Tag: poisoning

Community action after golden eagle ‘Alma’ found poisoned on Millden Estate, Perthshire

Local residents are outraged at the poisoning of golden eagle ‘Alma’, who was found dead on the Millden Estate in Glen Esk in July 2009.

Members of Inveresk Community Council are now writing to the three Estates in Glenesk (Millden Estate, Gannochy Estate and Invermark Estate), as well as the Scottish Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham and the Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage, Andrew Thin, to express their concern about the alleged use of lethal illegal poisonous baits in the area.

Brechin Community Council vice-convenor, David Adam, who was at the meeting and raised the issue, said: “I think we are all quite shocked about this. I think it is fairly conclusive that the bird was poisoned and that the bird was poisoned in Glen Esk. These birds are an extremely important part of our heritage”.

Inveresk Community Council chairperson, Charlie Simpson, commented: “To poison such creatures goes totally against the nature of Scotland”.

http://www.brechinadvertiser.co.uk/top/Community-action-follows-death-of.5558572.jp

At the time of the discovery of the dead eagle, police conducted searches, under warrant, of gamekeepers’ cottages and vehicles on the Millden Estate. No arrests have been made. Tayside Police claim this is an on-going investigation, which probably means this crime will remain unsolved and the criminal(s) unpunished, like so many other reported poisoning incidents in this region and elsewhere in Scotland.

This is Alma as a chick, at her nest on the Glenfeshie Estate in 2007, being tagged by Roy Dennis
   
Two years later, Alma is dead after visiting grouse moors in Glen Esk

“Eagles have no place on my grouse moor”, allegedly said former Laird of Fordie Estate, Perthshire

It is often said that gamekeepers only persecute raptors because they are acting upon the orders of their employer, and fear losing their job and often a tied cottage if they refuse. Here is an example of an estate manager who refused.

Ian Thomas (42) had worked on the Fordie Estate near Comrie, Perthshire for 15 years, when the estate was bought by former banker Lord Anthony Tryon (former husband of Lady ‘Kanga’ Tryon). During an inspection of his newly-acquired grouse moor, Lord Tryon allegedly became irritated at finding piles of grouse feathers indicating kills by birds of prey. According to Ian Thomas, Lord Tryon allegedly said, “Eagles have no place on my grouse moor” and “I have bought an estate and I will do what I like”.

Thomas claims that he was instructed by Lord Tryon to shoot a golden eagle and use illegal poisons to rid the estate of other raptors. Thomas refused and reported him to the authorities, saying he felt “morally obliged” to blow the whistle. Thomas claimed he was constructively dismissed after being branded a trouble-maker by Tryon and took his claim to an employment tribunal.

To avoid giving evidence in court, Tryon made an undisclosed settlement to his former estate manager in 2004.

Full story: http://news.scotsman.com/birdsofprey/Shooting-row-laird-agrees-to.2526404.jp

The Fordie Estate was bought from Lord Tryon in 2009 and is now owned by designer luggage tycoon, Luis Vuitton. The Fordie Estate is one of eight estates in Perthshire who have joined the Countrywatch Partnership, working to protect three key raptor species in the area (golden eagle, hen harrier and peregrine).

Thomas has gone on to establish his own forestry consultancy business. Here is a man with whom it’s worth doing business.

Gamekeeper guilty of offences on Stanhope estate, Peebleshire

Following an anonymous complaint about alleged posioning offences on the Stanhope Estate, Peebleshire, police obtained a search warrant for a gamekeeper’s house. During the search they found Cymag gas, .275 ammunition and his shotguns were not secured inside a gun cabinet.

Following an appearance at Peebles Sheriff Court, the 31 year old keeper (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) had his shotgun and firearms licence revoked. However, the court did not fine him or make him pay any costs, he was just admonished (given advice!) by the Sheriff.

Two Peregrine Chicks Poisoned in the Nest

 03 August 2007.  Grampian Police are appealing for information following the discovery of two poisoned four week old peregrine falcon chicks in their nest in the Inverurie area.

