A week ago RaptorPersecutionUK published a post which revealed that Amanda Anderson of the Moorland Association had said that some of her members were planning to apply for licences to control Marsh Harriers on moorland. RPUK is rarely wrong but we all waited for the rapid, detailed and hurt denial that would have been an…
Category: SHOOTERS
Red Kites – poisoned deliberately and accidentally
I see Red Kites almost every day – in fact, I think I’ll actually make a note of when I see them next year to see how true that is. They are certainly back in the skies of east Northants after the reintroductions which started in the 1980s. However, in a scientific paper published in…
The Moorland Imbalance (5)
In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly-heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. GWCT say that a commonly-heard criticism is that ‘Heather burning on grouse moors increases flooding’ and attempt to sidestep this in the same way that they attempted to…
Book review – The Moorland Balance by GWCT
I bought this slim volume to see whether there was anything new in it. It’s a fascinating read, as much for what it neglects as for what it says. For £8.95 (+P&P) you don’t get many words – 56 pages including lots of decent photographs, a list of references, an advert for the GWCT…
Countryside Alliance Awards #ruraloscars
I’ve nominated the Bowland Brewery for the Countryside Alliance Awards – modestly described by the Countryside Alliance as the rural oscars. I am a fairly regular purchaser of Bowland Brewery’s Hen Harrier ale and I like it as a beer and as an idea – my beer drinking gives money to the RSPB’s Hen Harrier work….
BASC doesn’t want us to see this film
This is a bit odd. Almost a year ago a filmmaker approached me (and others) to be filmed about the campaign against driven grouse shooting. I agreed to be filmed and I thought that the film might appear after the Westminster Hall debate. I’d almost forgotten all about it by now. I was sent the…
Pay up, Countryside Alliance!
I have permission to use this image of a Red Grouse by Tim Melling. The Countryside Alliance does not. Tim Melling is wondering where he should send his invoice please? He tells me that £500 would be an appropriate sum and that he’d like it to be a donation to Birders Against Wildlife Crime, perhaps…
Scottish Land and Estates statement on North Glenbuchat eagle
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Scottish Land and Estates which represents rural businesses across Scotland has issued a lame statement ‘supporting’ the appeal for information after the disappearance on yet another tagged eagle in a very small area near Strathdon in the Cairngorms National Park. Here is their statement: ‘Scottish Land & Estates, which represents rural businesses across Scotland, today…
Police and BASC get kids onto the North York Moors
BASC joins forces with police to get youngsters on the moors. Yet another example of close working between police and BASC. Planned activities are expected to include: identification of live birds – oh, another Red Grouse identification of dead birds – here’s a raptor! and here’s a Ring Ousel in a fenn trap arson –…
A few things
A few updates and things that caught my eye or my ear: That excellent blog, Raptor Persecution UK, is 7 today – Happy Birthday! the dawn chorus is getting going – Song Thrushes dominate the sound when I pick up the milk bottles from my doorstep in the morning new US Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke,…