Tag: shooting

98 hen harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors

Regular blog readers will know that I keep a running total of the number of hen harriers that ‘disappear’ in suspicious circumstances or have been found illegally killed, since 2018.

This morning the total was 95 (see here) but this number has just increased to 98 after it was pointed out to me that three more hen harriers that vanished in 2019 hadn’t been included on my list (many thanks to the person who alerted me to these omissions).

The three harriers (Ingmar, Artemis & DeeCee) were all tagged by the RSPB as part of the Hen Harrier LIFE Project.

I’ve now updated the list (below) and here is the blog I always write when more victims are added…

For anyone who still wants to pretend that the grouse shooting industry isn’t responsible for the systematic extermination of hen harriers on grouse moors across the UK, here’s the latest catalogue of crime that suggests otherwise.

[This male hen harrier died in 2019 after his leg was almost severed in an illegally set trap that had been placed next to his nest on a Scottish grouse moor (see here). Photo by Ruth Tingay]

This is the blog I now publish after every reported killing or suspicious disappearance.

“They disappear in the same way political dissidents in authoritarian dictatorships have disappeared” (Stephen Barlow, 22 January 2021).

Today the list has been updated to include three more victims: a hen harrier named ‘DeeCee’ who disappeared in January 2019 in the notorious Glen Esk area of the Angus Glens; a hen harrier named ‘Artemis’ who disappeared near Long Formacus in south Scotland in November 2019; and a hen harrier named ‘Ingmar’ who vanished in December 2019 in the notorious Strathbraan grouse moor area of Perthshire.

I’ve been compiling this list only since 2018 because that is the year that the grouse shooting industry ‘leaders’ would have us believe that the criminal persecution of hen harriers had stopped and that these birds were being welcomed back on to the UK’s grouse moors (see here).

This assertion was made shortly before the publication of a devastating new scientific paper that demonstrated that 72% of satellite-tagged hen harriers were confirmed or considered likely to have been illegally killed, and this was ten times more likely to occur over areas of land managed for grouse shooting relative to other land uses (see here). Incidentally, a further scientific paper published in 2023 by scientists at the RSPB, utilising even more recent data, echoed these results – see here.

2018 was also the year that Natural England issued a licence to begin a hen harrier brood meddling trial on grouse moors in northern England. For new blog readers, hen harrier brood meddling is a conservation sham sanctioned by DEFRA as part of its ludicrous ‘Hen Harrier Action Plan‘ and carried out by Natural England (NE), in cahoots with the very industry responsible for the species’ catastrophic decline in England. For more background see here.

Brood meddling has been described as a sort of ‘gentleman’s agreement’ by commentator Stephen Welch:

“I don’t get it, I thought the idea of that scheme was some kind of trade off – a gentleman’s agreement that the birds would be left in peace if they were moved from grouse moors at a certain density. It seems that one party is not keeping their side of the bargain“.

With at least 98 hen harriers gone since 2018, there is no question that the grouse shooting industry is simply taking the piss. Meanwhile, Natural England pretends that ‘partnership working’ is the way to go and DEFRA Ministers remain silent.

‘Partnership working’ according to Natural England appears to include authorising the removal of hen harrier chicks from a grouse moor already under investigation by the police for suspected raptor persecution (here) and accepting a £75k ‘donation’ from representatives of the grouse shooting industry that prevents Natural England from criticising them or the sham brood meddling trial (see here). This is in addition to a £10k ‘donation’ that Natural England accepted, under the same terms, in 2021 (here).

Cartoon by Gerard Hobley

So here’s the latest gruesome list. Note that the majority of these birds (but not all) were fitted with satellite tags. How many more [untagged] harriers have been killed?

February 2018: Hen harrier Saorsa ‘disappeared’ in the Angus Glens in Scotland (here). The Scottish Gamekeepers Association later published wholly inaccurate information claiming the bird had been re-sighted. The RSPB dismissed this as “completely false” (here).

5 February 2018: Hen harrier Marc ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Durham (here).

9 February 2018: Hen harrier Aalin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).

March 2018: Hen harrier Blue ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park (here).

March 2018: Hen harrier Finn ‘disappeared’ near Moffat in Scotland (here).

18 April 2018: Hen harrier Lia ‘disappeared’ in Wales and her corpse was retrieved in a field in May 2018. Cause of death was unconfirmed but police treating death as suspicious (here).

8 August 2018: Hen harrier Hilma ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Northumberland (here).

16 August 2018: Hen harrier Athena ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).

26 August 2018: Hen Harrier Octavia ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).

29 August 2018: Hen harrier Margot ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).

29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Heulwen ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).

