Fears for golden eagle nests as wildfires sweep Highlands

Dozens of golden eagle eggs and other rare bird nests may have been destroyed in Highland wildfires, experts warned.

RSPB Scotland said it was seriously concerned about the impact on the species, which nests in open moorland.

There have been almost 200 wildfires in the Highlands over the past week, with fire crews still battling a large blaze in Wester Ross.

There are also concerns for thousands of migrant birds that are due to nest in the area in the next few weeks.

“The loss of one nest is serious. The loss of double figures will potentially have a huge impact”

James Reynolds, RSPB.

There are thought to be about 400 golden eagles in Scotland, mainly in the Highlands.

James Reynolds, of the RSPB, said the loss of nests could have a devastating impact on the population.

"It is absolutely certain that we will have lost a number of golden eagle nests," he said. "How many we don't know, but for a population that small, even the loss of one nest is serious.

"The loss of double figures will potentially have a huge impact.

"Numbers are already very low, this will just hold them back further."

The RSPB has sent experts to the Highlands to try to assess the extent of the damage.

Mr Reynolds added that white-tailed eagle eggs may also be at risk, as well as those of migrant birds such as short-eared owls, dotterel, golden plover and wheatears, which are due to nest from mid April.

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-22026768

Battelle fined for destroying bird nests, eggs

Battelle has agreed to pay a fine of $96,800 after hundreds of bank swallow nests and thousands of eggs were destroyed during construction of a new laboratory in Richland.

The money will go to the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for purchasing or restoring shrub-steppe habitat in the Mid-Columbia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington.

Destroying the nests and eggs during the construction of the new Physical Sciences Facility for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Battelle operates the national lab in Richland for the Department of Energy.

The problem occurred after topsoil from the construction site was piled up in 2007 for later use in landscaping. In 2009, a subcontractor on the project removed some of the topsoil from the pile, creating a vertical space ideal for the nesting burrows dug by bank swallows.

On June 21, 2010, four college interns noticed the bank swallow nesting colony in the pile of topsoil. One of the interns emailed an electronic link to a senior research scientist, but the email did not say where the nesting colony was or indicate there was any threat, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/09/29/2117682/battelle-fined-for-destroying.html#storylink=cpy