Tag: buzzard

Suspected shooting of a buzzard in North York Moors National Park – police appeal for information

Press release from North Yorkshire Police (23 April 2024):

SUSPECTED SHOOTING OF A BUZZARD ON NORTH YORK MOORS

Our Rural Task Force is appealing for information following the suspected shooting of a buzzard in the North York Moors National Park.

The Buzzard is thought to have been killed near to Laskill, Bilsdale, on Thursday 4 April, and we’re appealing for anyone who saw any suspicious people or vehicles in the area to please come forward.

Buzzard. Photo by Pete Walkden

Buzzards and all other birds of prey are legally protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. To intentionally kill or injure one is a criminal offence which could result in an unlimited fine or up to six months in jail.

If you have any information that could help please email tom.gaunt@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Tom Gaunt.

If you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org

Please quote NYP reference 12240059635 when passing on information.

ENDS

This is a bit of an odd press release. The appeal for information is in relation to a ‘suspected shooting’ so I guess we can assume an injured/dead buzzard wasn’t found otherwise it’d have been x-rayed which would have confirmed whether it’d been shot or not.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that another buzzard had been shot here though. This so-called National Park, where the landscape is dominated by driven grouse moors, is a well-known hot bed of raptor persecution where there are repeated crimes against birds of prey, mostly involving shooting or poisoning (e.g. here, here, here, here, here, here, here).

Buzzard shot & killed near Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Police are appealing for information after the discovery of a shot buzzard that was found dead in the East Morton area of Bradford, which is on the edge of Ilkley Moor.

Buzzard. Photo by Andy Howard

The buzzard was found last Wednesday (17 April 2024).

Anyone with information should call the police on Tel 101, quoting incident reference: 13240209470.

Prosecution rate for crimes against birds of prey less than 4% – Sky News

This weekend Sky News ran several pieces about raptor persecution and how the wildlife killers are getting with these crimes, with a prosecution rate of less than 4%.

They produced a written piece (here) featuring quotes from the RSPB’s Investigations Team and they also conducted several interviews, one with Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer, one with Mark Thomas, Head of RSPB Investigations and one with Chris Packham.

The interview with Mark Thomas showed some covert video footage by the RSPB showing two gamekeepers removing live buzzards from a crow cage trap, putting them inside fertiliser sacks, tying the top and putting the bags inside a vehicle. It doesn’t show what happened to them next but you can probably imagine; there have been enough previous cases where gamekeepers have been caught on camera bludgeoning trapped birds of prey to death (e.g. see here, here, here) to make an educated guess. These earlier convictions probably explain why these days its common to see the trapped birds being removed from the trap and taken away, presumably to be killed away from potential covert cameras. It’s also telling that the gamekeepers involved in more recent cases typically wear face masks in an attempt to hide their identities. They’ve learned from the mistakes of others.

As Mark discusses during the interview, it’s not an offence to catch birds of prey in crow cage traps – they often get in and can’t then find a way out. If the trap operator releases them, unharmed, immediately after discovering them, then no offence has been committed. Putting them inside a sack and taking them away is a clear offence and is indicative of further offences (i.e. killing the birds elsewhere).

This particular footage hasn’t previously been published, and there’s a reason for that. I’ll return to this case in a separate blog.

I can’t find the full interviews in one place but there are various clips that can be watched via Twitter, which I’ve linked below.

Prosecution continues against Ashley Game Farm Director Christopher Hodgson after discovery of poisoned buzzard, baits & other pesticide offences

The prosecution continues of Christopher Hodgson, Director of Ashley Game Farm in Devon following the discovery of a poisoned buzzard and two poisoned baits.

The discovery, in October 2020, led to a multi-agency raid of the premises in March 2021 with assistance from Natural England, RSPB and the NWCU (see here) and which identified a number of alleged pesticide and veterinary medicine offences at the address.

Multi-agency search team attended Ashley Game Farm in March 2021. Photo: RSPB Investigations

I understand that the prosecution is against Christopher Hodgson as well as against his company, Ashley Game Farm.

Ashley Game Farm is an exceptionally large breeding facility that, according to its website, ‘specialises in supplying pheasants and partridges to shoots in the west country and all areas of the UK and Europe‘. It claims to have ‘a hatching capacity for 410,000 eggs per week along with further investment in a second location at Tarrington, Hereford‘ and ‘retains around 80,000 chicks at Ashley Game Farm every week‘.

Ashley Game Farm Director and owner Christopher Hodgson, 69, was due in court in Barnstaple on Friday 2 February 2024 to face multiple charges in relation to the alleged use of Carbofuran and the alleged possession, storage and use of various plant protection and veterinary medicine products without authorisation at the game farm.

Mr Hodgson has not yet entered a plea.

The case has now been adjourned until 28 May 2024.

As this case is still live, comments won’t be accepted on this blog until criminal proceedings have concluded. Thanks for your understanding.

UPDATE 28 May 2024: Devon gamebird breeder guilty of using banned pesticide Carbofuran (here).

UPDATE 20 July 2024: Poisoned buzzard leads to discovery of multiple pesticide offences – Ashley Game Farm & Director Christopher Hodgson fined £40,000+ (here)

Prominent Devon gamebird breeder due in court to face multiple charges after discovery of poisoned baits & poisoned buzzard

A prominent gamebird breeder is due in court this week to face multiple charges following the discovery of a poisoned buzzard and two poisoned baits at Ashley Game Farm in Chulmleigh, Devon in October 2020.

The dead buzzard and the two pheasant carcasses, which were discovered by a member of the public, all tested positive for Carbofuran.