3 September 2018: Hen harrier Stelmaria ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).

24 September 2018: Hen harrier Heather ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).

2 October 2018: Hen harrier Mabel ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

3 October 2018: Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Bowland, Lanacashire (here).

23 October 2018: Hen harrier Tom ‘disappeared’ in South Wales (here).

26 October 2018: Hen harrier Arthur ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park (here).

1 November 2018: Hen harrier Barney ‘disappeared’ on Bodmin Moor (here).

10 November 2018: Hen harrier Rannoch ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Her corpse was found nearby in May 2019 – she’d been killed in an illegally-set spring trap (here).

14 November 2018: Hen harrier River ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Nidderdale AONB (here). Her corpse was found nearby in April 2019 – she’d been illegally shot (here).

16 January 2019: Hen harrier Vulcan ‘disappeared’ in Wiltshire close to Natural England’s proposed reintroduction site (here).

28 January 2019: Hen harrier DeeCee ‘disappeared’ in Glen Esk, a grouse moor area of the Angus Glens (see here).

7 February 2019: Hen harrier Skylar ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire (here).

22 April 2019: Hen harrier Marci ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).

26 April 2019: Hen harrier Rain ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Nairnshire (here).

11 May 2019: An untagged male hen harrier was caught in an illegally-set trap next to his nest on a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire. He didn’t survive (here).

7 June 2019: An untagged hen harrier was found dead on a grouse moor in Scotland. A post mortem stated the bird had died as a result of ‘penetrating trauma’ injuries and that this bird had previously been shot (here).

5 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 1 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor nr Dalnaspidal on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park (here).

11 September 2019: Hen harrier Romario ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).

14 September 2019: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183704) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines (here).

23 September 2019: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #55149) ‘disappeared’ in North Pennines (here).

24 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 2 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Invercauld in the Cairngorms National Park (here).

24 September 2019: Hen harrier Bronwyn ‘disappeared’ near a grouse moor in North Wales (here).

10 October 2019: Hen harrier Ada ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North Pennines AONB (here).

12 October 2019: Hen harrier Thistle ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Sutherland (here).

18 October 2019: Member of the public reports the witnessed shooting of an untagged male hen harrier on White Syke Hill in North Yorkshire (here).

November 2019: Hen harrier Mary found illegally poisoned on a pheasant shoot in Ireland (here).

November 2019: Hen harrier Artemis ‘disappeared’ near Long Formacus in south Scotland (RSPB pers comm).

14 December 2019: Hen harrier Oscar ‘disappeared’ in Eskdalemuir, south Scotland (here).

December 2019: Hen harrier Ingmar ‘disappeared’ in the Strathbraan grouse moor area of Perthshire (RSPB pers comm).

January 2020: Members of the public report the witnessed shooting of a male hen harrier on Threshfield Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

23 March 2020: Hen harrier Rosie ‘disappeared’ at an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).

1 April 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183703) ‘disappeared’ in unnamed location, tag intermittent (here).

5 April 2020: Hen harrier Hoolie ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here)

8 April 2020: Hen harrier Marlin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).

19 May 2020: Hen harrier Fingal ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Lowther Hills, Scotland (here).

21 May 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183701) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria shortly after returning from wintering in France (here).

27 May 2020: Hen harrier Silver ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on Leadhills Estate, Scotland (here).

2020: day/month unknown: Unnamed male hen harrier breeding on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria ‘disappeared’ while away hunting (here).

9 July 2020: Unnamed female hen harrier (#201118) ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed site in Northumberland (here).

25 July 2020: Hen harrier Harriet ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

14 August 2020: Hen harrier Solo ‘disappeared’ in confidential nest area in Lancashire (here).

7 September 2020: Hen harrier Dryad ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

16 September 2020: Hen harrier Fortune ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).

19 September 2020: Hen harrier Harold ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

20 September 2020: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2020, #55152) ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire (here).

24 February 2021: Hen harrier Tarras ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Northumberland (here)

12th April 2021: Hen harrier Yarrow ‘disappeared’ near Stockton, County Durham (here).

18 May 2021: Adult male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).

18 May 2021: Another adult male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).

24 July 2021: Hen harrier Asta ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here). We learned 18 months later that her wings had been ripped off so her tag could be fitted to a crow in an attempt to cover up her death (here).

14th August 2021: Hen harrier Josephine ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Northumberland (here).

