Raptor Politics

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conservation, handed a petition to Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca Davies – signed by more 200,000 people – demanding an end to the killing of birds of prey.

For the full story, please follow this link to Birdguides.

We believe the Eurasian Eagle Owl’s European subspecies Bubo. B. bubo is, and always has been, a true native British species. – the World Owl Trust

Download in PDF format the World Owl Trust’s objections to the FERA risk assessment:

Risk Assessment Response

Mr Philip Green, Chief Executive, United Utilities, Lingley Mere, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5

 3 February 2010

 Dear Mr. Green,

I am writing to you because I am very concerned for the safety and welfare of Lancashire’s only pair of European Eagle Owls which have been resident and have bred on your Bowland Estate since 2006. Resulting from what can only be described as irresponsible behaviour towards these iconic birds in the breeding season by a small number of your staff, this has resulted in their predicted low productivity after the pair were disturbed, against all expert advice given to your staff, to mark their eggs. I belong to a conservation group of over 2,000 members from all over the world that has been specifically established to make everyone aware of the problems these owls face in the wild, so be aware that the eyes of the world are watching United Utilities very closely at the present time.

Continue reading Eagle Owl-Letter of Concern sent to Philip Green, Chief Executive United Utilities

Eurasian Eagle Owl – Update.

We have enclosed a claim made in the Collins Bird Guide, first edition (1999) and repeated again in the new updated second edition published January 2010.

“Only a hand full of genuine records in Britain, all in the 19th Century.”

Collins Bird Guide, described as the user Bible for dedicated birders both the UK and across Europe. The first edition sold a quarter of a million copies, and the claim made in that edition has been re-stated once again in the  new updated second edition.

This must now provide some room for doubt. Why was this claim never questioned previously?

Eagle Owls Forest of Bowland: Historical Update.

Due to the lack of public knowledge relating the eagle owls in Bowland, and what has been happening since 2006, follow the link below for further information:

http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/?p=418

Angus Sea Eagle Poisoning ‘public’ at last – 22nd January 2010

TaysidePolice have at last released a press release regarding the investigation into the death of a white-tailed eagle found on 6 August 2009 on the Glenogil Estate in Angus. They claim that extensive police enquiries have already been carried out after tests confirmed that the bird was illegally poisoned with banned agricultural pesticides. Nearly 6 months on from the initial discovery the police are only now appealing to the public for information.

Continue reading Scottish Sea Eagle Poisoning Investigation: Results made Public after 5-Months

I don’t consider myself an expert on Eagle Owls by any stretch but we monitored them here regularly for 9 years and when I was stationed in Germany over 25 years I knew several nests and helped put up artificial breeding platforms for them in conifer trees which were successful.

No-one could ever say that Eagle Owls don’t take other avian species because clearly they do.  But on Sennelager Training area in Nordrhein Westphalia they nested quite successfully in an area where we controlled annually ca 30 Red Kite nests and 22 Goshawk nests.  In that same area bred Osprey, Black Stork, Peregrine, White Stork, endless numbers of Buzzards, Honey Buzzards, Short-eared Owls and Bittern (to name only a few).  The numbers and variety of species there was far superior to what we find here in the UK and the birds seemed to survive without any obvious evidence of conflict.  From time to time I witnessed aerial stand-offs, but that is common in many raptor species.

Continue reading Eagle Owl: A Personal Perspective by Major Anthony Crease, Retd.

After reviewing the detail enclosed within the UK non-native organism risk assessment scheme 3.3. document, on behalf of the North West Raptor Group, we wish to place our concerns on record. In particular we strongly object to a number of unscientific and unsupported opinions/conjecture enclosed within the document. For example the Eurasian eagle owl is being classified as an alien species throughout the United Kingdom. There is no supporting scientific evidence for this claim what so ever.
Continue reading Eagle Owls – Response to FERA “Risk Assessment” by North West Raptor Group

We are able to report today the Eagle Owl debate is now under the spotlight having been brought to the top of the birding political agenda. You may be interested to learn Raptor Politics has, within the last two days, just discovered that FERA, for several weeks, have been in the process of carrying out a public consultation on this species which closes on 6th Feb.

As expected the eagle owl has generated polarised views in our country, particularly within the shooting fraternity, but also by some ornithologists who regard the eagle owl as an invasive alien species. There is a view that eagle owls pose a real risk by predating upon a wide range of birds and mammals in our country. Of course anyone with any scientific background will know this behaviour is a natural part of this species’ ecology.

Subject to the consultation review, attempts to remove or eradicate this species could start very quickly.   Having read the risk assessment, details below, it would appear that there is some concern about the views of the bird watching public and, there is a comment that eradication/capture could be relatively easy subject to the cooperation of UK birders.

As such raptor politics think it is very important that our followers submit their own personal response to the consultation document before the 6 February deadline. e-mail address as follows: nnss@fera.gsi.gov.uk or write to None Native Species Secretariat, Fera, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 ILZ

There is some very informative information on the raptor politics website from a number of different experts.  This includes details from a forthcoming BB paper that reports on stable isotope analysis of feathers (and knowledge of moult pattern) from an injured eagle owl found in Norfolk that showed the juvenile feathers “had a very low 2H/1H ratio, significantly different from the ?adult? feathers, suggesting that the bird had originated in an area with very low 2H/1H signatures. That, I suggest corresponds with those found in Scandinavia”. This questions the view that all eagle owls in this country are escapes/releases albeit the likelihood that the majority are.

The FERA risk assessment can be found at https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/index.cfm?pageid=216

Update: Risk assessment in PDF format: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/downloadDocument.cfm?id=43

Video and text courtesy of the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project:

Just before Christmas one of the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project team happened to check the ‘tower webcam’ that looks across the tops of gargoyles where peregrines often roost, feed, and even mate. It was 10.45pm on a clear, frosty night. It had been dark for six hours. A peregrine was standing on the nearest gargoyle, alert and in hunting mode, and was looking outwards around the night sky. Continue reading Proof Peregrines in Cities are Hunting for Food at Night!

In April 2010, Eagle Owls will be included in the newly revised Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England and Wales. Doubtless at some point the necessary legislative steps will make the revisions applicable in Scotland too. The overall provisions ban the sale of certain species and make it an offence to release into the wild any animal, or plant, that is not indigenous to Britain. A proven offence against the provisions carries a possible two year jail sentence or a £5000 fine. Continue reading Eagle Owl Concerns