If you were driving southeast from Forres in Morayshire in this general area you should keep your eyes open for these…
Yes, the Gyr Falcons are flying in rural Moray again this year, although not, it seems, in as great numbers as last year or the year before.
Last year, and I assume this year, the licence conditions stated that all birds should be fitted with GPS and radio telemetry devices. The photograph above does not show any obvious tag although I wouldn’t swear that the bird doesn’t have one. SNH would probably be interested in any photographs and observations of free-flying Gyr Falcons in this area and whether or not the birds are fitted with transmitters. Who should you tell? It’s not very clear really so if I were you, I’d email the Chief Executive whose email address is here and please feel free to copy me into your observations at [email protected]
I’m told that although a licence was issued for Muirkirk as well, there are no birds there.
The previous 18 blog posts on this subject are collated here.
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Perhaps I’ll go up there and get myself one. Who wouldn’t like to own such a bird for a while? I’d soon release it of course, to live the way it should wild and free. What’s to stop anyone doing that?
m parry – I think the law.
what law? If I have a piece of meat and the bird gets friendly for that reason, who am I to chase it off my arm? Are you suggesting someone owns these wild birds?
m parry – they aren’t wild birds, they are close-ringed property as I understand it.
These can only be good for tourism.
Trapit – maybe SNH will run trips with guided walks on why we licensed all these falcons to be flying around here. I’d go.
M Parry and Trapit, they may well be good for tourism. But they certainly don’t do much for our dwindling indigenous populations of wildlife.
Save for the odd wandering visitor, gyrfalcons do not belong here. And certainly not in such large numbers, though SNH clearly doesn’t see it that way. As they have said, the interests of foreign traditions were a consideration in their decision to issue a wild hacking licence.
You really couldn’t make it up!
So would I.
what is the best time of year to see them.iv always wanted to see a gyr.i remember seeing the pictures of one that turned up at berry head and thinking it was the most beautiful bird iv ever seen then a juvenile turned up in cornwall in 2000 and i couldnt get time off work dosnt matter if they arent truly wild would still like to see them.
Rob – July