Just a quick update for our regular readers who may be thinking that the problems raised on this website have gone away. That’s far from the case but the Raptor Workers amongst you will know that at the end of the breeding season there is just time for a quick holiday and and then the need to catch up with the things we’ve been putting off for the last few months whilst we have been conducting fieldwork. There is of course the endless, and necessary, paperwork associated with our respective licences – for those who bother with licences that is.
As the season drew to and end and the birds began to drift away a number of strange goings on have been reported to us, which we are studying with interest, But more of that later.
I also had a very useful conversation with a member of the shooting community earlier this week who stated that he was genuinely concerned about behaviour of some shooters and stressed that not everyone INVOLVED IN GAME SHOOTING supported the illegal killing of birds of prey; some people like the individual who telephoned me were genuinely interested in conservation of raptors.
Although it was a very useful conversation it was unfortunately all too short. As we agreed please ring the number you have, I very much wish to continue and develop our discussion to our mutual benefit. You have the number please give me a call when you can.
Raptor Conference season is upon us so hopefully we’ll bump in to each other.
More later….”
Interesting meeting with Darren Belfield of Derbyshire police about a new initiative called Moorwatch.
One of the main problems discussed was the killing of raptors.
It would be well worth someone from this page contacting Darren ([email protected]) he is pushing to raise the resource spent on the problems but needs reports/evidence to support the claims.
Moorwatch is an initiative by Natural England, Derbyshire Constabulary and North Yorkshire to raise the profile of the wildlife crime, in particular to get people to start reporting suspected illegal activity, basically they are trying to make these crimes a priorty and whilst they are aware that there are problems without any information from the public they can’t justify the resources and in the past little or nothing has been done so people aren’t reporting anything. catch 22.
we suggest pc belfield should liaise with the south peak raptor group. A meeting of the group was held last tuesday 13 oct but nothing highlighted re this initiative. To make contact ring mick taylor 01246 277749 GROUP COORDINATOR.
can sgt darren belfield contact me asap ,, thankyou,wendy.