A Sparrowhawk Visits

Sparrowhawks regular raid the bird feeders in our garden, usually flashing round the side of the house and scattering the finches and tits. Sometimes they catch a bird, sometimes not, sometimes we're not sure as it all happens so fast. Then there is quiet for ten minutes or so before the first little bird, usually a Coal Tit, flies in and grabs a sunflower seed. Whilst we'd rather not see one of the birds killed we accept that this is how nature works and the Sparrowhawks need to eat.

Sometimes a Sparrowhawk fails to catch something and instead of flying off hangs around, sitting on the feeders and watching the trees and bushes where, I guess, it knows its prey is hiding. When this happens it's worse overall for the small birds than when the Sparrowhawk catches one of them as it prevents them returning to feed. This is especially so if the hawk spends much time doing so and also repeatedly fails to catch anything.

This happened a few times recently, during the cold spell when the garden was white with snow and the temperature never rose above freezing. For several days we saw a Sparrowhawk repeatedly fly in, catch nothing, and then perch on the feeders for a while.

One day it stayed for half an hour or so, occasionally shifting from one feeder to another and sometimes swooping rather slowly and lazily towards a bush and then returning to a perch. 

I think it's a young one, which probably explains its lack of success. Being able to watch it for so long and take some photographs was wonderful. With its beautiful plumage, yellow feet with long curved talons, and intense stare it's a magnificent bird. I hope it has enough success hunting to survive the winter.

Poisoned eagle, disappeared eagle. Please write to politicians.

A grouse moor in the Eastern Highlands

Since I wrote the post below a satellite tagged young golden eagles has disappeared in the Strathbraan region of Perthshire, a raptor persecution hotspot (see Raptor Persecution UK). There is now a Parliamentary motion lodged by MSP Alex Rowley, calling for more to be done about the killing of birds of prey in the Highlands (again, see this post from Raptor Persecution UK). Those of us in Scotland should write to our MSPs asking them to sign this motion so it can be debated in the Scottish Government.

Wild Justice, the RSPB, and Hen Harrier Action have also started an e-action so people can send a pre-written letter to their MSP/MP/MS about raptor persecution and the damage done by driven grouse shooting. So far, 41,000 people have sent letters. Please join in.

Original post:

A young white-tailed eagle has been killed by poisoning on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park, the latest in a series of deaths and disappearances of birds of prey on or near grouse moors. (see Raptor Persecution UK). This is a disgrace and has rightly caused a big stir on social media.

This latest case makes a mockery of the National Park designation. I have to say I'm not surprised though. There are areas of the park and the Eastern Highlands I won't visit again as they are wildlife deserts with bulldozed roads, animal traps, and ugly muirburn. Their sole purpose is to ensure there are large numbers of grouse for a few people to enjoy killing.

Nothing seems to be done to curb the wildlife slaughter on these industrialised grouse moors. It's time that changed (my view is that driven grouse shooting should be banned). One way to do this is to put pressure on the Scottish government and I urge everyone concerned to email the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the Environment Cabinet Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham.

firstminister@gov.scot

CabSecECCLR@gov.scot

Many people have already sent emails and the progress of the campaign can be followed on Raptor Persecution UK.

Raptor deaths protest in Inverness

Over the last few weeks nineteen dead raptors - fourteen red kites and five buzzards - have been found near Conon Bridge in the Scottish Highlands Tests have shown that twelve of them had been poisoned. I'd be surprised if this didn't turn out to be the case with the other seven. This is now the biggest case of mass poisoning of wildlife in the UK. Whilst all such deaths are appalling the death of red kites, which were re-establishing themselves following reintroduction, is particularly upsetting.

Today a protest organised by RSPB North Scotland was held in Inverness. Around 100 people were there - a good number I think for such a protest, especially as it was at fairly short notice. There were nineteen large cut-outs representing the red kites and buzzards. The protest started with a bagpipe lament which was followed by several short speeches. I hope that this solemn occasion plus the petition we all signed and all the online activity will result not only in the perpetrators being caught and appropriately punished but also in more being done to crack down on the poisoning of raptors, of which there have been many cases in recent years.