17 September 2021: Hen harrier Reiver ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated region of Northumberland (here)

24 September 2021: Hen harrier (Brood meddled in 2021, R2-F-1-21) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).

15 November 2021: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2020, #R2-F1-20) ‘disappeared’ at the edge of a grouse moor on Arkengarthdale Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

19 November 2021: Hen harrier Val ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria (here).

19 November 2021: Hen harrier Percy ‘disappeared’ in Lothian, Scotland (here).

12 December 2021: Hen harrier Jasmine ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (High Rigg Moor on the Middlesmoor Estate) in the Nidderdale AONB in North Yorkshire (here).

9 January 2022: Hen harrier Ethel ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).

26 January 2022: Hen harrier Amelia ‘disappeared’ in Bowland (here).

10 February 2022: An unnamed satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated area of the Peak District National Park (here). One year later it was revealed that the satellite tag/harness of this young male called ‘Anu’ had been deliberately cut off (see here).

12 April 2022: Hen harrier ‘Free’ (Tag ID 201121) ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Cumbria (here). It later emerged he hadn’t disappeared, but his mutilated corpse was found on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A post mortem revealed the cause of death was having his head twisted and pulled off. One leg had also been torn off whilst he was still alive (here).

April 2022: Hen harrier ‘Pegasus’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Birkdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

May 2022: A male breeding hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).

May 2022: Another breeding male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).

14 May 2022: Hen harrier ‘Harvey’ (Tag ID 213844) ‘disappeared’ from a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here).

20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #1 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #2 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #3 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #4 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

17 August 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R1-M1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

September 2022: Hen harrier ‘Sullis’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria (here).

5 October 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-M2-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

10 October 2022: Hen harrier ‘Sia’ ‘disappeared’ near Hamsterley Forest in the North Pennines (here).

October 2022: Hen harrier (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-F1-21) ‘disappeared’ in the North Sea off the North York Moors National Park (here).

December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2020, #R2-F2-20) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in Cumbria (here).

1 December 2022: Hen harrier male (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-M1-21) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

14 December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the North Pennines AONB (here).

15 December 2022: Hen harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R2-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).

March 2023: Unnamed male hen harrier (tagged by Natural England – details not yet released) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).

April 2023: Unnamed female hen harrier (tagged by Natural England – details not yet released) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).

April 2023: Hen harrier ‘Lagertha’ (tagged by RSPB) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).

April 2023: Hen harrier ‘Nicola’ (Tag ID 234078) ”disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).

April 2023: Untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).

April 2023: Another untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).

April 2023: Untagged male hen harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest in Durham (here).

4/5 May 2023: Satellite-tagged male hen harrier called ‘Rush’ ‘disappeared’ from a grouse moor in Bowland AONB in Lancashire (here).

17 May 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Wayland’ ‘disappeared’ in the Clapham area of North Yorkshire, just north of the Bowland AONB (here).

To be continued…….

Not one of these 98 incidents has resulted in an arrest, let alone a prosecution. I had thought that when we reached 30 dead/missing hen harriers then the authorities might pretend to be interested and at least say a few words about this national scandal. We’ve now reached NINETY EIGHT hen harriers, and still Govt ministers remain silent. They appear not to give a monkey’s. And yes, there are other things going on in the world, as always. That is not reason enough to ignore this blatant, brazen and systematic destruction of a supposedly protected species, being undertaken to satisfy the greed and bloodlust of a minority of society.

When will the tally pass 100 hen harriers? Watch this space…

Yorkshire Dales grouse moor owner appointed to ‘key role’ at DEFRA

The owner of a Yorkshire Dales grouse moor has been appointed to a ‘key role’ at DEFRA by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Therese Coffey.

Heather Hancock, who according to her Wikipedia entry owns Threshfield Moor with her husband Mark Hancock, has been given the role of Lead Non-Executive Board Member, ‘appointed to provide challenge to Government departments’, according to this DEFRA press release (here).

Mark Avery has blogged about this appointment this morning (here) and he points out that Hancock’s co-ownership of a grouse moor has been conveniently excluded from the DEFRA press release.

It’s an interesting omission, as this particular grouse moor has been at the centre of two separate police investigations into suspected wildlife crime in recent years.

In October 2017, a young satellite-tagged hen harrier named ‘John’ ‘disappeared’ on Threshfield Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal for information (here).

Like so many other hen harriers that vanish in this hell-hole of a National Park, he’s never been seen again and of course, nobody was ever prosecuted.

