Category: News

Eagle shot, satellite tag dumped in reservoir, suspect identified via tag data

A man who shot and killed an eagle, removed its satellite tag and dumped it in a reservoir, and then dumped the eagle’s corpse in a bin, has been tracked down thanks to the data provided by the eagle’s tag.

This is a news story from Andalucia in southern Spain, translated via Google (here) so bear with it.

A young Bonelli’s eagle was fitted with a satellite tag in its nest in May 2020 as part of a Spanish LIFE project trying to address this species’ population decline (here).

[A tagged Bonelli’s eagle, photo from Aquila a-LIFE Project]

On 27th August, the researchers tracking the eagle’s movements via the tag’s data reported to the authorities that the eagle appeared to be floating in the Iznajar Reservoir, near a bridge.

A patrol visited the site and found the tag but no sign of the eagle.

Meanwhile, the police were able to retrace the route of the tag from the time when the data suggested the bird had been killed (11.53 – 12.23hrs) on a hunting (shooting) estate. They also located two points where they found Bonelli’s eagle feathers – one on the hunting ground and one in the area where the hunters park their vehicles.

What are described as ‘subsequent investigations’ led the police to identify the suspect, who then attended voluntarily and admitted he’d accidentally shot the eagle and panicked when he saw the tag so he removed it and threw it in the reservoir and dumped the eagle in a bin.

A prosecution is expected.

[Police officers retrieving the eagle’s corpse from a bin]

Interesting, isn’t it?

This Spanish shooter could learn a lot from his Scottish counterparts. They’ve already learned that when you kill a satellite-tagged eagle you need to disable the tag before disposing of it, otherwise the tag will continue to transmit and give away its location.

Although disabling the tag and then hiding it, and the corpse of the dead eagle, doesn’t hide the clear geographic pattern of the killings, as revealed by the superbly comprehensive and forensic analyses undertaken for the Govt-commissioned Golden Eagle Satellite Tag Review, amusingly still being described as “crap science” by those who don’t have any scientific credentials and don’t have any experience of satellite tags, but who do have a vested interest in wanting raptor satellite tracking to stop. Can’t imagine why.

The Scottish eagle killers have also learned that if you chuck a satellite tag into water you definitely need to ensure it’s been properly disabled first because some of them, depending on the tag model, will continue to function in water (remember Fred, anyone?), as this Bonelli’s eagle tag did.

Sometimes, though, simply disabling the tag isn’t always enough to cover your tracks…….there’ll be more on this very soon.

UK shooting industry set to fight against EU lead ammunition ban

Well, this is terrifying for UK citizens concerned about the environment, wildlife and human health. In what should have been an easy PR ‘win’, the country’s largest shooting organisation has instead announced it is to fight a new forthcoming EU regulation restricting the use of toxic lead ammunition on wetlands.

[Graphic from Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT) showing how toxic lead ammunition can contaminate the environment, wildlife and humans. This overview from WWT (here) provides an excellent summary of why everyone should be concerned about lead poisoning]

On 3rd September 2020, 18 European countries ‘chose health over poison’ in an historic vote to ban lead shot in wetlands (see press release here from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust who has campaigned on this issue for years).

This decision now needs to be ratified by the EU Council within 3 months (this is considered to be a formality) and then an official two-year period of transition will take place. It is not yet clear how this will affect the UK as it all depends on the timing re: Brexit (will it clear ratification before 31 December 2020?) and whether the UK Government will be obliged to adhere to the ruling or whether it will be able to decide its own position.

However, in response to the vote, BASC, the British Association for Shooting (and conservation, ahem), has announced that it is to ‘fight’ the new regulation and will lobby the UK Government not to accept it because, er, its a ‘bad law’ and it threatens the shooting industry’s professed five-year voluntary transition to non-toxic lead that was announced earlier this year.

Ah, that’ll be the five-year voluntary transition that was rejected outright by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (here) and the latest of many previous ‘voluntary bans’ by the shooting industry that have been unsuccessful (e.g. see here, here and here). The ongoing failure of the shooting industry to comply with current regulations on many issues, including the use of lead ammunition over wetlands (here), means there should be absolutely zero confidence in its ability and/or willingness to stick to any notional voluntary ban.

