Tag: buzzard

RSPB statement on conviction of Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant

Further to today’s earlier blog on the sentencing of Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant who was found guilty of multiple crimes after a police investigation into the illegal killing of a red kite and two buzzards (see here), the RSPB Investigations Team has issued the following press release:

GAMEKEEPER ORDERED TO PAY OVER £7,000 AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF POISON AND TRAP-RELATED OFFENCES

  • Numerous birds of prey had been poisoned in the Belchford area of Lincolnshire over a number of years, leading to a police investigation.
  • Police uncovered large quantities of banned poison and illegal traps on the gamebird shoot.
  • The RSPB is urging the government to introduce a licensing scheme for all gamebird shooting, with the sanction to remove licences to shoot if wildlife protection laws are broken, and to act as a meaningful deterrent to bird of prey crimes in particular.

After a two-day trial at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, John Bryant (40), of West Ashby, Horncastle was found guilty on 7 March 2025 in relation to four offences. He was sentenced on 20 March 2025 and ordered to pay £7,449 in total – including £2112 in fines for the four offences, £4,492 in costs and a victim surcharge of £845. The court heard how a number of birds of prey were found poisoned in the Belchford area over several years, and how Lincolnshire Police then led a multi-agency search on a pheasant and partridge shoot at Grange Farms, West Ashby in October 2022 together with the RSPB, National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and Natural England.

This case is yet another example of why the RSPB is urging Westminster to introduce a system of licensing for gamebird shooting, to afford birds of prey better protection, and to follow Scotland’s lead on licensing all grouse shooting as a positive start.

Bryant, a gamekeeper and farmer, pleaded guilty to two offences relating to the illegal storage and usage of Alphachloralose. Alphachloralose can be legally used as a poison for rodents using products at 4% concentration or lower. However, during a search of his home, police found the poison illegally decanted into pots in the suspect’s vehicle and outbuilding. These two pots were tested under the WIIS (Wildlife Incident Investigations Scheme) run by Natural England, and found to contain banned and highly dangerous levels (85% and 88%) of the deadly substance. Alphachloralose remains one of the most common substances used for poisoning birds of prey.

Bryant was also found guilty of two offences relating to the possession of two pole traps, deemed as items capable of committing a wildlife offence. Police found unset spring traps (similar to a powerful mouse trap) hanging from wooden posts at two locations on land managed by Bryant. This set up is commonly recognized as a pole trap, used to catch and brutally injure birds of prey that perch on the post when hunting. Pole traps have been banned since 1904.

Forensic DNA analysis conducted by SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) found traces of Tawny Owl and wood pigeon DNA on one spring trap and the other spring trap tested positive for wood pigeon DNA. Bryant was found not guilty of setting any pole traps.

The District Judge said he found it unrealistic that Bryant would not have known the pole traps were on his land, which had been part of his defence.

Police also found four unset gin traps in an outbuilding belonging to the suspect. Forensic DNA analysis conducted by SASA found bird of prey DNA on three of the gin traps (a mechanical device, illegal in the UK since 1958, designed to catch an animal by the leg using spring-operated jaws). Two had Buzzard DNA on them, with a Sparrowhawk feather identified in the jaws of a third trap. Bryant was charged in relation to possession of the gin traps being items capable of committing a wildlife offence, but was found not guilty.

An assortment of traps found in Bryant’s garage. Photo: RSPB
One of the gin traps with what look like relatively fresh nettles caught in the jaw. Photo: RSPB

Several birds of prey have been found poisoned in the Belchford area over a number of years. In 2022 a Buzzard was found poisoned by Alphachloralose. In 2020 another Buzzard was killed having ingested the banned insecticide Aldicarb, and in 2017 a Red Kite was killed by Alphachloralose. Bryant was not charged in relation to poisoning any of these birds.

It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a wild bird in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Yet the persecution of raptors persists, particularly in connection with land managed for gamebird shooting. Of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences from 2009 to 2023, 68% have been gamekeepers.

Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer, said:

“This case highlights the immense value of police searches in relation to bird of prey persecution which clearly has been an issue in this area. This search found illegal poisons being used in a hugely dangerous manner, putting the public and wildlife at risk, along with a number of illegal traps.

“We are urging the UK Government to introduce a system of licensing for all gamebird shooting, whereby this licence to operate could be revoked if crimes against birds of prey are detected on an estate. This would set a better precedent and act as a greater deterrent to those tempted to commit these crimes. “We thank Lincolnshire Police, and in particular DC Aaron Flint, on an excellent investigation into this case, demonstrating the value in strong partnership working in tackling bird of prey persecution“.

DC Aaron Flint, Forces Wildlife Crime Officer at Lincolnshire Police, said:

“Unfortunately, this case is just one of a large number of bird of prey poisonings reported in Lincolnshire in recent years. However, the outcome demonstrates that Lincolnshire Police takes bird of prey persecution seriously. We thoroughly investigate any reports that relate to criminal activity around birds of prey. Our message is this: If you commit crimes against wildlife in Lincolnshire, we will identify you and you will be put before the courts.

“This investigation was made possible through close collaboration with multiple agencies, and I want to express my gratitude to the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the RSPB, Natural England, CPS and SASA for their invaluable support. The Forensic Analysis Fund also played a vital role in advancing this investigation“.

Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit:

“Thanks to the work of Police and Partners we have seen justice delivered. This conviction sends a strong message that bird of prey crime will not be tolerated, and you will feel the full force of the national policing capability. These offences are not only cruel, the undermine the conservation of our vulnerable wildlife. These birds should be free for us all to enjoy, not consigned to a police evidence bags.”

If you notice a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, call the Police on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form: www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wild-bird-crime-report-form

If you have information about anyone killing birds of prey which you wish to report anonymously, call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.

ENDS

Well done to Lincolnshire Police Rural Crime Team and the partner agencies whose hard work resulted in Bryant’s conviction.

£7,000 is a relatively small fine given the seriousness of Bryant’s crimes, although when compared with some of the recent pathetic fines handed out by courts for wildlife crimes, this figure can be viewed as being substantial.

I’ve also been told by a blog reader who was observing proceedings in court, that it was mentioned that Bryant’s defence costs were £100,000. If that figure is accurate then he certainly has taken a big financial hit.

Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant sentenced for crimes relating to raptor persecution – police statement

Earlier this month, following a trial at Lincolnshire Magistrates Court, gamekeeper John Bryant, 40, of West Ashby, Horncastle was found guilty of multiple offences following a police investigation into the illegal killing of a red kite and two buzzards over a five year period (see here).

Sentencing was deferred until this morning.

Lincolnshire Police have just issued the following statement:

MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS AND BIRD TRAPS

A farmer and game keeper who used illegal traps and stored dangerous chemicals has been sentenced.

Police officers found the items after an investigation into the deaths of three birds of prey led them to the property of John Bryant from West Ashby in Horncastle.

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges and was found guilty of two more under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and Healthy and Safety Regulations when he appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court earlier this month.

Investigators found the dead birds – a red kite and two buzzards – just north of West Ashby; forensic analysis determined they had been poisoned.

The findings led officers to execute a warrant and search Bryant’s land on 4 October 2022 where items were found which suggested he was targeting birds of prey using poison and traps.

Lincolnshire’s Rural Crime Action Team was joined by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and Inspectors from Natural England to carry out the warrant.

A chemical identified as Alphachloralose – typically used to kill rodents and which is also one of the most common substances known to poison birds of prey – was discovered in a vehicle being used by Bryant with a second tub containing the same product later being found in his garage.

The chemical was highly concentrated with levels found to be over 80% meaning it is a banned and highly dangerous substance.

Illegal traps were also found in the search. 

Two pole traps, which are specifically used to kill birds of prey, were recovered at the property at two pheasant release pens and found to contain tawny owl and pigeon DNA.

