The sea eagle has landed – centuries after it disappeared

UK’s largest bird of prey set for release on Isle of Wight later this month

Robin McKieScience editor

Sun 4 Aug 2019 09.00 BST

Sea eagles have returned to the Isle of Wight 239 years after they were last seen there. Six chicks brought from Scotland were taken to the island last month as part of a programme to reintroduce the birds to England’s south coast.

Also known as white-tailed eagles, the birds will be released into the wild in the next few weeks.

Over the next five years 60 young sea eagles – which grow to have a wingspan of up to 2.4 metres (8ft) and are Britain’s largest bird of prey – will be released on the island in a programme approved by Nature England. It is hoped the birds will begin breeding there by 2024.

“Sea eagles were once a common sight in England and southern Europe but were lost centuries ago,” said Roy Dennis, who has pioneered the reintroduction of the birds to Britain. “This project aims to reverse that situation by restoring them to their ancestral nesting places.”

Dennis added that the last pair of sea eagles in England bred on Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight in 1780.

A spokesperson for Forestry England said the new chicks had been doing well since their arrival and that once their health had been checked they would be released into the wild at several different locations in the next few weeks.

The young eagles will be tagged and monitored by satellite before being allowed to fly off. “We will study how they are doing very carefully before we move on to the next stage of the reintroduction programme,” said the spokesperson.

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Isle of Wight sea eagle reintroduction gets green light

Natural England has issued a licence to allow the release of white-tailed eagles on the Isle of Wight.

The issued the following press release

The release is part of a project, led by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England, to establish a breeding population of white-tailed eagles in southern England.

White-tailed eagles became extinct as a breeding species in England in the eighteenth century. Releases over the past 40 years have successfully re-established breeding populations in Scotland and Ireland.

Natural England has very carefully considered all aspects of the licence application. I would like to personally thank the expert working group of local staff and national specialists who have carefully tested the application against our licensing criteria and the IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature's Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations.

We have paid particular attention to:

the impacts on other wildlife and socio-economic interests, including livestock

the risk of disease transmission

the feasibility of the proposal and likely success

any risk to the donor population

the contribution to the conservation of white-tailed eagles

the adequacy of the applicant’s consultation, the evidence of support and how issues raised will be addressed

the applicant’s experience

the applicant’s monitoring plan

evidence of sufficient finances to support the project

the applicant’s communications plan and exit strategy

We have very thoroughly assessed the potential impacts on protected site features and existing wildlife. We have discounted any adverse impacts through direct predation and disturbance by the eagles or indirectly through increased visitor pressure from ‘eagle tourists’.

We have carefully examined the potential risk of lamb predation. There is no evidence of this becoming a problem where the eagles live alongside lowland sheep farming in Europe. However, we will ensure that the applicant puts in place clear routes to identify and manage any unexpected issues that might arise.

The licence permits the release of up to 60 eagles (12 per year) over the next five years. Young eagles will be sourced under licence from nests in Scotland and raised through to release on the Isle of Wight. The first release is planned for summer 2019.

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Trial of laser beams to scare sea eagles from lambs

5 January 2018

Shining laser beams onto hillsides could be used as a method of scaring white-tailed sea eagles away from flocks of sheep.

The technology is to be trialled in Argyll, an area where crofters and farmers have had issues with the raptors preying on lambs.

Scottish Natural Heritage said the trial would be "carefully monitored".

Argyll and Lochaber Sea Eagle Stakeholder Group's David Colthart said a contractor would carry out the work.

Lasers, which will be shone onto the hills and not directly at birds, are among potential new ways of deterring sea eagles from stocks of sheep, being considered by Scottish Natural heritage (SNH), and outlined by the agency last year.

'Serious concerns'

Farmer and stakeholder group chairman David Colthart told BBC Radio Scotland's John Beattie programme that not all sea eagles were a problem.

However, he said some juvenile birds did prey on lambs.

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Sea eagle numbers in Scotland predicted to soar

13 October 2016

Numbers of white-tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles, could rise from 106 pairs of birds to 221 pairs in less than 10 years, a new study claims.