Peregrine chicks
The birds were discovered at the end of May when members of the North East Raptor Study Group visited the nest to ring and weigh the birds.

The two chicks had full crops and, following a post mortem examination and toxicology report, it was discovered that their food source was contaminated with an illegal pesticide, resulting in their death.

Peregrines are a “Schedule One” bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and are specially protected. New penalties for killing peregrines include up to a £10,000 fine or 12 months in prison.

Dave MacKinnon, Force Wildlife Crime Officer for Grampian Police said: “We are unable to give the exact location of the nest as these birds are specially protected. What I can say is that it appears the chicks had been fed poisoned bait by their parents, laced with a banned pesticide.

Red kites poisoned in Callander, Perthshire

A young male red kite found dead by the side of the road in Callander, Perthshire, in July 2007 had been illegally posioned. Sadly, it wasn’t an isolated incident. A few weeks earlier, two red kite chicks had been found closeby. Tests revealed that one chick had definitely been poisoned; the body of the 2nd chick was too decomposed for analysis. The chicks were unrelated to the dead adult kite.

http://www.centralscotland.police.uk/localpolicing/stirling_dunblane_lochearnhead.php?news_id=3568

Eight buzzards killed in suspected poisonings

Irish Times May 6th 2009. Eight buzzards have been killed in suspected poisoning incidents in the northeast in the last two months. The National Parks Wildlife Service (NPWS) said yesterday it was investigating the discovery of buzzard carcasses on farmlands in north Dublin, Louth and Meath.

The broad-winged birds of prey have only recently re-established themselves in Ireland after becoming extinct in the early 20th century through poisoning and hunting. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0506/1224245993542.html

Gamekeeper guilty of killing buzzard on Blakehope Estate, Scottish Borders

A Scottish Borders gamekeeper was convicted of killing a buzzard, setting a poisoned bait and possessing 3 proscribed pesticides on 25 October 2005.

The gamekeeper (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) at Blakehope Estate in the Borders pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on 14 December 2006 to five offences under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

He was sentenced to 100 hours community service.

Readers could be forgiven for thinking Sheriff Woody had left Toy Story for a day’s work at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Poisoner on Isle of Lewis given pathetic £50 fine

The poisoned golden eagle found on Lewis in July 2005, killed by Carbofuran

An Isle of Lewis crofter was convicted of possessing Carbofuran at his home on 25 November 2005. At Stornoway Sheriff Court on 26 July 2006, John Mackenzie pleaded guilty to possession of a proscribed pesticide under Section 15(A) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. He was fined just £50.

A staggeringly pathetic fine, hot on the heels of the discovery of a dead golden eagle found on Lewis in July 2005 that had been poisoned with Carbofuran.

Two gamekeepers guilty of poisoning offences on Oxnam Estate, Jedburgh

Two Scottish Borders gamekeepers were convicted of possessing proscribed pesticides at Oxnam Estate, Jedburgh, on 22 June 2005.

At Jedburgh Sheriff Court on 14 May 2006, Gamekeeper A (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) pleaded guilty to possession of Cymag and Carbofuran, for he which he was respectively fined £100 and admonished.

Gamekeeper B (name removed under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) pleaded guilty to possession of Carbofuran and was fined £100.

These were all offences under Section 15(A) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. A fitting punishment and a strong deterrent? The scales of justice seem a wee bit unbalanced.

Gamekeeper convicted of crimes on Innes House Estate, Moray

Police raided Innes House Estate near Elgin, Moray in November 2006 after dying buzzards and crows were seen in a nearby field. Later laboratory testing confirmed the birds carried traces of Carbofuran.

At Elgin Sheriff Court on 30 April 2007, head gamekeeper Michael Royan was found guilty of possessing proscribed pesticides (Carbofuran, Cymag & Alphachloralose) and he was also convicted of a firearms offence. He was fined £1,000.

According to the 2010 Innes House Estate website, Michael Royan is still employed as Head Gamekeeper.