Egg collector pleads guilty to charges
Most prolific egg collector in recent times took nearly 5,000 eggs, including those of rare and declining birds.
Today (12 October) Daniel Lingham appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court facing five charges contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, relating to the taking and possession of wild bird eggs. He pleaded guilty to all five charges. He is now due for sentencing on 27 November 2018 at Norwich Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard how, on 21 May 2018, Norfolk Constabulary were called to Cawston Heath following reports of a man acting suspiciously. The man – Lingham – was located and arrested after being found with nine linnet eggs on his person.
The police contacted the RSPB and, following their advice, a search was conducted at Lingham’s home in Newton St Faith. Here nearly 5,000 eggs were found stored and catalogued in wooden trays. The collection included the eggs of some of the UK’s rarest birds such as marsh harriers, and those of greatest conservation concern, like nightjars and turtle doves. They had been taken from Norfolk reserves.
Lingham was jailed in 2005 for 10 weeks after police found a collection of almost 4,000 eggs at his home.
Mark Thomas, RSPB Senior Investigator, said: “At a time when egg collecting is on the decline, Lingham is the most prolific egg collector in recent years. It’s very rare that an egg collection of this magnitude comes to light these days.
“Lingham has taken significant numbers of eggs from some of our rarest and most threatened birds, including nightjar and turtle dove. This will have a huge impact on their local, regional and national population. Birds like the turtle dove are in long term decline – we have lost 94% of our turtle doves in the UK since 1995 and no UK bird is declining faster. These are species that conservationists are working tirelessly to save, for the benefit of future generations.”
PC Tom Pellew and PC Leah Hutchins, both based at Aylsham Police Station, led the investigation.
PC Pellew said: “The sheer scale of the collection of eggs that Lingham had in his possession was very worrying with many of the species involved being endangered.
“We know that crimes of this nature often go under-reported, which is why cases and convictions like this are so important in raising awareness of such wildlife offences.
“The vigilance and assistance of the public is key in preserving Norfolk’s natural beauty and wildlife diversity, which is why I would urge anyone who has witnessed offences like this to contact police on 101.”
If you notice any suspicious behaviour around birds’ nests or breeding sites, including people looking in bushes or wading out to islands, often at unsociable hours, please call the police on 101 and RSPB Investigations on 01767 680551.
The five charges were:
1. Taking 9 linnet eggs at Cawston Heath on 21/05/2018
2. Possession of articles capable of being used to commit an offence – items from stop/search
3. Possession of 75 Schedule 1 listed wild bird eggs on 21/05/2018
4. Possession of 4070 ordinarily protected wild bird eggs on 21/05/2018
5. Possession of articles capable of being used to commit an offence – items from home address
ENDS
He’s probably pleaded guilty in the hope of avoiding more jail time, let’s hope he fails in that and receives a significant time locked up.
His previous jail sentence didn’t act as a deterrent, so it’s hard to see what will. Maybe he should be banned from any location where rare birds nest and be tagged to ensure he obeys the restrictions on his movements.
Well done to all involved in bringing this to ‘justice’. Let’s hope the judiciary dish out a meaningful deterrent ….
Perhaps Michael Gove can address national #wildlifecrime when he gets back from telling other countries how to address international wildlife crime?
Seems somewhat contradictory to ‘allow’ (or fail to address in any meaningful manner) ongoing persecution of raptors, hare coursing, hunting, badger baiting etc. whilst being seen to take wildlife crime in other countries seriously?
It’s the obsession with appearing to be “World Leading”, without appearing to be imperialistic, now that sort of thing is a bit de trop. It’s also like polishing the skirting boards without hoovering under the shag-pile. To be fair there are recent reports of successful prosecutions for hare coursing in the Low Counties
Given the amount of careless talk that goes on from twitchers and ‘toggers and the twitteratti, to say nothing of the conservation NGOs themselves, he probably didn’t even have to work very hard for his trophies. I frequently get the impression that the ‘Bird Watchers Code of Conduct’ fell by the wayside many years ago.
A few years ago when egg collecting it seems was a little more prevalent its those who carried out this selfish and illegal pastime/obsession were far better informed about where rare breeding birds were and where and how to find their nests than any in the legitimate birding community. Even amongst those legitimately following nests for BTO nest records, ringing or other scientific purpose the skills involved in nest finding have largely been lost. Indeed most in the younger community never had those skills, which were self honed amongst the baby boomer generation. Its nothing to do with the “Birdwatchers code” or apparent lack of it.
Interestingly a couple of years ago I was following a Little Ringed Plover nesting on river gravel using a telescope, I didn’t need to go near it. One day the birds were absent and I couldn’t see nest contents so I crossed the river to check it and there in the gravel either side of the nest was a boot print in the gravel, a place I hadn’t seen another soul!
I’ve heard all this before, Paul and often suspected it’s a justification for not bothering about confidentiality. The key issue, in the case of many of our rare breeding birds, is exact location. Many birders seem to think they have some sort of personal right to information and witholding it leads to accusations of ‘suppression’. I think it has everything to do with ‘Codes of Conduct’.
I don’t think it is justification for not bothering about confidentiality as you put it. I’ve been involved in suppression of rare bird breeding attempts by a variety of species, notably Hen Harrier but including others such as Corncrake and Red-necked Phalarope. By and large confidentiality works but for some species so does a wide knowledge of where they are if not the whereabouts of the nest itself, public awareness often can be an asset to protection. Some birds have failed due to human interference of one sort or another quite simply because not enough folk knew the birds were there and the wrong doers got away with it as a result. There is no easy answer each case needs to be taken on its merits. As to suppression outside the breeding season, that is rarely justifiable.
Paul – I agree. And some places have not been given the protection they need because part of their value (the rare nesting birds – but not only birds) have been kept secret. I well remember two successive appers that came to a group I chaired. The first was a plan for a species which took a very hard line on confidentiality of nesting attempts. The next was a proposal for a land purchase which didn’t mention the (same species of) rare bird that occurred there because no-one had been told!
Of course there is a balance to be struck when habitat protection is needed for a rare breeding species or inadvertent disturbance may be a risk. I was speaking in general terms towards the kind of situations where discretion is ignored or not even considered. If I pass on important information to, perhaps, the RSPB or my county recorder I expect that information to be handled on a need to know basis only and not shared with a wider circle. On well watched and actively wardened sites nests may be fairly safe but in my experience many people have become careless with information when there are no safeguards in place. I think, also, that we need to ‘put to bed’ the idea that eggers have superior skills. They don’t, they don’t need them. I have seen a reed bed on a small reserve trashed as a result of their activities and, as for finding nests, a long pole, or stick is all that is needed to flush your target species as long as you know which area to ‘work’.
Incidentally, public knowledge, viewing facilities etc didn’t stop the Loch Garten ospreys from being targeted repeatedly but that was before the days of modern, technical surveyance and the availability of other osprey nests elsewhere.