Dozens of dead birds found floating in Perthshire loch

11 July 2019

The discovery of about 100 dead birds in a Perthshire loch has been reported to police, amid fears of a possible illegal cull.

Dozens of carcasses - believed to be crows - were reported floating on Loch Freuchie, west of Dunkeld.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which licenses the culling of crows and ravens, was informed as a result.

A spokeswoman said the discovery had been reported to police for further investigation.

Brenda Henderson from Crieff told The Courier newspaper: "They all looked like young crows. There must have been close to 100. It was quite alarming."

An SNH spokeswoman described the incident as "disturbing", but said it was difficult to determine exactly what had led to the birds' deaths.

She added: "We strongly encourage anyone who believes they have witnessed wildlife crime to contact the police as soon as possible.

"In cases such as these we advise that dead birds should not be handled and pets be kept away. We will assist the police with any inquiries they make."

Source

Young golden eagles disappear in mysterious circumstances

Area becoming 'black hole' for the species, expert says after almost a third of tracked birds disappear

Conrad Duncan

Monday 1 July 2019 12:38 

The Independent

Two young golden eagles have disappeared “under suspicious circumstances” within hours of each other on the same Scottish grouse moor, according to wildlife presenter Chris Packham.

The birds were being monitored with satellite tags by Mr Packham and Raptor Persecution UK as part of a study of the movements of young golden eagles in Scotland.

The two eagles, named Adam and Charlie, are said to have vanished from the Auchnafree Estate in the Strathbraan area of Perthshire on 18 April.

They had been wearing satellite tags that inexplicably stopped working and the birds have since been untraceable, Raptor Persecution UK said.

It is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird, with a few exceptions, in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Mr Packham and Raptor Persecution UK said there was no evidence to suggest the Auchnafree Estate was involved in the disappearances.

Continued 

RSPB Scotland probes lonely death of hen harrier Rannoch

 by Jamie Buchan

 June 27 2019, 11.34am

A hen harrier that was being tracked by a leading bird welfare charity has been found dead in an illegal trap on a Perthshire moor.

The young female, named Rannoch, was said to have suffered “significantly” before she died in the open spring snare.

Rannoch had been fitted with a satellite tag by RSPB Scotland, as part of the organisation’s Hen Harrier LIFE conservation programme.

Her movements had been closely followed by the charity until November when she stopped moving in an area of moorland between Crieff and Aberfeldy.

The solar-powered tag battery had drained before accurate information could be gathered to find her. When the tag came back online in May, RSPB Scotland was able to get enough data to track down her remains.

A post mortem report from the SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) veterinary laboratory states: “The bird was trapped by the left leg in a spring trap at time of death.

“Death will have been due to a combination of shock and blood loss, if it died quickly or to exposure and dehydration/starvation if it died slowly.

“Either way the bird will have experienced significant unnecessary suffering.”

Dr Cathleen Thomas, project manager for Hen Harrier LIFE said: “We are absolutely devastated that Rannoch has been a victim of crime. The life of this beautiful bird was cut short in the most horrific way due to human actions.

“Satellite tagging has revealed the amazing journeys made by hen harriers, but also uncovers who their journeys end.”

She said: “Often the birds disappear with their tags suddenly ceasing to function as perpetrators go to great lengths to hide the evidence of their crimes.

“Rannoch’s death in a spring trap is evidence of one way in which these birds are being killed.”

She said, in terms of population size, hen harriers are now the most persecuted bird of prey in the UK and numbers are now “perilously” low.

“Every loss we suffer impacts the continued survival of the species.”

Continued

‘Persecuted’ hen harrier found alive and well

30 JAN

A hen harrier that Scottish antis said had been killed by gamekeepers was found alive and well last week.

Now gamekeepers want a crackdown on satellite tagging after the RSPB spotted the bird in Perthshire.

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, the RSPB said nothing about spotting it alive, even though the organisation made a great deal of eporting its apparent disappearance in 2018.

In addition, a farmer found a dead sea eagle with a tag that had failed several weeks previously and was already on a list of birds “Missing believed persecuted”.

The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association now wants the satellite tagging of birds to be licensed by the Scottish Government and some gamekeepers claim that cumbersome tags are what are killing hen harriers.

Source

Police appeal for information on missing satellite-tagged sea eagle in Perthshire

POLICE yesterday appealed for information after a young satellite-tagged white tailed eagle vanished in suspicious circumstances in Perthshire.

By DAVID SCOTT

PUBLISHED: 22:19, Wed, Apr 18, 2018 | UPDATED: 22:34, Wed, Apr 18, 2018

The sea eagles transmitting tag stopped working last month

The female, named Blue X, was the offspring of the first breeding pair of sea eagles reintroduced to Scotland’s east coast as part of the scheme to re-establish the majestic birds after they were wiped out a century ago.

It fledged from a nest in Tentsmuir Forest, Fife, in July 2017, but its tag suddenly stopped transmitting last month in Glen Quaich, south of Aberfeldy.

Police and RSPB Scotland, along with gamekeepers from surrounding estates, launched a search for the missing raptor and its tag, but neither has been found.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “A joint search took place following the RSPB report that the bird was missing but no trace was found and the disappearance of this bird remains unexplained.

“Police Scotland appeals for anyone who may have information about the disappearance of this bird to call 101 or Crimestoppers.”

