The story so far:
The NE/DEFRA/Moorland Association/GWCT press release and this blog’s generous first take on it – 3 September
RPUK’s take on it – 3 September
A short RSPB statement – 3 September
I try to make sense of things – 3 September
How NE let the shooters talk nonsense because they don’t have any other mates – 3 September
Natural England’s Hen Harrier numbers were wrong – 3 September
And Natural England’s previous statements about Hen Harrier breeding numbers and about the function of brood meddling were wrong too – 3 September
Natural England and the Moorland Association confuse the picture – 3 September
RPUK on the missing Hen Harriers that NE didn’t mention – 3 September
An RSPB blog and my take on that (the story of the man, the gun and the Eagle Owl near a Hen Harrier nest is revealed) – 11 September
My latest take on it (today – misleading parliament) – 12 September
And now, here is the Northern England Raptor Forum’s take on things – 12 September
NERF is made up of raptor workers – mostly grizzled blokes who have been tramping the hills for years. Their thoughts are worth reading and their thoughts are pretty much in line with mine, RPUK’s and the RSPB’s it seems to me, but not with DEFRA’s, NE’s, the Moorland Association’s or GWCT’s.
And I’ll be coming back to this subject here tomorrow, mid morning.
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Brilliant blog from NERF.
Told me everything i wanted to know.
You have to watch ’em like a hawk. An inch is a mile in some estimations.
What a very good analysis by NERF. Very professional. It certainly puts in perspective the “guff” that the shooter organisations and Natural England come out with. What I find really surprising is that Natural England are not producing an impartial analysis similar to that produced by NERF. Many years ago NE would have done so but now days under the influence of this Government and their friends and allies the shooters, they just come out with shear propaganda.
This reflects extremely badly on the Natural England leadership and their lack of professionalism.
Mark Avery will do everything and say anything to stop the successful brood management of hen harriers and the general increase of their numbers in up land uk to further his left wing socialist political agenda. He and Packham are against the success of breeding of hen harriers so they can line their own pockets and further their extreme left wing agenda
Mike – you keep making comments like that here. What are you on about?
Isn’t it revealing that many of those who revel in the abuse of wild animals cravenly attempt to label those who oppose their gutless activities as “left-wing”, and in doing so, simply betray their own fascist sympathies?