One of the illegal pole traps found at Bryant’s pheasant pen. These barbaric traps have been banned in the UK since 1904! Photo via Lincolnshire Police

Bryant pleaded guilty to two charges of storing Alpha Chloralose at his home and was found guilty of two charges of possessing a spring trap tethered to a pole. These relate to contravening Health and Safety Regulations and the Wildlife Countryside Act.

He was found not guilty of a further two counts of possessing Alpha Chloralose; two counts of using a spring trap tethered to a pole; and two counts of possessing gin traps.

Bryant was sentenced today and must pay fines of £2112, he must pay costs of £4492 and a victim surcharge of £845.

Due to his conviction, Bryant can no longer use a General Licence to carry out vermin control.

The sentence concludes a lengthy investigation that took years to bring to court and saw Lincolnshire Police work with a variety of partners to bring Bryant to justice.

It showcases the hard work, determination and tenacity of our Rural Crime Action Team and our commitment to protecting the county’s animals, not just its people.

DC Aaron Flint, Force Wildlife Crime Officer, Rural Crime Action Team, said:

“Unfortunately, this case is just one of many birds of prey poisonings reported in Lincolnshire in recent years. However, the outcome demonstrates that we and other agencies will take raptor persecution very seriously.

“We thoroughly investigate any reports that relate to criminal activity around birds of prey. Our message to anyone who unlawfully harms or kills our iconic wildlife is this; If you commit crimes against wildlife in Lincolnshire, we will identify you and you will be put before the courts where the evidence allows.

“This investigation was made possible through close collaboration with multiple agencies, and I want to express my gratitude to the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Natural England, and the Wildlife DNA Forensic unit at SASA for their invaluable support.

“The Forensic Analysis Fund also played a vital role in advancing this investigation and the Wildlife Specialist at the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Chief Inspector Kevin Lacks-Kelly, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit said:

“Thanks to the work of police and partners we have seen justice delivered. This conviction sends a strong message that bird of prey crime will not be tolerated, and you will feel the full force of the national policing capability.

“These offences are not only cruel, they undermine the conservation of our vulnerable wildlife. These birds should be free for us all to enjoy, not consigned to police evidence bags.”

Notes

Charges could not be brought under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in respect of the original three birds of prey as these are time-limited offences.

The Forensic Analysis Fund (FAF) offers financial support to police and customs officers seeking to carry out forensic analysis during a wildlife crime investigation -using funds donated from government departments and non-government organisations. For amounts up to £300 the scheme will cover full forensic costs. For amounts in excess of £300, the scheme will cover the initial £300 plus 50% of the remainder. The fund has been established to encourage the use of forensic techniques to help solve wildlife crimes and comes under the banner of the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW). Many wildlife cases which make use of forensic analysis would otherwise have failed to reach prosecution stage or be eliminated at an early stage. Founded in 2008, the scheme has already provided money to help support over 60 cases.

ENDS

UPDATE 18.20hrs: RSPB statement on conviction of Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant (here)

Lincolnshire gamekeeper guilty of multiple offences in relation to deaths of red kite and buzzards

Another trial and yet another gamekeeper convicted of offences relating to the illegal killing of birds of prey.

The trial of gamekeeper John Bryant, in relation to the illegal killing of a red kite and two buzzards, concluded at Lincolnshire Magistrates Court last week where he was convicted of four of ten alleged offences.

Gamekeeper Bryant, 40, of West Ashby, Horncastle, Lincolnshire had been summonsed to court last September following a police investigation into reports of three birds of prey, a red kite and two buzzards, being poisoned and killed over a five year period between 2017 and 2022.

Buzzard photo by Ruth Tingay

Bryant had pleaded not guilty to ten charges (two charges of using a trap to kill or take a wild bird, six charges of possessing an article capable of being used to commit a summary offence, and two charges of contravening health & safety regulations) so he faced trial starting 6th March 2025.