In January 2020 Threshfield Moor was once again under investigation after two witnesses reported seeing the shooting of a hen harrier (here). That investigation did lead to an arrest of a gamekeeper but, as ever, there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against him and the investigation was dropped.

Threshfield Moor featured on this blog again just last month after a reader sent in photographs of two gas guns (bird scaring devices) that had been positioned on the grouse moor (see here) during the height of the breeding season.

I can’t imagine that Heather Hancock is going to ‘challenge’ the Government about anything in which she has a vested interest, can you?

Excerpt from Heather Hancock’s Wikipedia entry (27 July 2023)

Hawk & Owl Trust faces revolt over ‘poor management’

A fascinating article appeared on the BBC News website yesterday about a ‘protest’ that’s been staged against the Hawk & Owl Trust over what has been described as “poor management of resources and of people“.

The BBC article (here) reveals that a protest was held at the Trust’s Sculthorpe Reserve in Norfolk by former staff and volunteers, who are angry about “money being wasted“, “volunteers being used badly” and the “method of management that threatens the reserve“.

The BBC reports that some life members of the Hawk & Owl Trust have been banned from the site. The protesters told the BBC they’d made a complaint to the Charity Commission to express concerns about ‘leadership and the use of funds’.

The Hawk & Owl Trust’s Chief Operating Officer, Adrian Blumfield, issued the following statement in response:

“The Hawk and Owl Trust is a respected national charity dedicated to conserving wild birds of prey and their habitats.

“It has two well-managed nature reserves in Norfolk and Somerset. The trust is a well-run and governed organisation with an experienced trustee body.

“We understand that a small number of people previously connected with the charity are resistant to the positive progress and changes that have been made.

“Any criticism of the charity is completely unwarranted, misplaced and risks undermining the work being undertaken.“

The Charity Commission said: “We carefully considered concerns raised with us about the governance of The Hawk and Owl Trust.

“Based on the information provided, we determined that there is no regulatory role for us at this time.”

Many of you will remember the Hawk & Owl Trust’s shocking decision in 2014-2015 to get in to bed with the grouse shooting industry in support of hen harrier brood meddling (here). It not only got into bed with them, it pulled up the duvet and stuck in some heavy duty ear plugs, refusing to be budged.

It cost the Trust dearly, as their President (Chris Packham) resigned, a load of members cancelled their subscriptions, and the charity’s credibility has never recovered in conservation circles. Much of the Trust’s decisions seemed to be led by the then Chair, Philip Merricks, but Trust statements at the time claimed that the decisions had the full backing of the Board of Trustees (at least two of whom were directly involved with the brood meddling trial, which seemed a bit questionable).

The Trust claimed to have several ‘immoveable conditions’ attached to its participation in brood meddling, not least that it would pull out ‘if any member of the moorland management organisations were found to have illegally interfered with or persecuted a hen harrier on their moors’ (here). We later learned that the ‘immoveable conditions’ were actually very moveable indeed (see here) and weren’t worth the paper they’d been printed on.

Needless to say, persecution continued and even when one of the hen harriers (called Rowan), satellite-tagged by Natural England in association with the Hawk & Owl Trust, was found dead with clear shotgun injuries to its leg, the Trust did all it could to avoid admitting the bleedin’ obvious (e.g. see here, here, here).

Even when the shotgun injuries were proven on Rowan, the Hawk & Owl Trust continued its charade (see here, here and here).

I’m afraid I lost all respect for the Hawk & Owl Trust during that time and still feel the same today. Despite having some really decent on-the-ground staff and doing some excellent public engagement work with city peregrines, for an organisation that is supposedly focused on the conservation of the UK’s birds of prey and owls it’s deeply disappointing that it has not been at the forefront of raising merry hell about the ongoing illegal killing of birds of prey in this country. In fact it’s more than deeply disappointing, it’s a bloody shocker.

UPDATE 2nd August 2023: More on the revolt at Hawk & Owl Trust: statement from protesters (here)

Red kite shootings: statement from North York Moors National Park Authority

Following the recent confirmed shooting of at least two red kites (with a third one suspected) near Westerdale in the North York Moors National Park (see here), the North York Moors Park Authority has issued the following statement:

Following the most recent report from North Yorkshire Police regarding a Red Kite found with gunshot wounds, the North York Moors National Park is issuing the statement below.

Tom Hind, Chief Executive Officer of the North York Moors National Authority, said:

“We are appalled to hear of recent shootings of Red Kite in the North York Moors. Wildlife crime and raptor persecution are illegal, immoral and have no place in this National Park.