Research commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) predicted the growth to the year 2025 and beyond.

By 2040, the researchers suggested there could potentially be between 889 and 1,005 pairs.

However, the study added the top figure may not be reached because of a lack of suitable territory.

There have been three release phases to re-establish the large bird of prey, which became extinct in Scotland in 1917.

Two releases occurred on Scotland's west coast - on Rum from 1975 to 1985 and in Wester Ross. The third release was in Fife on the east coast from 2007 to 2012. 

The report, authored by researchers at RSPB's Centre for Conservation Science, modelled a range of scenarios to predict the potential size of the sea eagle population, including scenarios with no limits on population growth. 

Other scenarios included limits such as availability of suitable habitat, food and nest sites.

The return of sea eagles, the UK's largest bird of prey, to Scotland, and also increases in their numbers, have been the subject of fierce debate.

The eagles attract wildlife tourists to remote and rural parts of the Highlands and Islands.

But some farmers and crofters in these areas have told of the raptors taking lambs.

Five years ago, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) raised concerns about whether sea eagles could differentiate between children and their natural prey.

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Sea eagles move inland

FARMERS IN Strathspey are working with conservationists after young sea eagles moved onto their land.

Following the arrival of a pair of young sea eagles in Abernethy, local farmers have met with RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage to express their concerns over the potential for the sea eagles to damage livestock - particularly as lambing season is getting underway.

Hannah and Ian Smith, of Lurg Farm, Nethy Bridge said: "We have concerns with lambing coming up as to the potential impact on lambs and other wildlife in the area. So far we have had a positive meeting with the relevant agencies."

RSPB Abernethy's senior site manager Jeremy Roberts said: "I can understand the nervousness of local farmers. It was good to hear about their concerns first hand.

"These are young birds and it is unclear what they are going to do. However, we will work together to manage the problems that may arise."

SNH Aviemore operations officer Keith Duncan added: "We welcome the farmers taking the initiative to set up this meeting. We are listening to their concerns and we will work with them on this issue. We would ask visitors to the area to respect the farming communities at this busy lambing season and the welfare of the birds."

NFU Scotland's Ian Wilson said: "With these young birds moving into a new area of Scotland, whilst it is a great concern to local farmers it is an opportunity for farmers and agencies to learn from failings in other areas. This meeting is the start of a positive relationship between local farmers, RSPB and SNH working together to manage any situation that may arise."

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Where eagles dare: Sea eagles look set to spread their wings all over Scotland

A couple of years ago when walking in the Ochils in central Scotland a large bird of prey with vast rectangular wings loomed into view. It was of such a size that I knew instantly it was a sea eagle, even before bringing it into focus through my binoculars.

A couple of years ago when walking in the Ochils in central Scotland a large bird of prey with vast rectangular wings loomed into view. It was of such a size that I knew instantly it was a sea eagle, even before bringing it into focus through my binoculars. Although I am normally reserved in manner, this surprise sighting placed me in a state of great animation, pointing out the soaring raptor to another hillwalker nearby and thrusting my binoculars into his hands.

Sea eagles do that – they excite and inspire, and this is why RSPB Scotland, working in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, is now gearing up for the next phase of the East of Scotland Sea Eagle Project, which will be looking to maximise the public enjoyment of these magnificent reintroduced birds. The final round of the six-year annual east coast reintroduction programme involving six young eagles from Norway was completed in August with additional funding support this year from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Local Government LEADER. Eighty-five birds have been released in total and the first eagles are now reaching sexual maturity with it being anticipated that the first nesting attempts will occur over the next few years, which according to Rhian Evans, RSPB sea eagle project officer, brings exciting opportunities for businesses and communities.

Rhian says it is now very much a waiting game, and while there are encouraging signs that some of the reintroduced birds are developing pair bonds, it is impossible to predict when and where the first nesting attempts may occur.

Continued:  http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/environment/where-eagles-dare-sea-eagles-look-set-to-spread-their-wings-all-over-scotland-1-2613918