Here’s BASC’s statement in response to the forthcoming ban on lead ammunition over wetlands:

It really is an odd position for an organisation that claims to have conservation as one of its central pillars, isn’t it? BASC has campaigned for years to be able to keep using toxic lead ammunition, even though the poisonous properties of lead ammunition and its devastating impact on wildlife has been known for years and years and years, and most of the previously significant sources of lead in the environment (e.g. lead-based paint and leaded petrol) were eliminated decades ago.

Then we saw the big u-turn from the shooting industry in February (apart from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, which continues its steep nose-dive trajectory in the face of growing environmental awareness and concern) but this u-turn was seen by many as a time-wasting ploy because a voluntary ban is never going to be enforceable and there’d be no consequences if the voluntary ban wasn’t in place in five years time.

And now just a few months on, when it’s pretty clear that, based on clear and unequivocal evidence, the EU is heading towards a total ban on lead ammunition in all habitats, not just wetlands, the shooting industry decides to dig its heels in and shout ‘It’s not fair’ as it continues to pollute our environment and our wildlife, and put human health at risk, all for the sake of wanting to shoot some birds for a bit of a laugh.

One more time, for anyone who doesn’t yet understand the ‘toxic legacy’ of lead ammunition on our environment, wildlife and people, have a read of this excellent piece from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (see here) and then ask yourself why toxic lead ammunition wasn’t banned in this country years ago, and why gamebird meat is still exempt from testing for poisonous lead whereas every other type of meat destined for the human food chain is not.

Police investigate shot buzzard remains found on Wirral pheasant shooting estate

The discovery of the remains of a buzzard have led to a joint investigation into alleged raptor persecution and other wildlife offences on a game-shooting estate on the Wirral.

The decomposed corpse was discovered next to a hunting tower on the estate in July 2020, according to a social media posting by a group called ‘Cheshire Against Blood Sports’. The buzzard’s decapitated head and legs were found close by. An x-ray at the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre reportedly found the body was ‘peppered with shot’. It’s not known how old the corpse was but it’s clear from the photographs that decomposition was quite advanced.

[All photos from Cheshire Against Blood Sports]

Other allegations made by the group include ‘unchecked Larsen traps & decoy birds found dead in the trap’. The group has also posted photographs of what looks to be a clam trap with the decomposed remains of something in it, an uncovered Fenn trap (although the circumstances of its use are unclear) and a large stink pit containing the rotting corpses of wildlife.

The group reports that the joint Merseyside Police/RSPCA investigation concluded with a visit to the estate in late August where words of advice have apparently been given. There are not thought to be any impending prosecutions.

It’s believed the pheasant, partridge and duck shooting on the estate is leased to a third party.

[All photos from Cheshire Against Blood Sports]

This article was re-published on the Birdguides website on 13th September 2020.

Grouse-shooting royals ridiculed in the news

Some members of the royal family were out grouse-shooting near Balmoral last week and as ever this led to wide media coverage, some of it typically sycophantic but much of it unfavourable.

Here are some headlines:

By far the most entertaining piece was written by Catherine Bennett in the Guardian yesterday. It’s a masterclass in ridicule.

Excerpts include:

‘…….the royal family has been strikingly successful over generations in, using child-rearing methods that might strike even some religious and political fanatics as on the extreme side, ensuring the continuation of stand-out dynastic traits, from equestrianism to curtseying, stalking, a passion for the military and, when in Africa, charismatic megafauna‘.

and

‘Whether her enthusiastic participation in a similar, though possibly bloodier, programme adds to Kate Middleton’s qualifications as a national child-rearing expert is a question for favoured daycare centres. No doubt some mothers, especially those from keen shooting families, will treasure hints from this advocate of the “good enough royal” approach, on getting children outdoors and counting dead birds before their young minds can be turned by Chris Packham‘.

You can read the full article here

Another buzzard shot in Essex

Essex Police are investigating the shooting of a buzzard on 4th September 2020 at Davy Down Riverside Park, South Ockendon.

[Buzzard. Photo by Ruth Tingay]

PC Jed Raven from Essex Police’s Wildlife Crime Unit has confirmed the buzzard was shot, however its condition is unknown and the type of weapon used is yet to be reported.

[UPDATE 7 Sept 2020: Police have confirmed the buzzard died]

Anyone with information please contact PC Jed Raven on 101.