“Those behind these callous acts should recognise the disservice they have done to the entire North York Moors community. Ultimately those responsible may find they have shot not only a wonderful bird of prey, but also themselves in the foot.

“It is vital that anyone with information about these incidents, or any other wildlife crime in our region, call North Yorkshire Police on 101. We cannot let this crime go unpunished.”

ENDS

2nd red kite found shot nr Westerdale in North York Moors National Park in recent weeks, with suspicions of a third one

A couple of weeks ago, North Yorkshire Police appealed for information after a red kite was found with shotgun injuries near Westerdale in the North York Moors National Park on 13th June 2023. It didn’t survive (see here).

Red kite. Photo by Ben Hall (RSPB Images)

Today, North Yorkshire Police has issued another appeal for information after the discovery on 26th June 2023 of a second shot kite in the same area (which also didn’t survive its injuries) and suspicions that a third kite has also been shot, based on photographs taken on 23rd June 2023 provided to the police by walkers.

The appeal for information by North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force is a bit bizarre, to say the least. Here it is:

NORTH YORK MOORS: APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOOTING OF A RED KITE

North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force is appealing for witnesses and information about the shooting of a Red Kite on the North York Moors near Westerdale.

The Red Kite, suffering with gunshot wounds, was found by a local farmer at 9.30pm on Monday 26 June in Westerdale. Sadly, despite being taken to a vet it did not survive its injuries.

This incident follows another recent shooting of a Red Kite in the area on Tuesday 13 June. North Yorkshire Police have also received information that there may be a third injured Red Kite, photographed by walkers on Friday 23 June, on the opposite side of the valley.

We believe that these incidents are linked. This disturbing criminal behaviour and persecution of innocent birds of prey will not be tolerated and must cease immediately.

Police are renewing their appeal for any information in relation to raptor persecution. Anyone with information that could assist our investigation should email Jack.donaldson@northyorkshire.police.uk

If you spot a dead or injured bird, poisoned bait or a pole trap, please note the location, take a photo and call North Yorkshire Police on 101 to report it.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote police reference 12230107850 when passing on information.

Red kites were saved from national extinction by one of the world’s longest-running protection programmes and have been successfully reintroduced to England and Scotland. Red kites are listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

North Yorkshire Police in collaboration with the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Countryside Alliance, Moorland Association and the National Gamekeepers Association take a zero-tolerance approach to raptor persecution. All agencies agree that ‘there is no excuse for illegally killing of any bird of prey and unreservedly condemn all such acts. Any individual convicted of a crime against a bird of prey will be expelled from the organisation’.

Police are aware that local gamekeepers will come under suspicion, however we will investigate with an open mind, gathering information from a variety of sources, and not be led by assumptions.

In response to the ongoing persecution against birds of prey in the North Yorkshire Moors, North Yorkshire Police Rural Taskforce Officers have increased marked and unmarked patrols in target areas to protect wildlife and deter offenders.

ENDS

This looks very much like North Yorkshire Police has been ‘got at’ by the shooting lobby. How else do you explain the police including what is blatant propaganda in their own press release, from an industry responsible for the vast majority of raptor persecution crimes?!

Data from the RSPB’s latest Birdcrime Report

How many members of the public are wandering around this grouse-moor dominated landscape with shotguns, taking pot shots at birds of prey?

How many members of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce have links to the game-shooting industry?

Meanwhile, supposedly protected birds of prey continue to be targeted and killed in what is supposed to be a National Park.

UPDATE 7th July 2023: Red kite shootings: statement from North York Moors National Park (here)

UPDATE 9th October 2023: Buzzard shot & critically injured in North York Moors National Park (here)

Red kite found injured in Dumfries & Galloway had gunshot wounds

Last month, Police Scotland and the Scottish SPCA issued an appeal for information in relation to the discovery of a critically-injured red kite near Closeburn in Dumfries & Galloway on 5th June 2023 (see here).

The kite’s injuries were so severe it had to be euthanised, and the Police/SSPCA were keen to trace the man who had handed in the kite.

Red kite. Photo by Doug Simpson

In an update published on the BBC News website (here) it is reported that this kite had suffered gunshot injuries.

It’s also reported that the person who handed in the injured kite has now been traced and inquiries are ongoing.

Criminal gamekeepers Addison & Stroud both linked to Fengate Farm in Weeting, Norfolk

Yesterday, gamekeeper Francis Addison was convicted for multiple offences linked to the discovery of five shot goshawks that were found in a public carpark next to King’s Forest near Thetford in January this year (see here).