He will be sentenced for the four offences next week when full details of the case and convictions will be published.

UPDATE 20 March 2025: Lincolnshire gamekeeper John Bryant sentenced for crimes relating to raptor persecution – police statement (here).

DEFRA endorses Natural England’s recommendations for a presumption AGAINST the issuing of licences for taking wild birds of prey for falconry

Some good news for birds of prey! DEFRA has endorsed Natural England’s recommendations for a presumption AGAINST the issuing of licences for taking birds of prey from the wild for falconry and aviculture.

A licensing policy review was undertaken by Natural England following the furore in 2020 when NE issued licenses for the removal of young peregrines from the wild for a purported captive-breeding programme.

That news had generated heated arguments both for and against the licences, as reported on Mark Avery’s blog (e.g. see here, here and here). In 2022 NE said that although licences had been issued in 2020, ‘the licenses expired earlier this year with no chicks having been taken‘. It’s not clear why the licences weren’t used.

Young peregrines on a nest ledge. Photo by Ruth Tingay (taken under licence)

In 2022, licences to take birds of prey from the wild were temporarily suspended whilst NE began a fairly comprehensive licensing policy review which included a public consultation with wide stakeholder engagement from the falconry and non-falconry communities. Natural England has published links to various reports resulting from the consultation process, here.

The species most frequently mentioned by those wanting to take birds from the wild for falconry purposes were peregrine (58%), sparrowhawk (58%), merlin (22%) and goshawk (10%). One individual falconer respondent mentioned buzzard and golden eagle. However, many falconer and non-falconer respondents considered the latter two species to be unsuitable for inclusion in a future wild take licensing regime. In the case of golden eagles, it was stated that this was due to their rarity in England. Many falconers also considered merlin to be unsuitable for inclusion due to their rarity.

The consultation process included detailed evidence from the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) about the increase in the legal and illegal trade in peregrines, both for the domestic and international market, and how licensed ‘wild take’ may add to the problem.

Many of you will be familiar with Operation Tantallon, the recent successful multi-agency investigation leading to the subsequent prosecution and conviction of two peregrine launderers in south Scotland who were selling wild Scottish peregrines to wealthy falconers in the Middle East (see here).

The scale of their offending was considerable and I heard at a wildlife crime conference earlier this week that many more cases are currently under investigation as a result of Operation Tantallon.

In October 2023 Natural England’s ‘wild-take’ licensing review came to an end and drew the following conclusions:

  • Wild take is not integral to the present-day practice of falconry or aviculture in England. Few modern falconry texts define falconry as involving the use of ‘wild’ birds of prey and there are limited historical references to the cultural importance of wild take or of  wild-taken birds to British falconers. No clear consensus exists within the falconry community or in the available falconry literature regarding the cultural importance of wild take as a core aspect of falconry practice.
  • Despite rapid growth in the popularity of falconry in recent decades, the available evidence suggests that there are sufficient birds of the relevant species readily available – via captive populations – to meet current demand. There is no evidence of significant inbreeding risks in these captive populations and captive-bred birds are generally considered to perform to a similar standard as wild birds when used for falconry purposes.
  • Most non-falconers are opposed to licenced wild take on ethical grounds and have concerns regarding the potential impacts of falconry and wild take on the conservation and welfare of the species affected. Both falconers and non-falconers are supportive of additional measures to ensure that individuals keeping birds of prey have suitable experience in caring for such birds.
  • Few respondents to the public call for evidence expressed a desire to gain commercially from wild take. However, risks identified relating to the illegal trade in birds of prey nevertheless suggest a need for strict controls on commercial use of such birds alongside improved traceability and other measures to be taken forwards by the responsible agencies. Difficulties in tracing individual birds under current arrangements mean there is a credible risk that the offspring of a wild bird taken under licence could be illegally laundered via commercial breeding operations into the domestic and international trade.

