White Tailed Sea Eagles, IOW
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Yes, Fish, this Golden Eagle Project is a particular ambitious one and so far has involve transplanting naturally bred birds to areas devoid of them. With regard to the use of captive raised offspring there have been many very successful efforts involving this method for other species such as those for Great Bustards, Storks, Ospreys, Lammergeier and others around Europe. Vultures too, particularly Condors in the Americas. Lessons are being learnt and hopefully further successes with be witnessed. We have to try to learn and try all methods in that learning don’t folk think!
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Latest update of the sad losses.
https://onthewight.com/sudden-death-of-isle-of-wight-white-tailed-eagle-being-investigated/
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This related issue really needs addressing straight away.
https://phys.org/news/2022-03-birds-prey-populations-europe-suppressed.html
”Currently, only two European nations—Denmark and the Netherlands—have banned lead shot. Denmark plans to follow this up with a ban on lead rifle bullets. Both the European Union and the UK are considering legal bans on all lead ammunition due to effects on wildlife and the health of human consumers of game meat, but many hunting groups oppose this, according to researchers.”
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So not us bad farmers,shooters etc responsible as some suggested here. How does that go down with the deniers I wonder. As for lead shot remember its the city folk, moneyed people who blast tame pheasants all over the country. Probably have no concept of make up,of cartridges and in any case just bury the carcasese
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Unacceptable and cruel pressures on our wildlife do exist and some of it does come from surprising areas with some so called ‘bad’ people involved. Where proven proper prosecutions are required.
As for lead ammunition a voluntary ban on this toxic material is definitely not working with 99.4 % of pheasants shot in the UK in 020/2021 being shot using lead based ammunition. That fact says it all.
Rather than passing the buck and pointing the smoking finger at one scapegoat ‘user’ all the shooting fraternity need to sit up and act. This includes the Government, the shot manufacturers and the game and shooting organisations who do little if anything to truly support this ban?Very damming evidence here!
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Thanks, micky, but that only talks of the IOW bird having succumbed to avian flu, although it could also be the cause of death of the Dorset pair. Case unproven as it stands.
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Really great news!
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👍👍 😁
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A birding pal emailed me this photo taken yesterday in Ribchester. He thinks it might be a white tailed eagle. If so, can it please fly a few miles further east, would be a nice one for my garden list….🤔
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It very much looks like it. Since the IOW project started we are seeing these majestic birds appearing far more frequently across UK skies. In fact where there were none due to persecution now we witness. Beautiful to see and you never know, one for your garden list, possibly!🤪
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From AOL report
"No further action will be taken over the death of a white-tailed eagle reintroduced into southern England, police have said.
Dorset Police launched an investigation earlier this year into the death of the bird of prey, one of 25 eagles that have been released on the Isle of Wight as part of a reintroduction scheme, after its body was recovered in the county.
But examinations and tests on the bird were deemed to be “inconclusive”. While high levels of rat poison brodifacoum were detected, it was not possible to establish if it was a deliberate act of poisoning the bird, police said.
The RSPB said it was “completely baffled” by the decision to end the white-tailed eagle investigation prematurely, warning the poison was clearly being used incompetently or with intent to kill raptors, and was an illegal act."
And from the BBC local news.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-60917432
A Case of not proven I think
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This is both sad and tragic. One can only guess as to how this poison entered the specific food chain of these wonderful birds. Irresponsibility or deliberately, both are an absolute crime! The project will not and must not fail as a result of this horrid action perpetrated by humans.
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Someone puts out poison for a rat problem. Sea eagle comes along and spots a nice tasty rat that's looking a bit sluggish and thinks 'easy target'. Difficult if one wanted to pursue a prosecution to establish "beyond a reasonable doubt" malice aforethought.
