Police crackdown on North Yorkshire bird of prey killings

17 February 2018

Police have joined forces with wildlife experts to combat bird of prey killings in the county with the UK's worst record for attacks.

Operation Owl will see officers in North Yorkshire sent to "persecution hotspots" to try and catch offenders.

As part of the campaign, the RSPB has launched a hotline to allow people to report incidents in confidence.

Its latest figures show 54 attacks were reported in the county between 2012 and 2016 - by far the worst area in the UK.

A report by the RSPB claimed many of the incidents were on "land managed for driven grouse shooting".

It cited an incident in 2016 when a gamekeeper on a grouse shooting estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park received a police caution after admitting setting three pole traps.

The RSPB said that in 2016, confirmed incidents in North Yorkshire included four shot buzzards, four shot red kites, two poisoned red kites, a shot peregrine, a buzzard nest destruction and seven incidents relating to the illegal use of spring traps.

Continued

Call for birdwatchers to help protect birds' eggs

By Stephen Davy-Osborne

DEVON and Cornwall Police are calling on birdwatchers to assist them in a countywide egg hunt to help protect some of Cornwall's rarest birds.

Operation Easter is part of the National Wildlife Crime Unit's (NWCU) drive to stamp out illegal egg-collecting, and is calling on birdwatchers to alert police to the nesting sites of rare birds, such as the chough, so that they can draw up a map of their locations.

People are asked to report the nesting sites of any 'schedule 1 birds', which include goshawk, kingfisher, barn owl and peregrine falcon.

Paul Freestone, wildlife crimes officer at Devon and Cornwall Police, said that the creation of the map was a "gathering of intelligence" in order to protect rarer species.

"Any information we receive will remain confidential," he said.

"We're trying to give the police a better idea of where our rarer breeding birds are in Cornwall, and we have 42 volunteers across the force who do this along with their normal duties.

"If we do have some rarer breeding birds then we will look at setting up full-time watches or covert cameras at nest sites that could be at risk."

The collecting of birds' eggs is a criminal offence but police said that it remains the pastime of a minority, who often take whole clutches of eggs from some of the county's rarest birds.

Tony Whitehead, speaking for the RSPB, said: "We take bird crime very seriously in the South West.

"For a while we've asked birdwatchers to report any sightings of rare breeding birds to the relevant county bird recorder and RSPB but it's good to see the police getting involved in this way.

"It is also a timely reminder with the breeding season just around the corner that people should avoid disturbing nesting birds.

"People should also not share or publish publicly the locations of rare species."

Head of the NWCU, Detective Inspector Nevin Hunter, said: "We will do everything possible to gain intelligence that brings these wildlife criminals before the court."

Bob Elliot, head of investigations for RSPB, said that the RSPB welcomed the commitment of the police and NWCU to help protect these nests.

Anyone with any information relating to the location of a schedule 1 bird's nesting site is asked to report it to wildlife crime officer Paul Freestone at paul.free stone@devonandcornwall.p nn.police.uk

Information relating to the disturbance of nest sites can also be passed in confidence to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111.

Read more: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/birdwatchers-help-protect-birds-eggs/story-18663314-detail/story.html#ixzz2QFXBVOTK

Police start rare bird map in bid to protect Cornish nests

A map of rare bird nesting sites is being created by police in a bid to protect them.

Birdwatchers are being asked to report nesting sites of rare birds in Cornwall.

Devon and Cornwall Police want to know where to target resources and plan future operations to protect them, especially birds of prey.

In 2011 a number of goshawks, peregrine falcons and a buzzard were killed in the force area.

Wildlife crime officer, Paul Freestone, who is behind the project, said birds of prey were especially prone to egg theft and persecution at this time of year.

He said: "The map will be used to build a picture of where to target resources and plan future operations."

Mr Freestone said he wanted people to report the nesting sites of all "Schedule 1" birds, which included goshawk, kingfisher, barn owl and peregrine falcon.

Reports can be sent to paul.freestone@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21940048

Reward after Sproatley buzzards shot dead

The police and RSPB have urged anyone with information to come forward

Two birds of prey have been shot dead and thrown into a ditch near an East Yorkshire village.

The RSPB is offering a £1,000 reward to help catch the person who shot the buzzards on the outskirts of Sproatley earlier this week.

Tests have revealed the birds were wounded with a shot gun.

Buzzards are protected by law and anyone found guilty of shooting one faces a maximum penalty of six months in prison or a £5,000 fine.

Sgt David Jenkins, Humberside Police's wildlife officer, said the birds appeared to have been shot several times at close range.

'Cold and calculating'

He told BBC Look North, buzzards were often targeted because of concerns they could attack pheasants.

"It's a very archaic point of view. Buzzards, if anybody really does their research, tend to eat more dead animals. It's a very lazy bird," he said.

"They've been persecuted for years and years."

Howard Jones, from the RSPB's investigations team, said he hoped the £1,000 reward would help them catch the birds' killer.

He said: "I think that this person has done this in a very cold and calculating way and is probably now thinking that they've got away with it.

"We think that the £1,000 reward will provide the encouragement for someone to come forward to the police or the RSPB in confidence and share their information and hopefully progress this investigation."

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-21491451

Police appeal for information after protected hen harrier is shot dead

GRAMPIAN Police are appealing for information after a protected hen harrier was found shot dead on an Aberdeenshire estate last month.

Officers from the force’s Wildlife Crime Unit are investigating the discovery of the remains of the bird of prey by employees on the Fettercairn estate, near Cairn o’Mount, on Saturday, 13 October.

A force spokesman said: “Investigations have established that the bird had been shot and officers are appealing to members of the public who may have been in the area and may have seen something suspicious.

“Gamekeeping staff at Fettercairn Estate have already provided significant assistance to police in their enquiries and continue to work closely in the hope that the offender can be identified and brought to justice.”

Constable Gavin Lindsay, the force’s Wildlife Crime Coordinator, said: “It’s most disappointing someone has taken it upon themselves to kill such a wonderful bird. There are very few Hen Harriers in the north east of Scotland and for someone to have done this to such a rare bird is astounding.

“I appeal to all members of the public who might have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area on or around 13 October or who knows the person responsible for this crime to come forward and notify police to assist with our ongoing investigations.”

Katie Somervell, the owner of the estate, said: “Since its inception in 2006 Fettercairn Estate has been a long term participant in the North East Scotland Raptor Watch project. As such it was particularly distressing to hear that a dead hen harrier was found on the edge of the hill land and I join in the appeal for witnesses to come forward.”

Paul Wheelhouse, Scotland’s Environment Minister, also condemned the illegal killing. He declared: “This is another absolutely deplorable crime involving the shooting of one of our rarest species of raptor and I thank the Estate and Keeper involved for bringing this matter to the attention of the authorities which is in keeping with their positive engagement on wildlife crime issues

“We will not tolerate the illegal persecution of protected species such as the hen harrier and, as I have said recently in relation to another shooting, I am prepared to look at further measures to strengthen and assist enforcement if we continue to see this flouting of the law in respect of protected species.”

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/police-appeal-for-information-after-protected-hen-harrier-is-shot-dead-1-2664805