Continued 

Legal restrictions imposed on Perthshire shooting estate

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has released details of two restrictions imposed on the use of General Licenses on a 'sporting' estate in Perthshire and on an un-named individual. These follow previous similar restrictions imposed on grouse moors in Stirlingshire and the Scottish Borders.

RSPB Scotland has welcomed the announcement as a video supporting the legal restrictions was released, but no prosecutions have yet resulted from the evidence.

Video evidence presented by SNH to procure the legal restrictions on the estates concerned. Video: RSPB.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, Head of Species and Land Management for RSPB Scotland said: “We are pleased to read the SNH announcement restricting the use of the General Licence in these cases. In May 2017, the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment announced a package of new measures designed to protect birds of prey, including the consideration of all legal measures that could be used to target geographical areas of concern, and this is part of that approach.

Continued  

VIDEO: Rare albino sparrow spotted in Perthshire garden

by Kirsty McIntosh

July 12 2017, 6.58amUpdated: July 12 2017, 9.06am

A rare albino sparrow has been captured on camera in a Perthshire garden.

John Anderson spotted the tiny white creature at his Dunning property after it fell out of its nest.

Pure white birds like the sparrow are rare.

He was able to capture it on film as the parents attempted to feed it but it was unable to fly back to its nest.

“I first noticed it last week, he said. “I’m not an expert on birds but I see a lot of them in my garden and I’ve never seen anything like it before.

“We do get a few house sparrows in the eaves of the building and I think one of its siblings must have pushed it out of the nest for fear it would attract predators.

“It was under a bush under one of the nests. We kept an eye on it but we were worried foxes would get it in the night, but it was still there the next morning. The mother would come along and feed it every so often.”

Sadly, the fledgling only survived for a few days.

Continued  

Lady the osprey lays 69th egg at Perthshire reserve

Staff at the Loch of the Lowes reserve saw Lady lay the egg in the early hours of Sunday morning

A veteran breeding osprey has laid her 69th egg at a Perthshire nature reserve.

Lady the osprey returned to Loch of the Lowes for the 24th consecutive year, having reared 50 chicks there in the past.

And staff at the centre confirmed that she laid her first egg of the season early on Sunday morning.

The 29-year-old female is thought to be the oldest breeding raptor in the world.

An update on the centre's osprey blog welcomed the "wonderful news" of the latest egg.

It read: "At around 00:30 our nightwatch staff noticed classic egg-laying behaviour, and at 00:47 the female stood up to reveal her new egg.

"It is just as well the birds have built such a deep, snug cup in the centre of the nest as it was so windy last night, the whole nest was rocking.

"The staff and volunteers here are over the moon, and we are so relieved that our beloved female is still breeding at her advanced age."

Continued

Happy news as Britain's oldest osprey, Lady of the Loch returns to her nest for 24th year in a row

Apr 01, 2014 10:19

By Carla Callaghan

THE veteran bird was given a warm welcome by Scottish Wildlife Trust staff on Monday as she flew into her usual nesting place at Loch of the Lowes.

THE oldest osprey in Britain yesterday returned to her nest from her winter away – and immediately won back her mate from a younger love rival.

Lady, who is believed to be 28, has nested at Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld, Perthshire, for 24 years in a row and has reared a record 50 chicks.

Click here to watch the Loch of the Lowes webcam

The veteran’s return after a 3000-mile migration from west Africa has delighted Scottish Wildlife Trust staff.

Perthshire Ranger, Emma Rawling, said: “Everyone at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre is thrilled that our resident osprey has returned.

“She is a very old bird and for her to undertake another successful migration is testament to just how special she is. However, it does demonstrate the conservation success story of the species as a whole.

Continued

Harrier deaths renew calls for continued windfarm monitoring

Last modified: 21 December 2012

RSPB Scotland has today ( 21st  December 2012)  confirmed that  an adult male hen harrier was found dead at a Perthshire wind farm, with a second bird found injured three weeks later. Hen harriers are a scarce species that hunt over rough grazings and moorland.

The birds were discovered on separate occasions earlier this Spring, in the same section of the Griffin Wind Farm, near Aberfeldy. The area had been forestry that was clear felled to aid the wind farms construction and operation.

RSPB Scotland is now able to confirm that no further hen harriers appear to have been affected at the windfarm during 2012. RSPB Scotland staff have been working closely with operators SSE to avoid any repeat tragedies. This has included visits to the site and advice to increase post-construction monitoring. This will enable staff to understand how the birds use the site, particularly during the species’ display period.

The Griffin Wind farm, comprising 68 turbines, was granted permission in 2009. It was switched on in two phases, starting in March and becoming fully operational in July 2012.

The first hen harrier was discovered by engineers below a turbine on the 18th April, just three weeks later a second male was found unable to take off close to the same turbine. The bird was found to have an injured wing and sadly later died.

Aedán Smith, head of planning and development at RSPB Scotland said : “This is a tragic situation and is likely to have had an impact on the local breeding success of this vulnerable species. Sustained persecution has placed the hen harrier under significant pressure, with the raptor teetering on the brink of extinction in England.  However, wind farm collisions, the apparent reason for the death of these two birds, remain very rare events indeed.

Continued:  http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/336895-harrier-deaths-renew-calls-for-continued-windfarm-monitoring