive (here).
7 June 2019: An untagged hen harrier was found dead on a grouse moor in Scotland. A post mortem stated the bird had died as a result of ‘penetrating trauma’ injuries and that this bird had previously been shot (here).
5 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 1 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor nr Dalnaspidal on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park (here).
11 September 2019: Hen harrier Romario ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
14 September 2019: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183704) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines (here).
23 September 2019: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #55149) ‘disappeared’ in North Pennines (here).
24 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 2 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Invercauld in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
24 September 2019: Hen harrier Bronwyn ‘disappeared’ near a grouse moor in North Wales (here).
10 October 2019: Hen harrier Ada ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North Pennines AONB (here).
12 October 2019: Hen harrier Thistle ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Sutherland (here).
18 October 2019: Member of the public reports the witnessed shooting of an untagged male hen harrier on White Syke Hill in North Yorkshire (here).
November 2019: Hen harrier Mary found illegally poisoned on a pheasant shoot in Ireland (here).
November 2019: Hen harrier Artemis ‘disappeared’ near Long Formacus in south Scotland (RSPB pers comm).
14 December 2019: Hen harrier Oscar ‘disappeared’ in Eskdalemuir, south Scotland (here).
December 2019: Hen harrier Ingmar ‘disappeared’ in the Strathbraan grouse moor area of Perthshire (RSPB pers comm).
January 2020: Members of the public report the witnessed shooting of a male hen harrier on Threshfield Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
23 March 2020: Hen harrier Rosie ‘disappeared’ at an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).
1 April 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183703) ‘disappeared’ in unnamed location, tag intermittent (here).
5 April 2020: Hen harrier Hoolie ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here)
8 April 2020: Hen harrier Marlin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
19 May 2020: Hen harrier Fingal ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Lowther Hills, Scotland (here).
21 May 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183701) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria shortly after returning from wintering in France (here).
27 May 2020: Hen harrier Silver ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on Leadhills Estate, Scotland (here).
2020: day/month unknown: Unnamed male hen harrier breeding on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria ‘disappeared’ while away hunting (here).
9 July 2020: Unnamed female hen harrier (#201118) ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed site in Northumberland (here).
25 July 2020: Hen harrier Harriet ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
14 August 2020: Hen harrier Solo ‘disappeared’ in confidential nest area in Lancashire (here).
7 September 2020: Hen harrier Dryad ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
16 September 2020: Hen harrier Fortune ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).
19 September 2020: Hen harrier Harold ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 September 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2020, #55152) ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire (here).
24 February 2021: Hen harrier Tarras ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Northumberland (here)
12th April 2021: Hen harrier Yarrow ‘disappeared’ near Stockton, County Durham (here).
18 May 2021: Adult male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
18 May 2021: Another adult male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
24 July 2021: Hen harrier Asta ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here). We learned 18 months later that her wings had been ripped off so her tag could be fitted to a crow in an attempt to cover up her death (here).
14th August 2021: Hen harrier Josephine ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Northumberland (here).
17 September 2021: Hen harrier Reiver ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated region of Northumberland (here)
24 September 2021: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2021, R2-F-1-21) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).
15 November 2021: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2020, #R2-F1-20) ‘disappeared’ at the edge of a grouse moor on Arkengarthdale Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
19 November 2021: Hen harrier Val ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria (here).
19 November 2021: Hen harrier Percy ‘disappeared’ in Lothian, Scotland (here).
12 December 2021: Hen harrier Jasmine ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (High Rigg Moor on the Middlesmoor Estate) in the Nidderdale AONB in North Yorkshire (here).
9 January 2022: Hen harrier Ethel ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).
26 January 2022: Hen harrier Amelia ‘disappeared’ in Bowland (here).
10 February 2022: An unnamed satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated area of the Peak District National Park (here). One year later it was revealed that the satellite tag/harness of this young male called ‘Anu’ had been deliberately cut off (see here).
12 April 2022: Hen harrier ‘Free’ (Tag ID 201121) ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Cumbria (here). It later emerged he hadn’t disappeared, but his mutilated corpse was found on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A post mortem revealed the cause of death was having his head twisted and pulled off. One leg had also been torn off whilst he was still alive (here).
April 2022: Hen harrier ‘Pegasus’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Birkdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
May 2022: A male breeding hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
May 2022: Another breeding male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
14 May 2022: Hen harrier ‘Harvey’ (Tag ID 213844) ‘disappeared’ from a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here).
20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #1 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #2 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #3 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #4 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
17 August 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R1-M1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
September 2022: Hen harrier ‘Sullis’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria (here).
