Shot and decapitated raven found near Delamere Forest

16th May

By Josh Pennington 

A PROTECTED raven has been found illegally shot near Delamere Forest, triggering a police investigation.

The bird was found in a field by a man walking his dog along the edge of the forest.

The bird had no head but had no other injuries.

He contacted the RSPB’s Investigations unit for advice, and they arranged for the bird to be collected and x-rayed.

The x-ray revealed as many as nine pieces of shot in the raven’s body. The cause of the bird’s missing head however is not known.

Cheshire Police carried out detailed enquiries, including conducting a search of the area and speaking to local farmers.

However, no leads were uncovered.

The public are now being called on to step forward with any information which may help identify the culprit.

Jenny Shelton, from the RSPB’s Investigations Unit, says: “The countryside is somewhere we should all be able to enjoy, and our incredible birds and wildlife are part of what makes places like Delamere Forest so special.

“Raven populations are starting to recover in the UK following centuries of persecution and superstition. These magnificent birds are protected by UK law, yet this is the latest in a growing number of ravens which have been illegally killed in recent months.

“The persecution of ravens and birds of prey is a serious issue, and much more common than many of us might think.

"It’s incredibly difficult to uncover the culprits in cases like these, and you wonder how many other birds have been illegally shot which we don’t hear about.

"We would like to thank Avian Veterinary Services and Cheshire Police for their help and hard work.”

Ravens and birds of prey are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

To kill or injure one is a criminal offence and could result in an unlimited fine or up to six months in jail.

PC Gerard Gigg of Cheshire Police said: “Can members of the community, when they witness any crime involving wildlife or indeed any other suspicious activity, report it immediately by calling 101, or 999 if the crime is ongoing.”

If you have any information relating to this incident, which occurred around 23 March 2019, call 101, ask for Cheshire Police and quote reference number: 19100137950.

If you find a wild bird of prey which you suspect has been illegally killed, contact RSPB investigations on 01767 680551 or fill in the online form: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/our-positions-and-campaigns/positions/wildbirdslaw/reportform.aspx

Source

Concern after rare bird of prey found shot near Barton

The illegal shooting of a rare marsh harrier which was discovered on the Humber Bank in North Linconshire has been investigated by Humberside Police and officers at the force and the RSPB are now appealing for further information

Abby Ruston

12:20, 9 JAN 2019

Conservationists have raised the alarm after a rare, protected bird was found shot.

The marsh harrier was discovered by a woman who was walking her dog along the bank of the River Humber near Barton-Upon-Humber.

After reporting it to the RSPCA, an x-ray revealed the bird had been shot and it later died of its injuries.

The incident, which happened in September, has been investigated by Humberside Police but the culprit has not been identified and RSBP officials are now appealing for help from the public.

Marsh harriers are among the rarest breeding birds in the UK, with just 400 pairs across the country.

And the shooting of the bird follows the poisoning of a marsh harrier near the Humber in 2012, which raised concerns that birds of prey are being deliberately targeted in this area.

Read on  

Rare Griffon vulture found dead, shot at

DECEMBER 5TH, 2017 

GEORGE PSYLLIDES CYPRUS,

Although it was shot at, authorities on Tuesday were carrying out tests to determine the exact cause of death of one of the few Griffon vultures on the island whose carcass was found at Zapalo beach in Episkopi, Limassol.

Conservation group BirdLife Cyprus said an x-ray showed the presence of pellets but a necropsy was also underway to confirm whether it was a shooting that killed the bird or if it died of poisoning, the most frequent cause of death of vultures in Cyprus.

BirdLife said preliminary tests showed the bird most probably died from the shooting but more tests were underway to check for evidence of poisoning.

“This x-ray alone, however, paints a gloomy picture for the species,” BirdLife said. “Why was it even shot at? With only around 20 vultures left on the island, each death comes at a great cost for the species’ survival.”

Read on 

Hunt for thugs after family of swans shot dead

Sick thugs shot and killed three swans on the Grand Union Canal in Slough.

Two of the birds, a male and his cygnet, were from the same family – while the third was a young male.

A fourth bird, the cygnet’s mother, was also shot and is currently with vets who are trying to save her life in intensive care.

Berkshire-based charity Swan Lifeline took to Facebook to share the sad news. They said: ‘We are desperately sad and angered that this afternoon a family of swans have been shot on The Grand Union canal in Slough.

‘This has been enormously distressing for our staff, rescuers and all involved.

 ‘This has been a truly horrid day, we are sorry if the photographs are upsetting but we feel the need to publicise this as much as possible.’