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Totally understand this but there is a responsibility which comes with the use of rodenticides and practices to eliminate non target creatures suffering. These are deadly chemicals for animals including humans. There are both documented and anecdotal cases of these substances being deliberately used to kill raptors illegally by unscrupulous folk. It does happen along with other objectionable methods of removing raptors from environments. Thing is how to stop this from happening in the future?
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I think it might be best in these circumstances to stay positive that the majority of these Sea Eagles have survived, they are not all going to survive and although it's sad to see any loss it will happen. At least it has been investigated and the cause is known, there are tracking devices on the birds and these will continue to monitor their situations. Roy Dennis IOW LINK
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Another reason in this changed world of how difficult it is to reset the ecology back to say Edwardian or Victorian times. Most usage of Rat poison is by urban councils in their effort to control the vermin within built up area Just an observation on the findings..
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Yes, Brue, that’s the spirit! Those involved in this project remain upbeat and are determined to ‘grow’ the successes already witnessed. Having read your latest link, pairs are already becoming established and are returning to their natal areas as predicted. Hopefully they will breed in the not too distant seasons. Very good news there to be had!👍
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You are joking Fish, the Victorians where destroyers of Worldwide native wildlife then they came good with Newton🤷🏻♂️
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What I said that in those times there were some of the lost species but at the same time far more wild places than today. Very few like us would tour the North 500 etc but today no where in the UK is people free. Conflict then arises. I agree and have said here that it was the industrial barons, titles people who owned or aquired the land and caused the abuses. I think it was Richard 111 who ordered the killing of all wolves.
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Thankfully there are still lots of wild and semi wild places in the UK and some are getting even wilder. Today the general population are far more aware and understanding of wildlife and many folk are working very hard to encourage the return of ‘lost’ species be they flora or fauna, environments and habitats.
The future is far brighter today than it’s been for decades, maybe centuries and getting brighter. Cooperation in coexistence rather than conflict is the new order. Lots of work and ‘education’ still to do mind!
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I note the bit about "scavengers of the battlefield" here Fish. LINK I expect there were a lot of reasons for putting a bounty on the heads of many types of wild creatures in the past. The article in the LINK relates to place names with "eagle" in their titles. I think Devon has a place, Yarnscombe, the valley of the Eagles. And our Viking ancestors seemed keen to slaughter a lot of Orkney Eagles. It looks like it's not always easy to sort out what type of Eagle but they certainly didn't do well in some places, over hundreds of years.
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It is so short sighted by those that are trying to reintroduce species, when they are ignoring the problem of ground nesting birds like curlew and lapwings in particular. They are being decimated despite habitat improvement beause foxes are out of control and sweeping up all chicks. There is a high probability that they will be extinct within a decade. Are we looking at wildlife through the wrong end of the binoculars?
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Perhaps your comments were meant for the re-wilding thread Fisherman as the Sea Eagles in Scotland were re-introduced in 1975 which is a considerable time ago and I don't recall that others species have been damaged during the last 47 years. Scotland does a lot of conservation work and the nearby Highland Wildlife Park in collaboration with the Royal Scottish Zoological Soc. holds species that are of interest although not all can be released into the wild but breeding programmes can help other countries that can release them. Anyway, I'm sure you know the wilds of Scotland quite well and have been lucky enough to experience what many miss on their travels.
PS don't get me on wildcats though, I once went to a talk where we were shown a colour wheel of dead moggies collected from the road side and I thought this is an intoduction plan too far. At least one Sea Eagle recognises another.
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I realise your post is is most possibly in the wrong thread but this article may be of interest to you!
http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/images/predator report_tcm9-177905.pdf
Just a thought but please enlighten me as to why Golden Plover are still on the legal list for shooters in the UK? It’s good to talk and learn from others!
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Thanks for the link, brue.👍 I mentioned the fact in the Osprey thread yesterday, but couldn't find the link.
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http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/images/predator%20report_tcm9-177905.pdf
Link now live, mickey, and it downloads into a separate document, which will take some reading!😄
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