5 October 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-M2-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
10 October 2022: Hen harrier ‘Sia’ ‘disappeared’ near Hamsterley Forest in the North Pennines (here).
October 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-F1-21) ‘disappeared’ in the North Sea off the North York Moors National Park (here).
December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2020, #R2-F2-20) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in Cumbria (here).
1 December 2022: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-M1-21) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
14 December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the North Pennines AONB (here).
15 December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R2-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
30 March 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R1-F3-22) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Notes from NE Sept 2023 spreadsheet update: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“.
1 April 2023: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2022, #R2-M1-22) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Notes from NE Sept 2023 spreadsheet update: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“.
April 2023: Hen harrier ‘Lagertha’ (tagged by RSPB) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).
April 2023: Hen harrier ‘Nicola’ (Tag ID 234078) ”disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).
April 2023: Untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Another untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest in Durham (here).
4/5 May 2023: Satellite-tagged male hen harrier called ‘Rush’ ‘disappeared’ from a grouse moor in Bowland AONB in Lancashire (here).
9/10 May 2023: Hen harrier male called ‘Dagda’, tagged by the RSPB in Lancashire in June 2022 and who was breeding on the RSPB’s Geltsdale Reserve in 2023 until he ‘vanished’, only to be found dead on the neighbouring Knarsdale grouse moor in May 2023 – a post mortem revealed he had been shot (here).
17 May 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Wayland’ ‘disappeared’ in the Clapham area of North Yorkshire, just north of the Bowland AONB (here).
31 May 2023: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2022, tag #213932, name: R2-M3-22) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (grid ref: NY765687) (here).
11 June 2023: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2021, tag #213922, name: R2-M1-21) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here).
12 June 2023: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2020, tag #203004, name: R1-M2-20) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (grid ref: NY976322) (here).
6 July 2023: Satellite-tagged female hen harrier named ‘Rubi’ (tag #201124a) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (grid ref: NY911151) (here).
23 July 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #55154a, name: R1-F1-23) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (close to where ‘Rubi’ vanished), grid ref: NY910126 (here).
29 July 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2020, tag #55144, name: R2-F2-20) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in the North Pennines. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Dead. Recovered – awaiting PM results. Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here).
9 August 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Martha’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Westburnhope Moor) near Hexham in the North Pennines (here).
11 August 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Selena’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Mossdale Moor) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
11 August 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #201118a, name: R3-F1-23) ‘disappeared’ in Co. Durham (grid ref: NZ072136) (here).
15 August 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Hepit’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Birkdale Common) near Kirkby Stephen in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
24 August 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #55155a, name: R1-F2-23) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in Northumberland. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here).
August-Sept 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Harmonia’ ‘disappeared’ in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
September 2023: Hen harrier female ‘Saranyu’, tagged by the RSPB in Cumbria in June 2023, ‘disappeared’ in Durham in September 2023 (no further details available yet – just outline info provided in 2022 Birdcrime report) (here).
September 2023: Hen harrier female ‘Inger’, a female tagged by the RSPB in Perthshire in July 2022, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Angus Glens in September 2023 (here).
15 September 2023: Hen harrier male called ‘Rhys’, tagged in Cumbria on 1st August 2023, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Grid ref: SD798896 (here).
24 September 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, name: ‘R2-F2-23’) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines, grid ref: NY888062 (here).
25 September 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, name: ‘R1-F4-22’) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SE077699 (here).
26 September 2023: Hen harrier female called ‘Hope’, tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SD801926 (here).
4 October 2023: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2020, name: ‘R1-M3-20’) ‘disappeared’ in Co Durham, grid ref: NY935192 (here).
4 October 2023: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, name: ‘R4-F1-23’) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SE003981 (here).
14 October 2023: Hen harrier male called ‘Cillian’, tagged in Cumbria on 1 August 2023, ‘disappeared’ in south west Scotland, grid ref: NY051946 (here).
15 November 2023: Hen harrier female called ‘Hazel’, tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ on the Isle of Man, grid ref: SC251803 (here).
27 November 2023: Hen harrier female called ‘Gill’, tagged in Northumberland on 10 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ at a confidential location in Teeside (here).
15 February 2024: Hen harrier female called ‘Shalimar’, tagged on the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge estate in 2023, ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in the notorious Angus Glens (here).
To be continued…….
Not one of these 123 incidents has resulted in an arrest, let alone a prosecution. I had thought that when we reached 30 dead/missing hen harriers then the authorities might pretend to be interested and at least say a few words about this national scandal. We’ve now reached ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE hen harriers, and still Govt ministers remain silent. They appear not to give a monkey’s. And yes, there are other things going on in the world, as always. That is not reason enough to ignore this blatant, brazen and systematic destruction of a supposedly protected species, being undertaken to satisfy the greed and bloodlust of a minority of society.
