21 Replies to “Buccleuch Estate draws attention to missing Hen Harrier on their land”

  1. I would think it is entirely possible with the huge areas of moorland that the Duke of Buccleuch owns, that the Hen Harrier could have been shot by someone not necessarily in the Duke’s employ ie a rogue shooter, there are so many about. I have full confidence in the RSPB their investigations department under Mark Thomas are very professional. Rather than creating a lot of fuss I would suggest the Duke should offer to work with the RSPB to try to tack down the culprit and to prevent it happening again. That is the responsible way ahead.

    1. Yes, these rogue shooters rampaging around the countryside bumping off harriers, eagles, and whatnot. They’re sullying the good name of a sport that not only provide employment for tens of thousands, but also preserves the majestic beauty of the uplands – if you can see them through the smoke and provides healthy, sustainably produced red meat for pregnant mothers and children to enjoy. I’m surprised not more is done to highlight this outrage and effrontery to our richers and betters.

      1. If you consider people that own land by virtue of birth better than yourself or others then you have no future to look forward to. I’m sure a lot of pregnant woman would not agree with either

    3. Just a shame the RSPB aren’t professional in their duty of care. We all know the stories they have made up to discredit Estates etc. They have the ability to to find so called truth with no evidence

  2. Satellite tags are to the big Estates with a public image what self-locking snares are to poor old Badgers…they have them scrabbling round in circles saying and trying the same things in desperation. The noose only ever gets tighter!

    1. Indeed you can remove the body and destroy the tag but you cannot disguise the pattern and what it tells us.

      1. Surely you mean You can remove the body, and wrap the tag in lead flashing and throw it in the burn.

  3. Benny Higgins, former banker and CEO of Tesco Bank is the spokesperson for the Duke of Buccleuch’s estate. He is also the lead on the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Economic Recovery and the main author of its report on said topic. This is a very strange choice indeed for the SNP to make. Is there a connection between this type of link and the fact that the Scottish Government has continually lagged on actions to stop raptor killings, protecting mountain hares and beavers etc? Scotland may not be as bad as the Westminster government on these issues but it is still far from good enough.
    The First Minister refers, indeed defers to Higgins as a source of authoritative knowledge on many matters relating to the Scottish Government’s economic policy that will impact on Scottish society. He clearly has the FM’s ear. How can the Scottish FM have any credibility with the Scottish people when she is so close to these Scottish landowners and their economic advisors? Lack of action on protecting Scottish wildlife and moors may be the least of the problems that we face up here when it comes to economic, social and political change. The FM is of course infinitely more competent than the PM on so many things but that makes her reliance on people like Higgins even odder and more worrying.

  4. Of course this is an estate that had an awful record and reputation before Langholm 1. I think John Miles has a far better handle on those times there than me.

  5. Paul you speak the same left wing socialist political agenda using possible raptor killing as a smoke screen to further your left wing socialist political agenda

    1. Hi Mike, I have no socialist agenda. I am only slightly left of centre like tens of millions of other citizens. I know from my own personal experience as an ex-shooting man that killing birds of prey is fundamental to game shooting, especially DGS. But even if I hadn’t the benefit of thousands of hours spent within that world, the objective evidence is still utterly compelling to any impartial lay-man who cares to look at it. Perhaps excepting those who are pursuing their own arse-licking right wing agenda?

    2. Given you don’t know me this is hardly true, I have been a raptor fanatic for most of my hear 70 years, so approach the whole subject from that angle and believe it or not I think everybody should obey the law, not a difficult concept. Driven grouse shooting is and always has been dependent on getting rid of all predators legal and illegal if it had been a more populous sport such as cock fighting or badger baiting it would have been banned long ago but as it is the sport of the rich and powerful it has not, YET.
      Do not assume my motives if you have no real idea about me!

    3. By all means, Mike (whoever you are), carry on kidding yourself that people fed up and appalled by illegal raptor persecution are all politically motivated by left wing socialist views. You are way off the mark and, along with others, just digging a hole for the antiquated activities of driven grouse shooting.

  6. So we have Buccleuch Estate expressing indignation that the location given for a missing Hen Harrier might imply their involvement while the next door estate is Leadhills with very little current Grouse shooting yet a great deal of raptor persecution taking place
    in a very brazen manner. Correct me if I’m wrong but surely that offers several scenarios for what goes on there.

    Mr. Higgins running the estate would seem to be an established member of the Grouse shooting set. He is also heavily involved with the Scottish Government, with the ear of SG ministers. The Langholm Community buy out of Langholm Moor would lead to an upland project which would offer the polar opposite of a managed Grouse Moor. As with the situation on the ground this also offers scenarios for what is happening, and not happening, about the management of DGS in Scotland and the Langholm Moor buy out, neither of which seem to be being treated with any charity.

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