The five shot goshawks. Photo: Suffolk Police

Addison lives in the village of Weeting in Norfolk.

Weeting also just happens to be where another gamekeeper, Matthew Stroud, was convicted in October 2022 for multiple wildlife crimes on land he managed for pheasant shooting at Fengate Farm, including the killing of six buzzards and a goshawk and the laying of poisoned baits (see here and here).

Weeting is a small village. There are a few farms there, according to Google maps, some or all of which could be hosting pheasant shooting, but I was curious about whether Addison and Stroud were associated with the same pheasant shoot at Fengate Farm.

So I asked Suffolk Police this morning:

Interesting.

Fengate Farm is owned by Richard Norman Parrott, who also happens to be a director of Weeting Steam Engine Rally Ltd, according to Companies House (here).

The Weeting Steam Rally and Country Show is scheduled to take place at Fengate Farm on 14-16th July 2023 – see the rally website here – where overnight camping is offered (here) and the rally is described on the website as follows:

‘A fun family day out filled with nostalgia of steam. We have plenty for all the family to enjoy, from the large range of steam engines to the fairground, gundogs to chainsaw carving, there’s something for everyone, whatever your age – across our 170 acre site! Our large trade area has a vast array of stalls, we also have a craft tent and a food hall, along with many other things to see and do‘.

Now, I’m not suggesting for one minute that Mr Parrott had any involvement with, or knowledge of, the criminality associated with the Fengate Farm pheasant shoot. For all I know, he leases out the land used for the shoot and has nothing to do with it (it’s worth noting that criminal gamekeeper Stroud was described as ‘self-employed’ and criminal gamekeeper Addison has been described as being ‘part-time’ and ‘retired’ – there is no indication that either were employed by Mr Parrott).

But given the discovery of poisoned baits and poisoned birds of prey, shot birds of prey, unsecured poisons, the illegal use of animal traps, and the unlawful use and storage of shotguns associated with this pheasant shoot, I’d suggest that visitors to the steam rally and country show might want to consider the risks to their health and safety and that of their children and dogs.

More on convicted Norfolk gamekeeper Francis Addison

Further to the criminal conviction yesterday of gamekeeper Francis Addison from Weeting, near Thetford in relation to the discovery of five shot goshawks in January this year (see here), there was excellent coverage on BBC’s Look East yesterday evening.

It’s available on iPlayer (here, starts 05.53 mins) but only until this evening, so here is a transcript of the two-minute piece:

A part-time gamekeeper who admitted dumping dead birds of prey in a parking area in Suffolk has been given a suspended prison sentence.

The five goshawk carcasses were found in January. Francis Addison who’s 72 and from Weeting, near Thetford, denied shooting them. Our Environment reporter Richard Daniels sent this report from Norwich Magistrates Court.

It was a shocking discovery. Five goshawks dumped in a public area near Wordwell in Suffolk. All had been shot. When police swabbed them for DNA it led them to the home of Francis Addison, an ex-military weapons instructor and part-time gamekeeper.

Today, Addison arrived at court facing 19 charges, including possession of the goshawks and various firearms offences.

Francis Addison arriving at court. Screen grab from BBC Look East

Addison’s defence told magistrates he found the five goshawk carcasses while out walking his dog. He put them in a bag and took them home. [Ed: according to this BBC article, Addison claimed he was intending to give them to the BTO]. But when a friend told him that it was illegal to have them, he took fright and returned them to the spot where he found them.

Once driven to extinction through persecution, goshawks are some of our most protected birds. The court was told there were believed to be as few as 33 living in Suffolk.

[Tom Grose, RSPB Investigations Officer]: “It’s illegal to possess these birds. However, we still don’t know who killed these goshawk and there is a reward available, still, for anybody that comes forward with information leading to the conviction of somebody for that offence”.

When the police searched Addison’s home they found his gun cabinet unlocked with ammunition stored in cupboards and in his car.

Screen grab from BBC Look East

[Sgt Brian Calver, Suffolk Police]: “If the house got burgled then they had access to a rifle, four shotguns, all the ammunition in the world. Gun ownership is a privilege, not a right, that’s one of the conditions on everyone’s licence to make sure that you keep those guns as secure as possible at all times”.

Addison was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence. He was told he’d shown a total disregard and disdain towards his licensing requirements. His firearm and shotgun certificates have been revoked.

Richard Daniel, BBC Look East, Norwich Magistrates Court.