On the basis of the above conclusions, Natural England put forward the following recommendations to DEFRA in late 2023 and advised that a clear policy statement should be published for England setting out the following:

  • That licences permitting the wild take of native birds of prey for falconry or avicultural purposes should not be issued other than in exceptional circumstances;
  • That the commercial use of native birds of prey taken from the wild under a licence issued for falconry or avicultural purposes – and any offspring of such birds –should not be permitted other than in exceptional circumstances; and,
  • That the power to grant licences remains on statute, with the adopted policy (as above) subject to future evidence-based review as required.

These are the recommendations that DEFRA has now endorsed and has implemented the policy of a presumption AGAINST issuing licences to take wild birds of prey for falconry and aviculture.

Natural England has stated that, ‘Whilst the power to grant licences will remain on statute, Defra ministers support the view that licences should not be issued, other than in exceptional circumstances. No evidence was provided during the review process that would support the issuing of licences for any specific exceptional circumstances at the present time‘.

There’s a useful Natural England blog on the subject, here.

For those interested in Natural England’s policy review, it can be read/downloaded here:

Natural England Licensing Review Wild Take of Birds of Prey Policy Options for Falconry and AvicultureDownload

From my personal point of view, this is an excellent decision and is good news for birds of prey in England.

I’ve previously outlined my reasons, here.

50,000 people support the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group’s petition to ban possession of dangerous, raptor-killing pesticides

Many, many thanks to all of you who signed the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group’s (NIRSG) petition calling for a ban on the possession of dangerous, raptor-killing pesticides.

The petition has just passed its target of 50,000 signatures and the NIRSG has issued the following press release:

The NIRSG held a recent Raptor Conference which provided incredible insights into a range of topics locally and globally. Many of the talks raised a consistent theme of targeted persecution of birds of prey. Not least amongst these was the on-going issue in Northern Ireland of the Possession of Dangerous pesticides.

Some of the NIRSG 2025 conference attendees supporting the call for a ban on dangerous, raptor-killing pesticides. Photo by Marc Ruddock

The NIRSG highlighted that 63 raptors have been killed between 2009 and 2023 with a range of poisons, dominated by Carbofuran which has been banned for nearly 25 years. There have been at least 30 buzzards, 16 peregrine falcons, 13 red kites, 3 white tailed eagles and 1 golden eagle all poisoned in this time frame.

This evidence is collated by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime in Northern Ireland (PAW NI) and published in raptor persecution reports, which include ‘hotspots’ of illegal killing of our native birds of prey. These reports are publicly available on the PAWNI webpage available here and also aggregated in the RSPB Bird Crime reports available here.

In 2011, the wildlife legislation in Northern Ireland was strengthened, resulting in increased sentences of £5,000 fines (per offence) and up to 6 months imprisonment. The updated laws included a provision to ban the possession of prescribed ingredients under “Section 15B Possession of pesticides harmful to wildlife” of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 as amended.

As part of that legislation there should have been an attached Order listing the banned chemicals. That list has never been created. Wildlife has continued to be poisoned by these dangerous and banned substances.

The legislation states in Section 15B Part 2: “A prescribed ingredient is one which is prescribed for the purposes of this Article by an order made by the Department; but the Department may not make an order under this Article unless it is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient to do so in the interests of protecting wild birds or wild animals from harm”. [Emphasis added by NIRSG]

There is significant evidence of continued harm from banned pesticides to birds of prey, based on robust post-mortem and laboratory results, which has been published in many reports. We believe it is indeed expedient for Minister Andrew to implement this Order to protect our birds of prey from harm. 50,000 people agree with us. Thank you to everyone who has supported the petition and helped give a voice to our wildlife.

The NIRSG will be seeking a meeting with Minister Andrew Muir to present the petition now that it has surpassed 50,000 signatures.   

ENDS

Buzzard dies from shotgun injuries in Lincolnshire – police appeal for information

Lincolnshire Police posted the following on social media yesterday:

Sadly the beautiful buzzard in the picture has died as a result of being shot.