Following these toxicology results, Devon & Cornwall Police led a multi-agency raid at Ashley Game Farm in March 2021 with assistance from Natural England, RSPB and the NWCU (see here) which identified a number of pesticide and veterinary medicine offences at the address.

Multi-agency search team attended Ashley Game Farm in March 2021. Photo: RSPB Investigations

Ashley Game Farm is an exceptionally large breeding facility that, according to its website, ‘specialises in supplying pheasants and partridges to shoots in the west country and all areas of the UK and Europe‘. It claims to have ‘a hatching capacity for 410,000 eggs per week along with further investment in a second location at Tarrington, Hereford‘ and ‘retains around 80,000 chicks at Ashley Game Farm every week‘.

Ashley Game Farm Director and owner Christopher Hodgson, 69, is due in court in Barnstaple on Friday 2 February 2024 to face multiple charges in relation to the alleged use of Carbofuran and the alleged possession, storage and use of various plant protection and veterinary medicine products without authorisation at the game farm.

I think this is Hodgson’s first appearance so he hasn’t yet entered a plea.

As this case is now live, comments won’t be accepted on this blog until criminal proceedings have concluded. Thanks for your understanding.

UPDATE 9 February 2024: Prosecution continues against Ashley Game Farm Director Christopher Hodgson after discovery of poisoned buzzard, baits & other pesticide offences (here).

Bird rescue owner in Wales receives lifetime ban after pleading guilty to six animal welfare offences

The owner of Caerphilly Bird Rescue in Wales has been handed a suspended prison sentence and a lifetime ban from keeping animals after pleading guilty to six animal welfare offences.

Carol Gravenor, 67, of Coed Main, Caerphilly, was charged after 26 birds, including pigeons, blackbirds, crows, jackdaws, a peregrine falcon, and a buzzard, were found in an unsuitable and unhygienic environment.

An RSPCA inspector found the birds with injuries and illnesses which had not been treated properly, including fractured wings and damaged eyes and legs.

This peregrine was found in a small filthy cage with no water. Photo: RSPCA

Mrs Gravenor appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on Thursday January 11, where she was given a 14-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay £300 and a £154 victim surcharge.

This article in the Caerphilly Observer (dated 12 January 2024) provides a report from the RSPCA inspector about what was found at the sanctuary and an explanation from Mrs Gravenor’s solicitor about how she’d become ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘swamped’ following the death of her husband in 2021.

The birds were removed from the premises on 11 April 2023 and most had to be euthanised on welfare grounds.

Buzzard suffers shotgun injuries in Essex – the 8th known raptor persecution victim in this county in recent years

Essex Police is appealing for information after the discovery of a shot buzzard found injured in a field near to Layer Wood /Layer Marney on 29th December 2023.

An x-ray shows the buzzard’s humerus bone had been shattered with a shotgun pellet, suggesting it was shot close to where it was found:

Photos from Essex Police

The buzzard is still alive and is being cared for by a local wildlife rescue centre.

Essex Police has launched an investigation – any witnesses or anyone with information please contact Essex Police on Tel 101 and quote incident number 42/2817/24.

This latest raptor persecution victim is the 8th in Essex in recent years, following 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).

Leicestershire man receives 12 month community order for illegal possession of dead protected species, including 8 raptors

In October 2023, Kelvin Birtles of Saffron Road, Wigston appeared at Leicester Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to three offences – the possession of two dead badgers (in breach of the Protection of Badgers Act), the possession of two dead otters (in breach of the Wildlife & Countryside Act) and the possession of nine dead birds including three buzzards, four tawny owls, one barn owl and one swan, which were all found in his freezer during a joint police and trading standards raid in April 2023. Sentencing was deferred for background reports (see blog here).

Buzzard photo by Andy Howard

Birtle re-appeared at Leicester Magistrates Court on 15th November 2023 where he told the court he didn’t know he needed a licence, that some of the items were for his taxidermy hobby, and that some had been roadkill that he’d removed from near a school because ‘he didn’t want kids to see them smashed up on the road’.

He received a 12 month community order requiring him to carry out 120 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £114 victim surcharge.

Source: Leicestershire Live website

Leicestershire man pleads guilty to possession of 8 raptors & other protected wildlife found in his freezer

A Leicestershire man has been convicted for the possession of protected wildlife that was discovered in his freezer during a joint police and trading standards raid in April 2023.

Kelvin Birtles of Saffron Road, Wigston, pleaded guilty to three offences – the possession of two dead badgers (in breach of the Protection of Badgers Act), the possession of two dead otters (in breach of the Wildlife & Countryside Act) and the possession of nine dead birds including three buzzards, four tawny owls, one barn owl and one swan.

Buzzard photo: Steve Robinson

The body parts of other animals were also found during the raid, including  llamas, piglets, a pheasant and a horse, although as these are not protected species, their possession isn’t an offence.

Birtles had claimed all the animals were roadkill and that he hadn’t killed them himself. Even if that’s true, possession of protected species is still an offence.

District Judge Jonathan Straw ordered a probation report and deferred sentencing until 15th November.

Source: Leicestershire Live

UPDATE 30 December 2023: Leicestershire man receives 12 month community order for illegal possession of dead protected species, including 8 raptors (here)

Buzzard shot in North York Moors National Park didn’t survive its injuries

Two days ago I wrote about a buzzard that had been shot and critically injured in the North York Moors National Park – the latest in a long line of victims in that grouse moor-dominated landscape (see here).

The buzzard was found with shotgun injuries. Photo: North Yorkshire Police

As ever, it was left to wildlife rehabilitator Jean Thorpe and veterinary experts at Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic to pick up the pieces and attempt to save its life.

Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the buzzard didn’t make it. Jean posted the following poignant message on social media yesterday: