Category: News

Another satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘Shalimar’ disappears in suspicious circumstances in Angus Glens

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)

Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill – it’s pretty much a done deal

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:

official-report-scot-parl-chamber-19mar2024Download

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:

Final stage of Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill in Scottish Parliament today

It’s a big day today.

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:

sb-24-14Download

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:

timed-groupings-of-amendments-for-stage-3-wmmbDownload

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.

More later.

Sparrowhawk shot in Essex

Essex Police are reporting the discovery of a sparrowhawk that was found shot in the Elder Street area of Uttlesford on Wednesday 13th March 2024.

The injured Sparrowhawk was taken to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital for treatment but it didn’t survive its injuries.

If anyone has any information about this crime please contact Essex Police on Tel 101, quoting incident ref 42/41024/24.

The county of Essex is becoming a real hotspot for bird of prey persecution.

Other raptor persecution crimes in recent years include the poisoning of two red kites reported in February 2024 (here), the suspected shooting of a peregrine in January 2024 (here), the shooting of a buzzard in December 2023 (here), the shooting of another buzzard in January 2023 (here), the shooting of a red kite in September 2022 (here), the shooting of another red kite in November 2021 (here), another red kite found dead in suspicious circumstances in November 2021 (here), the shooting of another three buzzards in 2020, one in Dec (here), one in September (here) and one in June (here), and the suspected shooting of a Hobby in August 2020 (here).

Young white-tailed eagle found shot dead in Co. Roscommon

A young female white-tailed eagle has been found shot dead near Cranberry Lough in County Roscommon, Ireland.

She was part of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) long-running reintroduction project and had been released at Lough Derg two years ago.

The corpse of the shot white-tailed eagle. Photo: NPWS

As part of the reintroduction project, the young eagles are fitted with satellite tags to monitor their movements. Information from this eagle’s tag suggest she was killed sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday morning on 11th/12th March 2024.

She’d been present in the area for the last few weeks, having previously travelled around the north and west of Ireland once she’d dispersed from Lough Derg almost a year ago.

Director General of the NPWS, Niall Ó Donnchú, said forensic examinations were being conducted which he hoped would provide more information about the weapon used to kill the eagle.

“I deplore this wanton act of violence against this beautiful and endangered bird. We’re asking for the public’s help in bringing the perpetrator of this heinous act of destruction to justice.”

Meanwhile, just over the border in Northern Ireland, the investigation is ongoing into the illegal poisoning of two white-tailed eagles, found dead last year on the only moor that’s managed for driven grouse shooting in NI (here).

Waitrose still selling pheasants contaminated with toxic lead shot, even though it said it wouldn’t

Four years ago in February 2020, nine UK game-shooting organisations made a massive U-turn after years and years and years of defending the use of toxic lead ammunition, and said they wanted to drag the industry into the 21st Century by making a five-year voluntary transition away from lead ammunition (see here).

A pheasant bought from Waitrose in Jan 2024 containing toxic lead shot. Photo: Mike Price

A lot of us were sceptical because (a) we rarely trust anything the industry tells us; (b) previous ‘voluntary bans’ by the industry on a number of issues have been spectacularly unsuccessful (e.g. see here, here and here); (c) the ongoing failure of the shooting industry to comply with current regulations on many issues, including the use of lead ammunition over wetlands in England (here) and in Scotland (here), means there should be absolutely zero confidence in its ability and/or willingness to stick to any notional voluntary ban; (d) the Scottish Gamekeepers Association refused to sign up to the proposed five-year transition period because they believe there is insufficient evidence to support the claim that lead can have damaging impacts on humans, wildlife and the environment (here); and (e) in the very same year that nine shooting organisations committed to the five-year transition, BASC announced it was set to fight a proposed EU ban on the use of lead ammunition on wetlands (see here).

We were right to be sceptical.

A Cambridge University-led research project called ‘SHOT-SWITCH‘ has been monitoring the progress (or not!) of this five-year voluntary transition by purchasing pheasants from supermarkets and other retailers across the UK each year and having them lab tested to determine whether they’ve been shot with toxic lead ammunition or with non-toxic ammunition.

