Tag: red kite

Young red kite poisoned in Cumbria

Cumbria Police are investigating the posioning of a red kite – the third kite to be killed in the region since a re-introduction project began last August.

The first dead kite from the project was shot dead in Dentdale in September 2010. The second dead kite had been killed by a shotgun wound in the Grizedale area, found under its roost tree on April 20 2011. The latest reported dead kite was discovered in January 2011 near Esthwaite Water, Hawkshead. Toxicology results have now confirmed this bird had been poisoned.

News story here

More on the Moy case

According to an article published in The Scotsman (view here), a post mortem carried out on the dead red kite discovered in the vehicle used by gamekeeper James Rolfe on Moy Estate last June, revealed it had broken legs and had died as a result of a blow to the head. Rolfe was convicted for being in possession of the dead kite. Why weren’t charges brought against anyone for the unlawful killing of this bird?

In the same article, it is reported that over a five-week period, the remains of a further two dead red kites, six illegal baited spring traps, a trapped hen harrier, and a poison bait laced with a banned agricultural pesticide (poison) were also recovered from the estate. No arrests or charges have been made in connection with these incidents.

Why not?

In an article in Birdwatch Magazine, further gruesome details are revealed about the discovery of a severed red kite leg and wing tags belonging to a red kite that was being followed by satellite tracking, all hidden in holes covered by moss. The article also reports that four golden eagle leg rings were discovered in Rolfe’s possession. No arrests or charges have been made in connection with these incidents.

Why not?

You may wish to ask the following people:

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service: pn_copfs@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Northern Constabulary Force Wildlife Crime Co-ordinator, Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss: matthew.reiss@northern.pnn.police.uk

Environment Minister for Scotland, Stewart Stevenson MSP: msp@stewartstevenson.net

Moy Estate results

Today at Inverness Sheriff Court, gamekeeper James Roderick Rolfe, 20, was convicted of being in possession of a dead red kite which was found in his vehicle during a police raid on the Moy Estate in June last year. Rolfe said he had found the kite caught in a trap set for stoats. It had not been poisoned. Rolfe was fined £1,500 for possession of the dead bird.

The images here show the dead kite in the back of his vehicle. No explanation has been given to account for the obvious injury this bird suffered to its head area. According to the Inverness Courier, Rolfe claimed the bird was already dead when he found it.

Another gamekeeper working on Moy Estate was accused of being in possession of 56 gull eggs. The court accepted his plea of not guilty.

Northern Constabulary press statement

Inverness Courier news report

Adjournment #4 in case against Moy gamekeepers

The case against Moy gamekeepers James Roderick Rolfe and Wayne Grant was heard at Inverness Sheriff Court today. No plea was taken and the case has been adjourned for the 4th time. It will continue on 26 May 2011.

Both men face charges under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Rolfe is accused of possessing a dead red kite at the Gate Lodge, Moy on 3 June 2010. Grant is accused of having 56 black-headed gull eggs in an outbuilding at his home on the same date.

For background info on this case please see blog posts 3 June 2010, 4 June 2010, 23 March 2011, 8 April 2011 and 5 May 2011.

2nd Red kite shot in Cumbria

Another one of the red kites reintroduced to Cumbria last year has been found shot dead, according to the BBC. This is the second kite from this group to have been killed this way in an 8-month period. The bird was killed by a single shot-gun blast and police are now investigating.

Border Regional News video story: http://www.itv.com/border/red-kite-shot-dead37788/

BBC news story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13429000

Case against Moy gamekeepers adjourned for 3rd time

Further to blog posts 3rd June 2010, 4th June 2010, 23rd March 2011 and 8th April 2011…

The case against Moy Estate gamekeepers Wayne Grant and James Rolfe was today adjourned for the third time at Inverness Sheriff Court. Neither of the accused made an appearance and the case continues without plea on 19 May 2011.

Latest on Moy Estate case

Surprise surprise! The Moy Estate case has been adjourned for a second time. Gamekeepers Wayne Grant and James Roderick Rolfe, facing charges under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, did not attend the court hearing yesterday at Inverness Sheriff Court, and no plea was entered. Their case has been adjourned until 5 May 2011, again at Inverness Sheriff Court.