The bird was found alive on Saturday 4 January at Grainthorpe and taken to the emergency vets where it was treated and later collected by Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue.  The buzzard didn’t survive it’s injuries.  Crime ref 24*10683 refers. 

If is an offence to kill or injure any wild bird.  They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.  It is also an offence to interfere with nests, or remove any chicks or eggs.

DC Aaron Flint from our Rural Crime Action Team said: “I’d like to hear from anyone who has information about the shooting of birds in our county.  Please don’t think it’s not worth reporting, it very much is and helps us to build a picture of this sort of crime.”

If you have any information that will help with this investigation or similar offences, please get in touch by emailing aaron.flint@lincs.police.uk.

Alternatively  contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org.

ENDS

‘Why are birds of prey still being killed in Scotland despite new legislation?’ – special report in The National

The National newspaper published a special report on Monday 16 December 2024 entitled, ‘Why are birds of prey still being killed in Scotland despite new legislation?’, with a particular focus on the Cairngorms National Park.

It’s reproduced below.

SCOTLAND passed the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill earlier this year, introducing a licensing scheme for the grouse shooting industry in a bid to end the illegal killing of birds of prey.

The first licenses were issued this past summer, and while considered a blueprint for tougher legislation across the UK – people are still killing birds of prey on grouse moors, which is not an easy thing to do.

Guilty parties must have access to a vehicle, equipment such as a firearm, opportunity and motive.

“This isn’t people traveling from towns and cities going up onto our hills and randomly killing birds of prey. These are targeted offences,” Ian Thomson, investigations manager for the RSPB, told The National.

But why? And who would do this?

Why are grouse moor shootings still taking place?

A Hen Harrier disappeared in February. A buzzard was shot in Perthshire in mid-May. An osprey was shot in the Glen Doll area in August. A dead golden eagle was found in a plastic bag near Loch Rusky in November.

In the last 15 years, more than 1500 birds of prey have been killed, with 57 convictions. However, the majority of these sentences are suspended, and only one person has been jailed.

Most of the evidence gathered by investigators is from satellite tags, fitted to allow conservationists to monitor the movements around the country.

The technology is estimated to be about 97% reliable, and “very rarely suffers some sort of technical function”, according to Thomson.

“Often we believe that there is strong evidence that supports the fact that these birds are being shot often at night, the tags destroyed, and the carcass is disposed of,” Thomson said.

The RSPB investigations team assists Police Scotland by speaking to local land managers and liaising with the community if a tag stops working. When asked why anyone would target the birds, even with the new legislation in place, Thomson said: “The killings are being undertaken by people who are working on the land.

“That’s the reality, and the vast majority of raptor persecution offenses occurring in Scotland are linked to management for kind of game bird shooting and particularly grouse shooting.

“There are many layers of evidence that support that.

“First of all, the location of the incidents that are found. Whether its birds shot, birds poisoned, or nests destroyed, these are all subject to police investigations.

“A significant proportion of people convicted for raptor persecution offenses have been gamekeepers,” Thomson shared.

RSPB data shows that at least 54% of all confirmed incidents in the last 10 years (2014-2023) have been linked to land managed for pheasant, partridge and grouse shooting.

The association of these crimes with the gamebird industry is also evidenced by criminal court records. Of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution related offences from 2009 to 2023, 75% were connected to the gamebird shooting industry and 68% were gamekeepers.

The Angus Glens crime hotspot

Angus Glens in the Cairngorms is a hotspot for the number of raptor persecution in Scotland, with the Highlands having 69 since 2009.

There have been multiple confirmed incidents occurring on several estates in the area. This includes many poisoning incidents using chemicals whose possession was long banned, repeated illegal misusing abuse of crow traps and pole traps, shootings and destruction of nests.

Earlier this year, NatureScot placed restrictions on an estate on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park for three years following evidence of bird poisoning on the property.

Thomson said there had been 10 suspicious disappearances of satellite tags on birds of prey in the Angus Glen in the last 15 years.