The project is now in its fourth year. Reports on the project’s findings in the previous three years have been published in the well-regarded scientific journal Conservation Evidence:

2020/21 season results here – 99.4% of tested pheasants (n = 180) had been killed with lead ammunition.

2021/22 season results here – 99.5% of tested pheasants (n = 215) had been killed with lead ammunition.

2022/23 season results here – 94% of tested pheasants (n = 235) had been killed with lead ammunition.

Guess what? The 2023/24 season results have just been published and 93% of tested pheasants (n = 229) had been killed with lead ammunition.

Here’s the latest paper for the 2023/24 season:

green-et-al-cej_shotswitch-yr4_mar2024Download

This graph from the latest paper says it all:

It’s going well, isn’t it? In fact I’m sure I’ve read comments from the game shooting industry proclaiming ‘great progress’. Liars.

It’s interesting to see Waitrose re-stocking pheasants again this year. You might recall that twice before Waitrose has said it would no longer stock gamebirds shot with toxic lead ammunition, and twice it has been found to be doing exactly that after Wild Justice tested some of its products (see here).

This year Waitrose was very late to the game meat-selling party, only stocking its shelves in late January. And once again, according to the Shot-Switch results, Waitrose pheasants were found to contain lead shotgun pellets. What’ll be their excuse for the contamination this time? It’s just embarrassing that they can’t find a UK supplier of lead-free gamebirds, and even more embarrassing that they promote this stuff as part of the Waitrose No 1 “the very best” range. I’d hate to see their very worst range.

I note with amusement that Waitrose won Best Large Retailer of the Year at BASC’s Eat Game Awards last night. I don’t know what the judging criteria was but perhaps it included a willingness to sell game meat contaminated with poisonous lead shot whilst shouting very loudly in the other direction about toxic lead shot being unacceptable.

Waitrose selling pheasant as part of its No 1 “the very best” range in Jan 2024. Photo: Ruth Tingay

In addition to the Shot-Switch study, which examines the shot pellets found inside gamebird carcasses, over the last few years conservation campaign group Wild Justice has also been testing gamebird meat from supermarkets and other retailers to examine the level of lead found inside these birds (e.g. see here).

More samples were bought in the 2023/24 shooting season from a range of retailers and the results are expected in the next few weeks. Watch this space.

Illegally killed hares & raptors dumped outside community shop – Hampshire Police investigating

This is horrific.

Posted on Twitter this morning:

There are at least 38 dead hares and a dead kestrel and barn owl. This is a village community shop in Broughton near Stockbridge.

Hampshire Police have attended the scene, removed the corpses and have launched an investigation.

UPDATE 29 March 2024: Man in custody in relation to dumped hares and raptors outside Broughton community shop (here)

UPDATE 11 April 2024: Police interview second man in relation to dumped hares and raptors outside Broughton community shop (here)

UPDATE 14 August 2024: Man charged in connection to dumped hares and raptors outside community shop in Hampshire (here)

UPDATE 12 September 2024: Man in court in connection to dumped hares and shot raptors at Broughton community shop, Hampshire (here)

UPDATE 29 September 2024: Trial date set in relation to dumping of dead raptors & hares outside Broughton community shop (here)

Incitement to commit wildlife crime writ large on Scottish Gamekeepers Association’s social media

This post isn’t about raptor persecution per se, but it is about the mindset of the gamekeeping community, which is directly relevant to raptor persecution given that the majority of those convicted for killing birds of prey are from the gamekeeping industry.

For a very long time the Scottish Gamekeepers Association referred to its members as the ‘true custodians of the countryside‘ and even the ‘doctors and nurses of the countryside‘ (here). In recent years the terminology has been upgraded and now regularly references the SGA’s role in reaching ‘net zero’ and ‘biodiversity targets’. Unfortunately, the mindset of many in this industry hasn’t been upgraded to match the rhetoric, as will be so clearly demonstrated in the rest of this blog.