For background reading to this case, see blog posts 3 June 2010, 4 June 2010 and 23 March 2011.

Five separate poisoning incidents unreported at end of 2010

Earlier this month, PAW Scotland released the ‘2010 poisoning hotspots’ maps as part of their annual reporting. Along with the maps, they released a report called ‘Bird of Prey Poisoning Incidents 2006 to 2010 – Incident Details’. Here is a PDF of that report: 0114784

The name is a bit of a misnomer, as the ‘incident details’ are about as vague as you can get. However, the report does have its uses. There appear to be five separate poisoning incidents that took place between October and December 2010 that were not apparently reported/publicised in the press; three incidents in Tayside and one each in Lothian & Borders and Strathclyde. An internet search has failed to locate any information about these cases. Why do you think Tayside Police, Lothian Police, Strathclyde Police, and the RSPB (if they were involved in the investigation) were so quiet about these incidents?

Ref 10192: 1 buzzard poisoned by carbofuran, 2 pigeon baits. Oct 2010, Tayside.

Ref 10196: 2 buzzards poisoned by carbofuran isofenphos. Oct 2010, Tayside.

Ref: 10204: 1 buzzard poisoned by carbofuran. Nov 2010, Lothian & Borders.

Ref 10206: 1 buzzard poisoned by carbofuran, 1 pheasant bait. Nov 2010, Strathclyde.

Ref 10225: 1 red kite poisoned by chloralose. Dec 2010, Tayside.

Update on Moy Estate case

Following our blog posts on 3 June 2010 and 4 June 2010…….

According to an article published in the Press & Journal last week, two men will appear at Inverness Sheriff Court next month to face charges following the police raid on Moy Estate last June.

Gamekeepers James Rolfe (now 20), of The Gate Lodge, Moy, and Wayne Grant (now 32), of Limetree Cottage, Moy, are charged with offences under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. Rolfe is accused of possessing a dead red kite at the Gate Lodge, Moy, on June 3 2010, while Grant is charged with having 56 black-headed gull eggs in an out-building at his home on the same date.

The case was called at Inverness Sheriff Court last week but neither defendant was at the hearing. Fiscal depute Karen Smith said that lawyers for the two men had asked for the case to be continued without plea. The case was adjourned until 7 April 2011.

Thank you to the contributor who sent us a copy of this newspaper article. We have been unable to find an on-line link.

illegal poisoning hampers red kite population growth in Scotland

On the face of it, Scotland’s red kite population appears to be doing well. Red kites used to be a common and widespread feature of our countryside, but became extinct in almost the entire United Kingdom in the early 1900s, after gamekeepers persecuted them to oblivion. A national reintroduction project began in 1989, bringing kites from mainland Europe and releasing them at strategic locations throughout the country.

Figures just released from the 2010 breeding season show that in Scotland, the numbers of breeding pairs are thought to be at their highest level since the project began in 1989. 166 breeding pairs were located, and 291 young fledged – an increase on 2009 figures.

However, recent scientific research has shown that the Scottish red kite population is not growing as rapidly as a similar reintroduced population in southern England, mainly due to the continued use of illegal posion being laid out in the Scottish countryside. As kites are a scavenging species, they are particularly susceptible to feeding from poisoned baits. At least 6 red kites were poisoned in Scotland in 2010 – and these were just the ones that were found. The illegal poisons Carbofuran and Aldicarb were responsible for their deaths. We also know about several more red kites that had been found dead in suspicious circumstances but that the police chose not to investigate. In addition to the illegal poisoned baits, 11 young kites died after eating prey that contained high concentrations of legal rodenticide. Although legal, there are still precautions needed when using rodenticides and efforts are being made to ensure that those people using this method of poison are fully aware of the user guidelines, especially about placement of the bait.

In addition to illegal and legal poisoning, in recent years Scottish red kites have also been killed illegally by being shot, and by being caught by the legs on a spring trap and being clubbed to death.

BBC News story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-12088673