Swans stolen from RSPB Radipole Lake bird reserve in Weymouth

7th September

By Martin Lea  @DorsetEchoMart

A family of swans are feared dead after being stolen from a Weymouth bird reserve in a shocking theft which has left wardens saddened.

Thieves ‘forcibly removed’ the protected birds – two adults and five cygnets – from their home in Radipole Lake.

Shockingly, some entrails were found along with feathers in a ‘neat pile’ close to where the swans rest up at night in the inner part of the lake. It is accessed by the Buddleia Loop trail towards the northern end of the popular wetlands reserve.

It is thought the thieves parked their vehicle used to transport the birds on the nearby Weymouth Way as a feather trail was discovered leading out of the reserve to a lay-by on the road.

Wardens say the theft of so many swans in one raid is ‘unheard of.’

Swans are protected under the 1981 Wildlife Countryside Act which makes it illegal to keep or kill them.

The theft has been reported to the police and visitors to the reserve are being asked to be vigilant for any suspicious activity in case the thieves strike again.

Swan warden Derek Davey said it was a ‘sad case’.

He said: “Five cygnets and two adult swans have gone missing from the inner part of Radipole Lake. The swans were found to be missing earlier in the week.

“Evidence points to the swans being removed, by whom it is not yet known.”

He added: “I have no idea why anyone would take them but I suspect harm has come to them. They have been removed by force.”

Mr Davey said the swans could not have flown away as one of the adults is in molt and the cygnets were also unable to fly. Also, swans are very territorial so other birds would not have let the family move onto their patch.

He added: “The missing swans have been reported to the police, and I ask people to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around the Radipole Lake nature reserve, to take note of any vehicles and call the police on 101.”

Continued  

Thieves steal rare chickens from breeder's Cardiff allotment

A rare chicken breeder has been left furious after raiders stole 14 of his beloved birds.

The poultry plunderers made off with animals worth almost £350, including four American Wyandottes, two Chinese Croad Langhans, an English crested legbar, an English Orpington and five South American Araucanas.

Andrew Homer, 34, discovered the crime when he visited the coop on Sunday.

“I was there until noon and then at 7pm,” he said.

“I went down in the evening to move a tree. I could see in the coop things had been kicked over and the door was open.”

The dad of three has yet to tell his children about the break-in at the coop, which was on allotments in Morganstown, Cardiff, as they will be “gutted.”

“Rhys, who is four, was petrified of animals, but he would chase after the chickens trying to pick them up,” the surveyor said.

The children liked one bird best.

“A cockerel nicknamed Colin,” Mr Homer said. “They would get excited in the car on the way to the allotment and would start cock-a-doodle-dooing.

“We have got chickens in the back garden too but it was Colin they particularly enjoyed.”

Andrew was “more sad for them than for me.”

“I am letting them settle into school and will probably tell them at the weekend,” he said.

Mr Homer thought the crooks bundled his birds into a bin before fleeing.

“They have picked up the hens and taken those and they have taken a couple of males that were separated from that pen,” he said.

“They were quite good examples of their breeds. It is frustrating and disappointing.

“They left one bird that they could not catch because she is quite flighty.”

Some chicks were also left behind.

“There were 23 in total and they took 14,” Mr Homer, who had raised the animals, said.

“I don’t know what I would say to them, it’s terrible – disgraceful.

“All I’m trying to do is enjoy something. If they liked the birds that much it would have been more reasonable to come over and say, ‘Can I buy some?’ or ‘Can I hatch one?’

“There is no need to take things willy-nilly.”

Andrew would “love” to get them back.

“I don’t imagine anyone will put them back,” he said.

“I imagine they have been sold.”

The thieves knew what they were looking for, the dad believes.

“They are not of a size that they would be suitable for meat,” he said.

“I have been keeping birds for almost a year and started trying to put a pen together to show the birds,” he said.

“I had been to a couple of shows with the hens that have been stolen and I had one that had won an award in its class.

“I was getting quite pleased with them.”

Police are investigating.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/thieves-steal-rare-chickens-breeders-5838787

Longlands birds of prey enthusiast delighted to have hawks home

A BIRDS of prey enthusiast is on cloud nine after being reunited with two rare birds.

Michael Parry was devastated following the theft of the two red-tailed hawks.

The hawks were stolen from the garden of his Middlesbrough home.

Police are investigating the theft, which happened last Tuesday.

But Michael has now got his birds back.

“I am absolutely over the moon, it is just nice to have them back in safe hands.”

The raptors had been stolen from the garden of his home in Roseberry Road, Longlands.

Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2012/10/10/longlands-birds-of-prey-enthusiast-delighted-to-have-hawks-home-84229-32003896/#ixzz28tqrWaUM