UPDATE 11 Sept 2020: Shot buzzard in Essex: an update (here)

This is the third bird of prey shooting in Essex in recent months, following a shot buzzard found near Weeley on 2nd June (here) and a shot hobby found at North Fambridge in August (here).

 

Wild Justice lodges appeal against badger cull judicial review decision

In July this year, Wild Justice lodged legal papers at the High Court seeking permission for a judicial review of Natural England’s decision to issue licences to ‘free shoot’ badgers, which Wild Justice argues is a failure to ensure the badger cull is humane (see here).

Last week, a judge refused permission to continue to judicial review (see here).

Today, Wild Justice has lodged court papers to appeal the judge’s order (see here).

Does BASC know its arse from its elbow?

Does BASC (the British Association for Shooting, and, ahem, conservation) know its arse from its elbow?

It certainly can’t tell the difference between a merlin and a lanner falcon (see here) and now it seems to be struggling to tell the difference between a buzzard and a hen harrier!

You know, if you’re going to profess to love a bird of prey, it helps your credibility if you’re first able to identify it. Otherwise it just looks like you’re pretending.

In this latest outpouring of proclaimed love from BASC for Britain’s most persecuted bird of prey, it is claimed that,

‘More grouse moors have embraced the hen harrier brood management scheme this year as confidence in the project grows‘.

Hmm. But not everything is as it seems. Standby for what we’re told is imminent breaking news that puts this alleged ’embracement’ in a totally different light…….

Proposed golden eagle reintroduction to Wales: genuine intent or just a publicity stunt?

Back in February 2019 we blogged about two different organisations who were taking two very different approaches to a possible reintroduction of the golden eagle to Wales (see here and here).

The most serious effort, in our view, to examine whether this might be feasible and appropriate was/still is being undertaken by a team of researchers at Cardiff University under the auspices of the Eagle Reintroduction Wales (ERW) Project (view their website here). The ERW’s approach has involved several years of carefully conducting a scoping exercise, to properly consider all the factors that need to be addressed before a reintroduction licence would be granted, e.g. biological and environmental considerations, social and political considerations, and comprehensive risk assessments and an exit strategy. The group has also been building partnerships with local stakeholders.

The other organisation is called Wilder Britain (website here), whose sole director is Dr Paul O’Donoghue, who according to Companies House is also a Director of six other companies, some of whom blog readers may already be familiar (Lynx UK Trust Community Interest Company (CIC), Wildcat Haven Enterprises CIC, Wildcat Haven CIC, Paul O’Donoghue Consultancy Ltd, Specialist Wildlife Services Ltd, and We Rescue Animals CIC). Some of you may know Dr O’Donoghue’s name as being behind the failed 2018 application to reintroduce Lynx to Kielder Forest (see here) and earlier this year he lost an outrageous defamation claim against Andy Wightman MSP (see here).

In a blaze of publicity and fanfare in February 2019, it was claimed that Wilder Britain’s plans to reintroduce ten golden eagles to Wales were ‘well underway’ and that a licence application would be submitted to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) by July 2019.

However, at that time there was very little detail available about any research that may or may not have been completed to support such an application. We were also interested in any modelling work that would be needed to understand how many young eagles would have to be released to establish a self-sustaining breeding population. Many previous studies on raptor reintroductions have demonstrated that long term success is largely dependent on releasing a sufficient number of birds, which is calculated by considering a wide variety of demographic factors. And that’s assuming that the habitat and prey has been deemed sufficient to support any reintroduction and that illegal persecution isn’t a threat. One thing’s for sure, any viable project is going to need to release significantly more than ten birds, which according to Dr O’Donoghue are being sourced from ‘Europe’ and will all be satellite tracked. We’re talking serious funding requirements here, that are unlikely to be met by Wilder Britain’s requests to ‘sponsor an eagle’ on its website.

Curious to find some answers, in November 2019 we asked NRW, via a freedom of information request, for copies of all correspondence it had had with Dr O’Donoghue/Wilder Britain, including any licence applications. NRW responded by stating it had received no correspondence from Dr O’Donoghue/Wilder Britain relating to a proposed golden eagle reintroduction (see here). Hmm.

Fast forward to August 2020 and amidst another blaze of publicity, which just happened to coincide with the news that a golden eagle that had been living in the wild in Wales for several years had been found dead (here), and up pops Dr O’Donoghue again, this time announcing (here) a public survey and consultation to support a proposal to ‘release five pairs of golden eagles’ in Wales in 2021.