There has been a peregrine, and an osprey shot since the start of the shooting season in Angus Glens this year, which Thomson described as “worrying”.

The law as it has stood since 2012 has been serious liability, which means landowners are responsible for the actions of their employees and the land.

So are landowners aware of the circumstances surrounding raptor persecutions on their land?

A wall of silence

The first licenses under the new bill were approved this past July, but Thomson noted there would have been no need for it had the industry “taken possession of this problem decades ago”.

He added: “I think had the industry rooted out criminals, then we wouldn’t have needed this sort of legislation moved on.

“We are in a situation where some Victorian management practices towards birds of prey persist. It really is time that the shooting industry got into the 21st century.”

Thomson said it was rare for estates to report raptor persecutions.

When asked whether estates may be protecting or turning a blind eye to those who target birds of prey, Thomson said he could not confirm but he and his team frequently hear of peer pressure within estates to keep reporting low, adding that crimes are rarely reported by the industry.

“The problem is the game keeping industry is used to operating a bit like a closed shop,” Thomson said.

“It’s very difficult. There is no whistleblowing culture, and it would be fantastic if organizations representing gamekeepers set up a scheme where people could report incidents taking place and those are passed on to the police.

“But that just never seems to happen. Exceedingly rare truths are told.”

Thomson revealed that gamekeepers come to the team sharing their worries and are “terrified” to come forward.

“They say to us this information can’t come from me because I may lose my job and I may lose my friends and I may lose my hobby. People are under considerable pressure to keep their mouths shut,” he said.

“Either people won’t see anything or there is just a culture of denial.”

Thomson described “efforts to deny or downplay” incidents, and said that when satellite tags start to disappear, people blame “imaginary wind farms” or factors, dismissing science and evidence of crimes.

“It’s a mix of cultural misinformation, a wall of silence and complete denial”, Thomson added.

ENDS

For those who are sick to the back teeth of birds of prey being illegally killed on grouse moors, you might want to sign this new petition from Wild Justice calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting – HERE.

Multiple birds of prey found dead in suspicious circumstances – police appeal for information & warn public of potential poisoning danger

Nottinghamshire Police have issued an appeal for information after the discovery of ‘several dead birds of prey that were seen in suspicious and unnatural circumstances‘ near to the village of Bunny, in the Rushcliffe borough of south Nottinghamshire on Tuesday 10th December 2024.

They said: “We are appealing for the public’s help if you have seen any suspicious animal carcasses while out walking please report them to police and do not allow dogs or other animals to touch them as they may be poisoned.

If you have any information which might assist enquiries it can be reported online or via 101 quoting occurrence number 24000745675“.

They haven’t provided any further detail such as the species involved although their social media post was illustrated with an image of a buzzard.

Buzzard photo by Ruth Tingay

This is an excellent response from Nottinghamshire Police, not only to gather information during the early phase of an investigation but especially to warn the public of the risk of potential poisons being used that could be a danger to people and their pets.

Hopefully Nottinghamshire Police will provide an update once post mortems and toxicology tests have been undertaken.

Inadequate response by Scottish Minister Jim Fairlie to parliamentary question on use & abuse of rodenticides

Last month conservation campaign group Wild Justice published a detailed report on the impact of the mis-use and abuse of second generation rodenticides (SGARs) on red kites and buzzards in England and the failure of the Government’s Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme, which had been set up in 2016 to reduce the amount of rodenticides in wildlife (see here for press release and a copy of the Wild Justice report, ‘Collateral Damage‘).

Brodifacoum bait station illegally set on the edge of a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Photo by Ruth Tingay
Brodifacoum. Photo by Ruth Tingay

On the back of the publication of Wild Justice’s report, Scottish Greens MSP Ariane Burgess lodged the following parliamentary question on 19th November 2024:

Question reference S6W-31459

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the latest report, Collateral Damage, by the UK campaign group, Wild Justice, which states that the Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme in England “is a failed scheme”, and other reports that have indicated increased exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides in common buzzards in Scotland, whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the rodenticide scheme in Scotland.