ENDS

I’m so pleased to learn that Addison ‘found’ the five shot goshawks on his dog walk and that their deaths had nothing whatsoever to do with his cage traps, dead woodpigeon and guns. Phew! Seems he’s just an unlucky chap, not a raptor-killing bastard.

UPDATE 30th June 2023: Criminal gamekeepers Addison & Stroud both linked to Fengate Farm in Weeting, Norfolk (here)

Gamekeeper Francis Addison receives suspended jail sentence in relation to five shot goshawks

RSPB Press Release (29th June 2023):

DNA LINKS PART-TIME GAMEKEEPER TO SHOT GOSHAWKS

At Norwich Magistrates’ court today, Frances Addison (72) a part-time gamekeeper of South Park, Weeting, pleaded guilty to 19 charges in connection with a multi-agency raptor persecution investigation led by Suffolk Police, including possession of five shot Goshawks.

The five birds were found dead together in Kings Forest, near Wordwell, Suffolk on 16 January 2023.

The five shot juvenile goshawks found dumped in car park. Photo: Suffolk Police

The incident was reported to Suffolk Police, who swabbed the birds at the scene for human DNA and then x-rayed them as part of their investigation. All five birds were found to contain multiple pieces of shot and remarkably a human DNA hit was registered from a swab of one of the bird’s legs.

The DNA findings led Suffolk and Norfolk Constabularies, assisted by RSPB Investigations and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, to search the suspect’s home in nearby Weeting, where a number of offences in relation to firearms and traps were uncovered. In interview, Addison claimed that he had found the Goshawks and then put them back and that all gamekeepers were killing birds of prey.

The court dealt with all the offences together and sentenced Addison to 12 weeks imprisonment – suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay £1080 in compensation and £105 costs.

All birds of prey are protected by law, and to kill or injure one could result in jail and/or an unlimited fine. Yet the illegal killing of birds of prey remains a widespread national problem.

The RSPB’s annual Birdcrime report for 2021 revealed 108 confirmed incidents of birds of prey being shot, trapped or poisoned. However, the true number is likely to be far higher.

The report also found that Norfolk had the highest number of confirmed raptor persecution incidents than any other county in 2021.

It remains unknown who shot the Goshawks despite extensive rewards on offer from RSPB, Wild Justice, and Rare Bird Alert.

Mark Thomas, UK Head of Investigations at RSPB said:

“Goshawks are an exhilarating apex predator, so it was both shocking and appalling to see images of the five shot birds discarded in the Breckland Forest car park, we applaud the efforts and professionalism of Suffolk Police in deploying key forensic techniques that have led to court charges in this case. In 2021, two-thirds of all confirmed UK raptor persecution incidents happened in connection with land used for gamebird shooting, faced with huge public displeasure there is increasingly no place to hide for those who commit these crimes“.

Sergeant Brian Calver, of Suffolk Constabulary’s Rural and Wildlife Crime team, said:

“This is a particularly disturbing case. Bird of prey crime is a national wildlife crime priority, which is taken very seriously by police. We will leave no stone unturned in pursuing criminals that cause deliberate harm to wildlife. This incident has had a significant impact on the Goshawk population in the Brecks and in particular their ability to expand their territory. As well as possessing dead schedule 1 birds, Addison has shown a complete disregard for the security of his guns, which is equally concerning.”

He went on to say “We welcome today’s outcome and I hope the sentence imposed sends a strong message to others that are involved in this type of criminality. We’ll continue to work closely with partners to ensure such crimes become a thing of the past.”

The charges were:

· Five counts of possession of a dead schedule 1 wild bird (Goshawk)

· One count of killing a non-schedule 1 wild bird (Wood Pigeon)

· One count of use of an animal trap in circumstance for which it is not approved

· Two counts of possession of an article capable of being used to commit a summary offence, namely two air rifles and six animal traps

· Six counts of failing to comply with the conditions of a firearm certificate

· Four counts of failing to comply with the condition of a shotgun certificate.

ENDS

Brilliant multi-agency partnership work – very well done to everyone involved.

The sentence is, as usual, insignificant and no deterrent to others.

The Norfolk village of Weeting seems to be somewhat of a hotspot for raptor persecution – last year another gamekeeper, Matthew Stroud, was convicted of multiple wildlife crime offences in the area including the placing of poisonous baits and the killing of buzzards and a goshawk (see here).

I look forward to reading BASC’s condemnation of Addison and his crimes – given their faux outrage when Suffolk Police initially asking the shooting community to help progress the police investigation (see here).