Like many organisations, the SGA engages with its members, followers and supporters on social media. Here is the SGA’s header on Facebook, claiming that “SGA members are sustaining Biodiversity on land and river“:

A couple of days ago the SGA posted a short video of a seal (I’m not sure whether its a Grey seal or a Common (Harbour) seal but no matter, both are protected species) in the River Dee and encouraged comments from its followers:

Just to be clear, it is an offence to kill either Grey or Common Seals without a licence. Under the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020, which amended the Marine Scotland Act (2010), the penalty for illegal seal shooting was increased to 12 months’ imprisonment/£40,000 fine or, on indictment, unlimited fine/5 years’ imprisonment. This legislation also removed the provision for licences to be issued to kill seals to protect fisheries.

With this information in mind, have a look at the following comments on the SGA’s post where contributors are openly calling for the illegal shooting of this seal:

comments-from-scottish-gamekeepers-association-fb-page-14mar2024Download

With the notable exception of a couple of sensible voices, it’s a real eye opener to the appalling prevailing attitude towards (a) predators and (b) compliance with the law. Actually the intolerance towards predators is no surprise at all, but the stupidity of posting calls on a public forum to illegally shoot this seal is astonishing. I wonder how many of those inciting a wildlife crime are firearms/shotgun certificate holders?

They’d do well to heed the advice of the SGA’s legal advisor, David McKie, whose latest column in the SGA’s rag includes the recommendation to “Remember at all times be discreet in all your dealings, both private and public, particularly on social media!“.

BASC throws a wobbler as Minister Jim Fairlie stands firm on Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill

At the weekend I blogged about a claim made by BASC that Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie might be considering a U-turn on the proposed snare ban, one of several measures being brought in by the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill (see here).

A dead fox killed in an illegally-set snare. Photo: Scottish SPCA

Many thanks to those of you who wrote to the Minister (and your local MSPs) calling for the proposed snare ban to remain in place.

Today, STV is reporting (here) that BASC has written to the Minister calling for the snare ban to be abandoned. BASC is apparently also asking for the scrapping of proposals that will allow other gamebird species to be added to the list that will require a licence to be shot, and also doesn’t want the Scottish SPCA to have increased investigatory powers. Quelle surprise.

STV states that the letter, which hasn’t been published, ‘raises the spectre of a potential legal challenge to the Bill’.

Jim Fairlie has responded robustly and is quoted as follows:

“It is vital that Scotland’s grouse moors are managed in a way that is both sustainable and environmentally conscious.

Our Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill will ensure that land managers adhere to responsible land management practices.

It is clear to me that our countryside continues to suffer from the damaging effects of wildlife crime, including raptor persecution on grouse moors.

The Bill contains a range of measures that will strengthen protections for our wildlife and will combat the blight of raptor persecution throughout Scotland.

I recognise the depth of feeling associated with these issues.

That’s why we have consulted extensively with groups from across the debate, and they have been involved in every step of the Bill’s process.

I am confident that this Bill strikes the right balance between further safeguarding our environment and supporting our rural economy“.

That’ll be a no then, BASC.

I see that BASC has now removed the claim that the Minister had suggested in discussions with BASC that he might be considering a U-turn on the snare ban. I hope BASC hasn’t been making false claims designed to appeal to its members.

Here’s the wording in the original blog:

And here’s how it looks today:

As for a legal challenge, this just seems like an empty threat. A judicial review can only be granted on the basis that a decision was made unlawfully (i.e. without due process). It cannot be made on the basis that someone (i.e. BASC) doesn’t like the decision.

Given the extensive level of consultations and evidence sessions relating to the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill, in all of which BASC has been engaged, I’d be utterly gobsmacked if a court decided the process of this Bill has been unlawful in any way, shape or form.

The Bill is currently at Stage 3 and will be debated by the entire Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 19th March, followed by a final vote to pass it onto statute.