The charity, from Eton, said that police had been told and added: ‘Tell the call handler that you are reporting a wildlife crime and you will be put through to the correct person.

 ‘It is vital that reports are kept under the same reference number as Swan Lifeline have the evidence of the two swans that died as a result of this dreadful incident.

‘Thank you to everyone for your support and let’s hope that someone out there has information that will help catch the perpetrators of this appalling crime.’

Swan Support, from Datchet, Berkshire, found the fourth swan on the same day.

They wrote: ‘It is with sadness that we have to report that today we picked up a swan from the canal in Slough Langley that had been shot.

‘The bird was already dead when we arrived. This is not the first time we have been called to attend incidents such as this in this particular location.’

If you have any information contact Thames Valley Police on 101 and use crime reference number 43170257314.

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Young peregrine falcon shot in Peak District

Birds of prey such as Peregrines are protected by law. 

Police have launched an investigation after a young peregrine falcon died after being shot in the Peak District National Park.

The injured bird was found by walkers in the Goyt Valley, west of Buxton. It was collected by Raptor Rescue and taken to a local vet but later died. A post mortem revealed the bird had been hit with shotgun shot.

Sgt Darren Belfield, from Derbyshire police, said: “Peregrines, like all birds of prey, are protected by law. The persecution of birds of prey is a problem in some upland areas of the county, with offences taking place away from public view in isolated rural areas, often in the early hours when there are few people around to witness illegal acts.

“I would personally appeal to all users of the countryside to help us bring persecution to an end. If you know or suspect someone of committing or being involved in committing acts of wildlife crime of any kind I would urge you to come forward and report it to the police.

“Furthermore, if you are involved in outdoor activities or sports, or are engaged in employment in the rural areas of our county, I would ask you to remain vigilant to crimes of this type. The police need witnesses and evidence in order to secure a prosecution. The public can help with this so if you suspect it, please report it.”

Continued 

Short-eared Owls found shot in Co Durham

Posted on: 31 Oct 2015

Durham Police and the RSPB are appealing for information following the shooting of two Short-eared Owls in March this year.

Found by a member of the public, the dead owls were pushed into a pothole near Selset Reservoir in Co Durham. They were recovered on 2 March 2015 and sent for a post mortem examination, where it was confirmed that both birds had been shot.

Short-eared Owls are fully protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The maximum sentence for the illegal killing of a wild bird is six months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The species can frequently be seen hunting in broad daylight as well as in the early evening. They live mainly on a diet of small mammals such as voles, and the main wintering numbers are just beginning to arrive in Britain from Scandinavia.

To attract a mate, the males perform dramatic sky-dancing displays over open moorland, accompanied by wing clapping to alert females of their presence. The breeding range of Britain's Short-eared Owl population has shrunk in recent years, though the reasons for this are not fully understood.

Continued …

Rare hen harrier Annie shot and killed in South Lanarkshire

10:11, 12 AUGUST 2015

BY SANDY KILPATRICK

The young female hen harrier, part of the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, was killed by a gunshot in a remote moorland in South Lanarkshire.

John Wright Hen Harrier, Annie, with her tag.

A rare bird of prey has been shot and killed.

The young female hen harrier had been fitted with a satellite transmitter as a chick as part of the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project.

Scientists monitoring the bird, named Annie, became concerned in mid March, when data confirmed she had stopped moving.

After extensive searching, RSPB Scotland Investigations staff, liaising with Police Scotland and Natural England, recovered the body of the bird from a remote moorland in South Lanarkshire.

It was sent to the SAC Veterinary Centre laboratory near Edinburgh where it was confirmed that it had been killed by a gunshot.

RSPB Scotland yesterday appealed for information on the crime.

Director Stuart Housden said: “It is little wonder these magnificent raptors continue to be absent from large areas of our uplands.

Continued ...

Red Kite deliberately shot in Northern Ireland

A red kite found dead in County Down had been deliberately shot RSPB Northern Ireland has confirmed. The female bird was discovered near Katesbridge on 20 May and it was recovered by the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group.

Red kites were persecuted to extinction more than 200 years ago. Back in 2008 RSPB NI joined forces with the Welsh Kite Trust and the Golden Eagle Trust to reintroduce the species to Northern Ireland’s skies.

The current population is thought to stand at around 14 breeding pairs and, although no further releases are planned, the charity is continuing to monitor the population. It’s thought the population will only reach a sustainable level once around 50 pairs are established.

The bird which was found shot was born in Wales in 2010 and was part of the re-introduction scheme’s final release.