UPDATE 30th June 2023: More on convicted Norfolk gamekeeper Francis Addison (here)

Red kite found shot & poisoned in notorious grouse moor area of North Pennines AONB

Press release from the RSPB (27th June 2023):

RED KITE SHOT AND POISONED IN DURHAM RAPTOR CRIME SPOT

  • The protected bird of prey was found dead, hanging in a tree near Stanhope Burn, in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • The Weardale area has become a hotspot for raptor persecution
  • Police and partners want members of the public to report dead birds of prey and generate more information on raptor persecution in the area

A Red Kite found dead in Stanhope has been confirmed as having been both shot and poisoned, once again highlighting the area’s serious problem with bird of prey persecution.

The protected bird of prey was discovered hanging in a tree by a member of the public in October 2022. The bird’s body was x-rayed and found to contain pieces of shot revealing that the bird had been shot at some point in its life. But when the bird was sent for official toxicology examination, the body was found to contain the highly toxic pesticides carbofuran and bendiocarb – which were confirmed by testing to be the cause of death. Both these substances are frequently seen in bird of prey poisoning cases despite being banned for legal use in the UK for many years.

Illegally shot & poisoned red kite hanging in a tree near Stanhope in the North Pennines AONB, October 2022. Photo: RSPB
Investigator collecting the shot & poisoned red kite near Stanhope, Oct 2022. Photo: RSPB

Red Kites are graceful birds with long wings and a distinctive forked tail. Forty years ago their numbers were limited to a small population in Wales due to illegal persecution, until successful reintroduction programmes in the 1980s and 90s brought them back from the brink. However persecution remains a threat, even today. Like all birds of prey, they are legally protected in the UK, punishable by jail and/or an unlimited fine.

Last month (May 23), police and partners carried out searches of land and buildings the area, in connection with the incident.

Red star indicates approximate location of latest crime in the North Pennines AONB
Stanhope Burn, to the NW of Stanhope, is next to moorland managed for driven grouse shooting

This is the latest of a series of crimes involving birds of prey being illegally killed in this part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

In 2020, two GPS satellite-tagged Red Kites disappeared in the Edmundbyers area in suspicious circumstances [Ed: see here]. Both tags – fitted as part of a species monitoring scheme by Friends of Red Kites, who monitor the red kite population in North-east England – had been transmitting as expected until they suddenly stopped. Neither bird, nor their usually very reliable tags, have been seen since.  

In 2021, a Red Kite was found poisoned by carbofuran and bendiocarb, also in the Edmundbyers area.

The following year, police together with partner agencies conducted a raid on nearby grouse moor estates in Durham and Northumberland, following previous incidents and intelligence related to bird of prey killing in the area [Ed: see here].

And in March 2023, a Red Kite was found shot, but still alive, on a grouse moor in Edmundbyers [Ed: see here]. Luckily, after care by local vets and a specialist rehabilitator, the bird recovered and was released back into the wild [Ed: see here].

The RSPB’s Birdcrime report, published last autumn, revealed that over two-thirds (71%) of all confirmed raptor persecution incidents in 2021 related to land managed for gamebird shooting. And since 1990, 67% of those convicted of these crimes have been gamekeepers.

Data from RSPB’s Birdcrime Report (2021)

Mark Thomas, RSPB Head of Investigations, said: “We are concerned about a spate of concentrated raptor crimes which is rendering the Weardale grouse moors a hotspot for the illegal killing of birds of prey. As such, we are concentrating our efforts of detection on this area, in the hope of catching anyone targeting protected birds such as Red Kites, which should be breeding successfully in this area. But we critically need the public to be our eyes and ears and report potential crimes to ourselves and the police.

“The fact that bird of prey persecution continues against the public interest makes it clear that additional regulation for grouse moors is necessary. We believe all grouse moors and their owners or sporting tenants must be licensed, as is happening in Scotland, to provide a meaningful deterrent to the illegal killing birds of prey. Ultimately this could mean the loss the licence to shoot grouse, if the Police are satisfied that wildlife crimes against raptors are occurring on a particular landholding. Law-abiding estates should have nothing to fear from this approach”.

PC David Williamson of Durham Constabulary said: “The illegal killing of birds of prey unfortunately is continuing in our rural areas. It is unacceptable that anyone should think they can ignore the law and kill these birds by poisoning, shooting, trapping or nest destruction and disturbance. I am sure that people in our community will know who is committing these offences and I would urge anyone with any information to report this. Durham Constabulary will continue to work with our partners to tackle this criminal activity, investigate any reports and prosecute offenders”. 

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 HERE.

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