Red Kites Under Siege In Scotland

[mikey4444]

Interesting and worrying report in Friday's Guardian about the continued prosecution of Red Kites in Scotland :::

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/03/scottish-birtd-of-prey-colony-mass-poisonings

We are lucky here in South Wales that we have these wonderful birds.
Even in the Swansea Valley where I live, I see them most days. But it seems that stupid landowners are continuing to persecute these birds. According to the Guardian article, all the poisonings have occurred within a 2 square mile area in The Black Isle, north of Inverness. These birds were driven to the brink of extinction in Britain but have made a wonderful recovery since the late 70's. As all the poisonings is occurring over such a small area, you would have thought that the authorities would be able to make some progress in finding who is responsible. Makes me mad this sort of thing !

[Frank97]

Me to Mikey, I've never understood why you would want to kill one bird so you can slaughter another later on in the year, disgusting IMO!

[Tilly2]

Upsetting reading that, mikey. I'd suggest that they start asking the local gamekeepers some questions.

[Tilly2]

Whoever is doing this must know that the kites are not a threat to their precious grouse/pheasants/quails/whatever. Why?

[mikey4444]

Well, according to the article, there aren't any sporting reserves within the area where the birds have been found. But this has been happening in the Black Isle for years. The other two areas where the kite was supplemented by European imports in the late 70's and early 80's, Mid Wales and the Chilterns, have thriving stocks of kites, with little or no foul play. Something is going on and its a bit of a mystery why nobody has been found out over the years. Farmwr Palmer again. no doubt ( Can I shoot him now Pa ! )

[albaqwerty]

I've a feeling Tilly, that they know that subconsciously but 'old habits' and all that.
I just hope the punishment will fit the crime.

[Frank97]

Missed that bit, doesn't make it any better though.

[Tilly2]

Ditto, Frank.

[Tilly2]

.....and Alba.

[wolf63]

I don't understand why they do it. Wildlife is something that is part of the tourist industry in Scotland. I am just waiting for the reintroduction of the wolf.

[jno]

"prosecution", lol, just imagine the birds hauled up in court and the judge putting on his black cap.

[RATTER15]

I live just up the road from two red kite feeding centres so we see loads of them everyday, we love to see them and as they are carrion feeders they are perfectly safe around game rearing farms.

[RATTER15]

//I am just waiting for the reintroduction of the wolf.//

wouldn't that be amazing! unfortunately they would be poached into extinction by farmers and trophy hunters before they were anywhere near established.

[mikey4444]

For those that haven't been, pay a visit to this place...its simply wonderful

http://www.gigrin.co.uk/red_kite_feeding.php

More Kites than you can shake a stick at !

[mikey4444]

I too are not entirely happy about feeding stations. But kites are now widespread in southern England and Wales, which was unheard of years ago.
The value of feeding stations in the past is that they provided extra food, especially in the winter, to give the birds a leg up, as it were.

The ignorant farmers have been educated in the rest of the UK but not in the Black Isle it seems, so more work needs to be done. Perhaps a few high-profile prosecutions might help.

[Baldric]

urely jno, ^^^ you mean "up before the beak!"

[Baldric]

Surely ^^^ not urley !....doh!