It was also ‘adopted’ by Ballyclare High School in 2011 and given the name Fawkes. Teacher Dr Adrian Witherow said: “We are extremely disappointed about what has happened to Fawkes. Both the staff and pupils at Ballyclare High School were fully behind the red kite re-introduction scheme and it is a real shame that the bird which we have followed for a number of years has been deliberately targeted.”

The bird was found near a nest site usually occupied by a male and female known as Black K and Black M. Worryingly, they have not been seen in recent months and their nest, which was freshly lined in preparation for breeding, has not been active for weeks.

Continued......

APPEAL: Can you help police track down the person who killed a Peregrine Falcon in Staffordshire?

By Staffordshire Newsletter | Posted: May 18, 2015

A PROTECTED bird of prey has been found shot dead in North Staffordshire.

The Peregrine Falcon was found on May 7 at an undisclosed location.

Police are urging anyone with information to get in contact.

Sergeant Mark Joynson from Staffordshire Police said: "Peregrine Falcons are a rare species which means the birds, their nests, and eggs, are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take a Peregrine, or to disturb it whilst nesting.

"Officers are working closely with colleagues at the RSPB and inquiries into this incident are ongoing."

RSPB Intelligence Officer Helen Mason said: "Peregrines are magnificent birds and to shoot one is not only cruel, but needless and selfish.

"It has taken decades for the Peregrine population to recover from the devastating effects of pesticide contamination in the latter half of the last century, and yet we still find them targeted year on year by people who hold a grudge against them. The RSPB is offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible."

Read more: 

Rare bird and 'blog star' Heather the harrier shot dead

A rare feathered hen harrier whose travels around Ireland were tracked and followed via a website has been shot dead .

The bird was found in Kerry last month. The female hen harrier, named Heather had been tagged with the satellite-tracking device shortly after she hatched in 2013 in east Kerry. She quickly became a star, as her travels were followed by thousands of people on an online blog.

She was killed with a shotgun in the Waterville area. The cause of death was only established this week.

The rare bird of prey was fitted with a satellite tagged as part of a joint project involving the NPWS and IRD Dunhallow, a rural development group in Cork which set up the site: henharrierireland.blogspot.ie to track the bird’s movements. The site has received over 250,000 hits since its launch.

Read on ...

Concern surrounds the shooting of thirty birds in Tudeley

By Paddock Wood Courier | Posted: August 04, 2014

By Amy-Clare Martin

MYSTERY surrounds the death of thirty wood pigeons at a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve in Tudeley.

The dead birds were discovered by a dog walker in Tudeley Woods, near Half Moon Lane, on Sunday afternoon. The birds had been shot and were dumped in two large piles on the floor.

The RSPB reserve is home to a number of star species including the woodlark, the nightjar and the tree pipit.

Although wood pigeons are not endangered, questions are being raised about why the birds were shot in such numbers and just discarded on the floor.

Sue Royal, a spokesman for the RSPB, said: “Obviously it is a concern that large numbers of birds have been shot, but it is a mystery to be honest as neither we nor the landowner know anything about it.

“About 30 of them were left near a footpath. We don’t know who has left them there or why the birds were killed.”

The police have been informed.

Source...

RSPCA express horror after Red Kite is shot in Wellingborough

Written byLAWRENCE JOHN

The RSPCA is appealing for information after a rare bird of the prey – a Red Kite – was shot in Wellingborough.

The bird suffered from a badly injured wing in the incident and was taken to East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk.

The Red Kite, which is afforded the highest degree of legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, was x-rayed and it was found to be peppered with pellets from a shotgun from the incident around April 4.

Sadly, the bird was so badly injured it had to be put to sleep.

Centre manager Alison Charles said: “We are all quite horrified that someone has taken a pot shot at such a beautiful bird. We do not get many in this area.

“It is even more frustrating because it is well known that the Red Kite was saved from extinction in the UK and has now been successfully reintroduced to England and Scotland – but it is still a protected species because of its historical decline.

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ENDANGERED SPECIES: Surgery for shot rare bird

By JONATHAN MALLINSONMarch 20, 2014, 10 p.m.

AN ENDANGERED white goshawk will require specialised surgery to repair broken bones caused by a gunshot.

Picture: Meg Windram.

The bird was found in a Forth resident's chicken shed earlier in the week trying to catch food, but in visible distress.

The home owner caught the rare bird and took it to the Forth Valley Veterinary Clinic to be cared for by vet Jim Reilly.

Dr Reilly and Ulverstone bird breeder Fred Snelders believe the bird was in flight when it was shot.

``Shards visible in the X-ray strongly suggest to me the bird was shot with a rifle or high-powered air rifle,'' Dr Reilly said.

``People don't understand the importance of these birds - there would only be around 50 breeding pairs left in the wild.''