The question was answered by Agricultural Minister Jim Fairlie on 3rd December 2024:

The Scottish Government continues to contribute to UK-wide monitoring of rodenticide use and exposure in wildlife. There is evidence that many users of rodenticides are complying with the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use’s (CRRU) Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS), and that in Scotland rodenticide use in agriculture has substantially declined since the introduction of the scheme. But, despite this, recent environmental data for Scotland indicate that it has not yet achieved the aim of significantly reducing wildlife exposure.

Both the UK Government Oversight Group, which includes Scottish Government representation, and CRRU have acknowledged that rodenticide residues in UK wildlife have not declined as hoped. The RSS is being updated firstly to ban the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) bromadiolone and difenacoum for open area use from the end of this year. This means no SGARs will be available for open area use; this is also intended to reduce accidental or deliberate misuse of other products in open areas. Secondly, training requirements for the farming sector are also being brought in line with other sectors from end 2025 to ensure a consistent level of professional training across all sectors and reduce the risk of poor practice.

Whilst it’s true that legal authorisation is being rescinded for the use of the SGARs Bromadiolone and Difenacoum in open areas (see press release on this from June 2023, here), it is very clear from the Wild Justice report that the total increase of SGAR exposure in red kites and buzzards in England is being driven by a dramatic increase in the use/mis-use of Brodifacoum, not by Bromadiolone or Difenacoum.

Fig 3 from Wild Justice’s Collateral Damage report (p8) showing the percentage of buzzards and red kites analysed by the WIIS that contained different concentrations of Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone and Difenacoum.

Brodifacoum is the dominant SGAR being found in birds of prey and is more toxic than Bromadiolone and Difenacoum. It used to be restricted to internal use only, until the Government decided to relax that regulation and permit its use ‘in and around buildings’ – a regulation that is obviously being breached routinely given the high levels of exposure in birds of prey (e.g. here).

From January 2025, Bromadiolone and Difenacoum will also be permitted for use ‘in and around buildings’, but there are no proposed tighter rules on the use of Brodifacoum.

Minister Fairlie suggests that a restriction against any use in open areas of any SGAR is intended to reduce accidental or deliberate mis-use of other products in open areas and that new training requirements for all users (not just professional pest controllers) will ‘reduce the risk of poor practice’.

I suppose he’s thinking that this standardisation will remove any supposed ‘confusion’ between the use of different products. However, given that Brodifacoum is already supposedly restricted to use only ‘in and around buildings’, yet has been used with increasing frequency by gamekeepers for targeting birds of prey, Wild Justice argues that the new legal restrictions are unlikely to improve things significantly.

The Wild Justice report suggests that a better option is to return Brodifacoum to its pre-April 2016 approval status, so that it can be used in strict ‘internal areas’ within buildings, and to limit its use to professional pest control companies.

For those who might have missed it, Wild Justice’s Collateral Damage report can be read/downloaded here:

collateral_damage_wild_justice-report-nov2024Download

Lincolnshire man faces trial in relation to poisoned red kite & buzzards

Further to the blog on 30 September 2024 (here) and 17 October 2024 (here), a trial date has been set for a Lincolnshire man in relation to the discovery of a poisoned red kite and two buzzards between 2017 and 2022.

Buzzard photo by Ruth Tingay

John Bryant, 40, of West Ashby, Horncastle, appeared at Boston Magistrates Court on 20 November 2024 where he pleaded not guilty to two charges of using a trap to kill or take a wild bird, six charges of possessing an article capable of being used to commit a summary offence, and two charges of contravening health & safety regulations.

Mr Bryant was released on unconditional bail and a trial date was set for 6 March 2025.

NB: As this case is live comments are turned off until criminal proceedings have concluded.

UPDATE 12 March 2025: Lincolnshire gamekeeper guilty of multiple offences in relation to deaths of red kite and buzzards (here)