UPDATE 15.00hrs:

Other media sites are also covering this story and a piece on the politics.co.uk website includes a bit more detail about BASC’s foot-stamping tantrum. It’s not just the snare ban, addition of more gamebirds for licensing, or SSPCA powers that they’re objecting to- it’s also the extent of the relevant offences that may trigger a licence suspension/revocation, and the definition of peatland being 40cm depth:

The National has also run a piece, including a quote from Max Wiszniewski, Campaign Manager at REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform:

“It’s unsurprising to see the shooting fraternity making a last ditch attempt to water down this legislation, to avoid necessary scrutiny of their woefully unregulated and destructive industry.

“Grouse moors are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of animals, the burning of huge swathes of Scotland and the pollution of the land from lead shot and toxic medicated medicated grit that’s spread throughout the countryside – all so more grouse can be shot by a few wealthy people for sport.

“While the grouse moor bill could go further to tackle this circle of destruction, it marks an important and necessary intervention into land management activities and a full ban on snaring would be an important gain for animal welfare, something that seems is of little concern to the industry.

“The Government would do well, to continue to reject these cynical attempts to rebrand snaring which up until now, has fooled no-one.”

Chief Executive of Moorland Association donates £10,000 to Tory Minister Guy Opperman

Whilst the political news is dominated by the story of a £10m donation to the Tory party by a donor accused of racism, it seems timely to look at another donation made earlier this year to Tory MP Guy Opperman, Minister for Roads and Local Transport, although there is no suggestion that the donor in this case is a racist.

As well as being a Government Minister, Opperman is the Conservative MP for Hexham in Northumberland, a constituency that includes a number of grouse moors in the North Pennines AONB (now re-named a National Landscape) and Northumberland National Park.

Unlike some of his Conservative colleagues, Opperman is not especially known as being an outspoken, hardcore supporter of the blood sports industry, although he has popped up occasionally, being seen to participate in a few PR stunts led by the Moorland Association.

Here he is in 2017 attending a Parliamentary reception for the Moorland Association:

And here he is in 2019 visiting gamekeepers on the Knarsdale grouse moor, featuring in a Moorland Association propaganda piece about how great grouse moors are for merlins (unfortunately this moor isn’t quite so good for hen harriers – this is where the shot corpse of hen harrier ‘Dagda‘ was found last year – nobody has been prosecuted, natch, but I’ll be writing more about that case in due course):

Hansard shows Opperman also spoke in Parliament in 2014 supporting the Moorland Association and describing gamekeepers as ‘custodians of the countryside’, although he also said he was supportive of the RSPB and its campaign to ban lead ammunition:

And just this morning there’s a local article (here) about Opperman visiting local stores that have been nominated for a Countryside Alliance award, although his visit does seem to be more about his particular support for a local business as opposed to blindly supporting the nasty brigade at the Countryside Alliance.

So I think it’s fair to say that Opperman isn’t a dyed-in-the-wool grouse shooting supporter, and his current Ministerial responsibilities seem to bear no significance for the grouse shooting industry.

How curious then, that in January this year his register of interests showed up this £10,000 donation from an unassuming-sounding company called GMS Partnership Ltd:

Who they?

Well according to Companies House, GMS Partnership Ltd is a ‘management consultancy’ whose sole director is none other than Andrew Gilruth, the recently-appointed Chief Executive of the Moorland Association:

I’ve previously written about Gilruth’s ‘interesting’ Directorship of another company, Moorland Communities Tradition, here, although Companies House is showing that he resigned as a Director of that outfit on 18 December 2023, leaving it in the capable hands of William van Cutsem and Jonathan Kennedy.

There’s no suggestion that the £10,000 donation made in January 2024 to Opperman from GMS Partnership Ltd is underhand (unlike allegations made about some of the donations Opperman has previously accepted (see here but also here where a Government probe cleared Opperman) but the donation from GMS Partnership Ltd is certainly interesting given Gilruth’s new role as Chief Exec of the Moorland Association.

One to watch.