This afternoon, Dr O’Donoghue is hosting the first of several public meetings in Wales to answer questions about the proposal. Should be interesting.

UPDATE 16.25hrs:

Here is a tweet from @WCRCUK who attended this meeting:

 

 

 

 

Four of this year’s satellite-tagged hen harriers already dead or ‘missing’

Earlier today delusional Natural England issued a press statement (along with two organisations that have zero credibility when it comes to hen harrier conservation, the Moorland Association and GWCT) proclaiming this year’s hen harrier breeding season was a ‘wonderful result’ (see here).

The RSPB published its own view, separately (here), pointing out, as if it was necessary, that illegal persecution continues to be ‘the most serious threat’ to hen harrier conservation.

Meanwhile, Natural England, having been justifiably criticised today for publishing inaccurate and ambiguous information about hen harriers (e.g. see here) has quietly updated its spreadsheet on the number of satellite-tagged hen harriers and their fates (see here).

Natural England has fitted satellite tags to 23 of this year’s cohort of 60, but according to the data, four of those 23 are already either dead or ‘missing, fate unknown’.

Here are the details of the four:

Tag #57266, female, Harriet, tagged in Yorkshire Dales on 4 June 2020. Last known fix in Cumbria (actually in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref NY770031) on 25 July 2020. Listed as ‘missing fate unknown’.

Tag #201118, female, unnamed, tagged in Northumberland (site 1) on 15 June 2020. Last known fix on 9 July 2020 in Northumberland, ‘site confidential nr goshawk nest’. Listed as ‘missing fate unknown’.

Tag #201126, male, unnamed, tagged in Northumberland (site 2) on 15 June 2020. Last known fix on 6 July 2020 in Northumberland, ‘site confidential nr goshawk and peregrine nest sites’. ‘Remains of bird and tag recovered near the nest site post-fledging – most likely avian predation’.

Tag #201119, male, Solo, tagged in Lancashire on 31 July 2020. Last known fix on 14 August 2020 in Lancashire ‘in nest area (confidential)’. Listed as ‘missing, fate unknown’.

It’s not known how many of the three ‘missing, fate unknown’ hen harriers are being investigated as suspicious incidents by the police and without knowing the details or circumstances of the disappearances, it would be unwise to speculate at the moment. We’re not aware of any appeals for information in any of these three cases. We’ll be asking the respective police forces for information on each of them so that the running total of ‘43 dead or missing hen harriers in the last two years‘ can be updated if necessary.

It’s also worth pointing out that one of the ‘missing, fate unknown’ birds was fitted with a Lotek tag rather than the usual MTI tag….we’ve blogged about the apparent unreliability of this tag type previously (see here) and another blog will be published shortly with even more damning commentary on its suitability for tracking hen harriers.

Perhaps the biggest question to ask right now is why Natural England (and its ‘partners’ in the grouse shooting industry) failed to mention in this morning’s press statement the disappearances of three of this year’s cohort?

Can we trust anything Natural England tells us about hen harriers?

Multi-award-winning author Gill Lewis has neatly summarised the view of many of us with this rather telling cartoon:

 

‘Illegal persecution remains most serious threat to hen harriers’ – RSPB statement on 2020 breeding season

Following the news earlier today that deluded Natural England thinks the 2020 hen harrier breeding season was a ‘wonderful result’ (see here), the RSPB has now issued a statement:

‘The news that 60 hen harrier chicks have fledged in England this year is encouraging, and testament to the crucial monitoring from raptor workers. However, while 24 nests monitored is an improvement on the 7 nests in 2017, there is enough habitat and prey to support more than 12 times this year’s total. The science is clear that illegal persecution remains the most serious threat to this species  –  since 2018, 43 hen harriers are known to have been killed or “gone missing”, after fledging. The sad reality for those who passionately protect these birds is that some of this years’ fledglings risk being killed. If this painfully slow recovery is to gather pace, and these beautiful and enigmatic birds are to become as common across our landscapes as they should be, the illegal persecution must stop’.

It’s now pretty clear why the RSPB didn’t sign up to the laughably optimistic joint press statement from Natural England, GWCT and the Moorland Association.