And let’s not forget the response from the Moorland Association Chair (and owner of Swinton Estate) Mark Cunliffe-Lister, who told BBC Radio 4 in August 2023 that, “Clearly any illegal [hen harrier] persecution is not happening” (here).
Nor should we forget the response from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) Director of Policy Dr Alistair Leake who wrote a letter to the Guardian newspaper in November 2023 stating that the hen harrier brood management [meddling] scheme “is surely a shining example of human / wildlife conflict resolution that would be the envy of other countries trying to find similar solutions“ (I kid you not – here).
33 hen harriers are known to have gone ‘missing’/been deliberately killed in 2023, making it the worst year for hen harrier persecution since brood meddling began in 2018.
On the day the Scottish Parliament is due to vote through new legislation intended to tackle the ongoing illegal persecution of birds of prey on grouse moors, we learn that yet another satellite-tagged hen harrier has ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances, this time on a grouse moor in the notorious Angus Glens.
If there are any MSPs in the chamber this afternoon who are wavering about whether this new legislation is needed, this news will assure them that yes, it most certainly is.
Press release from RSPB (21 March 2024):
ANOTHER SATELLITE-TAGGED HEN HARRIER ‘SUSPIOUSLY DISAPPEARS’ IN THE ANGUS GLENS IN SCOTLAND
A young Hen Harrier fitted with a satellite-tag to monitor its movements ‘suspiciously disappeared’ in Glen Esk, in the Angus Glens in late February 2024.
This is the fourth sat-tagged Hen Harrier to have suspiciously disappeared in the area since 2017.
Hen Harriers are being persecuted across the UK with many confirmed incidents associated with land managed for gamebird shooting.
RSPB Scotland are appealing for information following the sudden, suspicious disappearance of a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier in Glen Esk in Angus.
The tag fitted to ‘Shalimar’ a young female Hen Harrier, which fledged from a nest on the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire last summer, was functioning as expected before data transmissions unexpectedly and suddenly stopped on 15 February.
Officers from the National Wildlife Crime Unit and Police Scotland, supported by the RSPB Investigations staff, carried out a search of the area where the bird last transmitted, but failed to find its body or tag.
Hen harrier Shalimar being fitted with her satellite tag. Photo via RSPB
A large area of the Angus Glens is intensively managed for driven grouse shooting and is a notorious raptor persecution hotspot, with multiple confirmed incidents of poisoning, shooting and illegal trapping stretching back over the last 20 years. There have also been several previous incidents where satellite-tagged birds of prey have been killed or ‘suspiciously disappeared’ in the area. Since 2017, this has included four Hen Harriers, a Golden Eagle and a White-tailed Eagle.
Hen Harriers are one of the UK’s rarest birds of prey and, in terms of its population size, the most heavily persecuted species in the country. Several recent independent studies and evidence from historical and on-going criminal investigations have confirmed that the killing of this ‘Red Listed’ species is significantly linked to land managed for Red Grouse shooting and have revealed that the illegal killing of Hen Harriers associated with the grouse shooting industry is the primary constraint on their population.
Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations said: “The Scottish Parliament has recognised the ongoing link between crimes against birds of prey and the management of some grouse moors by its of passing of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill earlier this week. In future, any landholding linked to wildlife crime faces a loss of its licence to shoot grouse. While these provisions have come just too late to prevent Shalimar becoming the latest Hen Harrier to likely disappear at the hands of criminals, we hope that the new legislation will help to consign raptor persecution to the history books in Scotland”.
The Mar Lodge Estate, near Braemar, is an important area for breeding Hen Harriers, largely as a result of effective habitat management and an overall commitment to conservation. Last year 32 Hen Harriers successfully fledged from nests on the estate, of which four were fitted with satellite-tags by RSPB.
The data received from these sat-tags provides information which allows conservationists to study the movements of these birds, including identifying roost sites, foraging areas and any migration patterns, whilst also helping to detect suspected incidents of persecution. If a tagged bird dies of natural causes, in the vast majority of cases the bird’s tag and its body can be recovered and submitted for post-mortem analysis.
Although in some areas Hen Harriers breeding numbers are improving their survival rate remains low. A paper published in 2023 highlighted that Hen Harrier persecution accounted for 27-43% of mortality of first-year birds, with the lifespan of Hen Harriers after fledging averaging 121 days.
23 Hen Harriers have been tagged at Mar Lodge since 2016. Almost 40% of these satellite-tagged birds have ‘suspiciously disappeared’.
Staff at Mar Lodge are saddened by the apparent loss of Shalimar and the other tagged-harriers that have fledged from the estate. A spokesperson said: “We hope some of the other chicks fledged last year have a more favourable future. Despite these losses we will continue our vital conservation work at Mar Lodge and other NTS properties doing what we can to ensure the survival and recovery of hen harriers and other raptor species.”
