It’s probable that Philip Green will be moving on shortly, and, the way things are, maybe there’ll be a takeover bid for the company soon.

Consequently, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a response from Mr Green if I were you. Maybe you’ll just get a response from the Bowland office, and I think you know what kind of answer you’ll get from them!

Please let us see some positive proof from them that they are doing something to help the many wonderful birds of prey they have on their land then perhaps we can start to trust and believe.
A good start would be to let the European Eagle Owls nest and rear their young without being disturbed.

I am awaiting Phillip Green’s reply to my letter with anticipation.
Chrissie Harper

I attended a lecture last Friday 5 Feb, at Penrith given by Stephen Murphy,the Hen Harrier National Coordinator. What he had to say was very interesting, but in many ways a misrepresentation of what really is taking place on Englands uplands. For example Stephen did not care to explain the reason why numbers of Hen Harriers in Bowland last year declined to just 4 productive pairs. I understand from details contained on this website that 6 additional breeding attempts all failed just in this location. I do not think this high failure rate was a result of poor weather or a shortage of prey as suggested by the so called experts. My conclusion is also supported by Brian Etheridge,a renowned British Hen Harrier Scientist who has left a comment on this website.

I was simply dumbfounded at Mr Murphys praise for local gamekeepers and how these individuals had, according to him, contributed to the current success of Hen Harriers in Bowland. How can anyone make such a ridiculous claim when in 2009 there were only 4 successful breeding attempts in an area regarded as Englands premier Hen Harrier breeding ground?

Anyone can manipulate figures; I regard a failure rate of 60% last year as true testimony as to what is taking place on our grouse moors today. After all Natural England have recently published their Hen Harrier report, in which they clearly state the demise of the Hen Harrier on Englands grouse moors is the result of illegal persecution.

If the current downward trend continues and Bowland is left with the single successful breeding pair of Hen Harriers on the Westminster Estate, then Mr Murphy can claim we have seen a 100% success for the area as a whole.

It is clear from the wealth of detailed information published by Raptor Politics, certain individuals at United Utilities appear to have a hidden agenda and do not like any detrimental information being made public. It is significant that on one hand a convicted egg collector is welcomed with open arms but on the other, according to Chrissie, an experience individual who has devoted his life to protecting the region’s wild life is now being denied access to the company’s property because he brought to their notice the consistent failure of protected nesting sites on their property. This is not acceptable and if this injustice is not corrected will certainly harm the reputation of United Utilities in the long term.

I told him that I was very concerned about the welfare of these owls and
other birds of prey on the estate as were over 2,000 other people worldwide,
and I asked him if he could assure me that these owls were going to be left
alone this year to breed in peace if they should chose to do so. I explained
that these owls would have eggs soon and he promptly asked me how I knew
that and who had told me; my reply was that having worked with owls for many
years I knew when their breeding season was, but it surprised me that he did
not.

In the space of ten minutes he asked me several times where I had received
my information from so that he could reply to these people in person; my
reply was that I belonged to the International Owl Society and along with
other groups we were all working together to see that these owls were
protected in the UK. I also explained that this was a worldwide group and
not only the eyes of Britain were watching them but also the eyes of the
world.

I asked him why inexperienced people had been allowed near the nest site
last year and also why United Utilities had felt it necessary to mark the
Eagle Owls eggs against best practice and the expert advice which he had
been given. I also pointing out as marking eggs would serve no purpose,
asking did he know that desertion was almost guaranteed by the action they
had taken and was that the reason the eggs had been marked.

I then asked him why Tony Warburton’s offer to fund protection of the nest
site was ignored and why he hadn’t taken up the offer of help from a man
with many years experience with these birds! No reply.

The next question I put to him was why a Wildlife Crime Officer, who is at
present under investigation was also being allowed on the estate and why
inexperienced individuals were visiting nest site at such a sensitive time
of year. I told Mr Grindy my only conclusion was it was all being done to
prevent the Eagle Owls producing and rearing young. The productivity figures
support the argument I made.

After going around the houses and getting no where Mr. Grindy then told me
that he was aware that I had written to the Chief Executive of United
Utilities and he thought it best if I received a reply to my questions in a
letter. I told him that I expected to get a reply from Phillip Green and no
one else, making it plain that any reply would be posted on my group page
together with all other relevant forums for all the members to read and that
everyone would be watching the position very closely.

So in conclusion I feel that his phone call was a waste of time and it took
him over ten minutes to tell me nothing as he evaded every question I put to
him in a very skilful way.

Like me I imagine you are all curious to know what the United Utilities
Bowland Manger is trying to hide from the public!