The injured goshawk has suffered a severely broken leg, which will require specialist surgery to repair.

Continued

ENDANGERED SPECIES: Reward offered in shooting of Peregrine Falcon

Endangered falcon found shot outside West Allis bar

WAUWATOSA, Wis. —A $5,000 reward is being offered for information regarding a Milwaukee shooting of an endangered Peregrine falcon.

The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering the reward.

VIDEO: Endangered falcon found shot outside West Allis bar

Officials said the injured falcon was found near 55th and Grant streets on Feb. 27.

Humane Society officials said the bird has seven shot pellets still inside her as well as a broken collar bone which could prevent her from flying.

"This bone is really a critical structural component of her ability to fly, her shoulder system," said Scott Diehl of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

The bird, named Madame X, is in stable condition.

The We Energies Foundation made a $2,500 donation toward the falcon's medical treatments.

Peregrine falcons are native to Wisconsin, but became endangered in the 1960s when the use of the pesticide DDT made their egg shells fragile.

Madame X hatched her first chicks last spring at the We Energies power plant in Wauwatosa.

Read more:

Authorities say 2 teens shot eagle perched in tree

Posted: Feb 14, 2014 7:46 PM GSTUpdated: Feb 14, 2014 7:46 PM GST

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say two teenagers shot a bald eagle near Montezuma, injuring the bird so severely that it died.

Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel told The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/M0KTD8 ) deputies were called Wednesday afternoon to property near Montezuma, about 50 miles east of Des Moines.

Kriegel says the bird was shot once, injuring its wing and knocking it from a tree. It was shot again on the ground.

A property owner gave deputies a description of a car at the site, and deputies soon stopped the vehicle.

Continued

Inexcusable: two endangered whooping cranes shot in Louisiana

The whooping crane is protected under the federal Endangered Species and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts and by state law.

Science Recorder | James Fluere | Sunday, February 09, 2014

Some crimes are just inexcusable and this is one of them: the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fishers reports that two endangered whooping cranes were found shot in Jefferson Davis Parish on Friday. The LDWF believes that the birds were shot sometime on Thursday... To continue reading, subscribe toScience Recorder today.

Read more: http://www.sciencerecorder.com/news/inexcusable-two-endangered-whooping-cranes-shot-in-louisiana/#ixzz2tJ5dzUfq

Shot buzzard could have suffered for days, say police and RSPB

Chris Hill

Friday, February 7, 2014 

3:38 PM

The wounded bird of prey was found by a member of the public and taken to Larwood and Kennedy Veterinary Practice in Dereham on January 2.

An x-ray examination revealed the buzzard had been shot, resulting in the bones in both wings being smashed. Vets believed the bird had been shot several days before it was found and, due to the extent of its injuries, it had to be put down.

Police are keen to trace the person who handed in the wounded bird, who did not leave a name, as they can help locate exactly where the buzzard was found.

Wildlife crime officer PC David Armstrong said: “Raptor persecution is treated very seriously by Norfolk Constabulary; it is illegal and is one of the UK priorities for wildlife crime.

Read on

Rare Black-throated diver shot in Scotland

Appeal for information after rare bird found shot

July 2013. RSPB Scotland are appealing for information after a Black-throated diver, one of Scotland's rarest birds, was found dead on the shore of Loch Gowan, near Achnasheen in Wester-Ross. 

The bird was discovered by local biologist Jim Raffell and was reported to the RSPB. A post-mortem, carried out by Scottish Agricultural College vets, on behalf of the nature charity, revealed the bird had been shot. Police enquiries have been unable to identify a suspect.

Just 240 breeding pairs

The black-throated diver is an elegant black and white bird, breeding on freshwater lochs and wintering at sea. It is a very rare breeding species in the UK, with the population of around 240 pairs confined to north and west Scotland. They are known for their elegant summer plumage, haunting calls and their tendency to mate for life. This bird killed is believed to have been one from a breeding pair.

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said: "This is an appalling and inexcusable crime. Black-throated divers are stunning and very rare birds, with their UK stronghold in the Highlands of Scotland. It is truly shocking that one of these birds has been deliberately targeted, with a complete disregard for both the law and the rarity of this species."

Mr Raffell, a fisheries biologist with the Scottish Government, added: "To find a dead black throated diver is very sad, but to then be informed that that it had been shot caused me much upset and made me very angry. How any person could deliberately shoot such a beautiful, enigmatic and uncontroversial bird is outrageous. I hope that by raising awareness of this crime, it will never be repeated."

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, or RSPB Scotland on 0131 317 4100.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/black-throated-diver-shot.html