If you have information about anyone killing birds of prey which you wish to report please call the police on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form here. If you would like to report anonymously, please call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101 or fill in our reporting form.
We would like to thank Mar Lodge Estate, the NWCU and Police Scotland for their support and positive partnership working.
ENDS
UPDATE 21 March: 123 hen harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors (here)
It was a day of mixed emotions at the Scottish Parliament yesterday where some of us gathered to watch proceedings relating to the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill in what we thought would be it’s final day of scrutiny before being passed.
There was an air of excitement as we congregated outside before the debate started and two peregrines zooming around above the Parliament building was seen as a good omen.
Photo by Jason Rose
Once inside it soon became clear that the Parliament would, frustratingly, need additional time to complete its consideration of the Bill. Given that a decision had been made that all the lodged amendments for Stage 3 of the Bill would be heard, debated and voted upon, it inevitably turned into a marathon six hour session in the afternoon, not finishing until just after 8.30pm.
Many of the arguments put forward by the Conservatives in a desperate last-ditch effort to weaken the Bill were predictably ridiculous and a lot of it was just a rehash of the same old arguments that were heard during the various evidence sessions last summer and then again at Stage 2 a few weeks ago. It was tedious to have to listen to so much drivel all over again although it was appreciated as being a necessary part of the process so that the grouse shooting industry can’t later claim that the process had been unfairly cut short.
You can watch the archived video of proceedings here and you can read the transcript here:
If you want to enjoy a laugh-out-loud moment, I’d encourage you to turn to page 67 and read Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton’s contribution on the subject of whether Red-legged partridges and Pheasants could be released on grouse moors to replace Red grouse as an alternative quarry species (spoiler alert – she doesn’t think it would happen, completely ignoring the clear evidence that it already is).
Minister Jim Fairlie’s response to Hamilton on page 71 is very encouraging. He indicates that if other gamebirds are released for shooting on grouse moors, where a licence for shooting Red grouse has already been refused, this could be viewed as an attempt to exploit a loophole and result in new, nationwide legislation that would impose a licensing regime on all gamebird shooting, not just on the shooting of Red grouse.
It’s disappointing that we now have to wait until Thursday (21 March) for the Scottish Parliament to vote for the final time and pass this Bill, although as someone told me yesterday, we’ve waited for so many years that another 48 hours isn’t going to make much difference.
The final (short) debate and subsequent vote has been scheduled for Thursday afternoon at around 3pm in the debating chamber. It’s not expected to take much longer than one hour. You’ll be able to watch proceedings live on Scottish Parliament TV.
Meanwhile, here’s a message from Chris Packham on the significance of this new legislation:
This Thursday @scotgov will be voting through sweeping reforms to driven grouse shooting – snares banned , licenses for moors , burning and wildlife traps and increased investigatory powers for @ScottishSPCA . . . they just couldn’t behave but now they will have to ! pic.twitter.com/0sDsElYDn1
The final stage (stage 3) of the Scottish Government’s Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill begins in the main debating chamber at Holyrood in Edinburgh just after 2pm.
For new readers, this is proposed new legislation to regulate grouse shooting and its associated management practices by way of licensing schemes, introduced because of the continued illegal persecution of birds of prey on many Scottish grouse moors.
Entrance to Scottish Parliament. Photo: Ruth Tingay
A really good briefing document is available that explains what has happened to the Bill as it has progressed through Parliamentary scrutiny so far. It’s recommended reading for those who want to understand the Bill in more depth:
At the moment there’s much uncertainty about whether stage 3 will be completed today (as had been expected) or whether it will continue through to Thursday.
A lot of amendments have been lodged for Stage 3 and where typically only some would be selected by the Presiding Officer for stage 3 debate, there are rumours that ALL the amendments will be heard! My guess, and it is only a guess, is that this may well be to fend off any future legal action whereby certain organisations may claim that their amendments weren’t selected and it was all very unfair, prejudiced, a breach of their human rights etc etc. I’m sure you can imagine.
A Parliamentary motion will be heard just prior to the start to the debate this afternoon, as follows:
I think, given the length of the suggested time limits, this gives some indication that the rumours about all amendments being heard are probably accurate. It’s also indicative that proceedings will probably not conclude today (or if they do it’ll be really late into the evening) and may need to be carried forward to another day.
For those interested in the amendment timings/groupings, here is a useful summary:
I’m afraid much of the uncertainty will continue until Stage 3 proceedings begin this afternoon. You can watch live on Scottish Parliament TV (session starts at 2pm in the debating chamber) – watch here.
Raptor Persecution UK 