Gamekeepers

[Poacher]

Three Red Kites shot dead in North Yorkshire: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0dpee0dw1yo
Again, in an area dominated by driven grouse shooting, although I've never heard of any incidents where a kite has killed a grouse!
The police press release contained the assurance that "Police are aware that local gamekeepers will come under suspicion, however we will investigate with an open mind, gathering information from a variety of sources, and not be led by assumptions."
Well, that's OK then, but maybe, just maybe, the police should suspect local gamekeepers and act accordingly. I very much doubt that holidaymakers rambling across the countryside are carrying shotguns and firing them at any passing raptor.

 

[Poacher]

https://www.irishnews.com/news/nort...s_found_near_ballymena_were_poisoned-3418458/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-66134319

Northern Ireland is clearly over-populated with White-tailed Sea Eagles and they need to be exterminated at every opportunity.
These two were poisoned with bendiocarb, "which is only permitted for indoor use to control crawling insects...The test results suggest that an individual not only has access to the insecticide bendiocarb, but has placed this into the outside environment illegally, so that wild birds have been able to consume it"
What a remarkable coincidence that this should have happened on the only commercially run grouse moor in NI, Glenwherry.
https://igct.co.uk/about

This story, from 2011, tells of the gamekeeper's pride in killing "vermin": "In a little over three years the head game-keeper shot 300 foxes. Crows and magpies, too, pose a threat to grouse nests and so hundreds of these predators have also been killed."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12338968

But the persecution is nothing new. While researching the background to this latest atrocity, I found details of a fatal aircraft crash which happened in November 1994. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/69500
"The pilot had first met the passenger at a grouse shoot on 12th August, 1994. During conversation, the passenger indicated that he was able to supply a quantity of chicken grit for the grouse. The passenger was subsequently invited along for his first flight in a light aircraft. He brought some 15 to 20 bags of chicken grit, each weighing some 7 lb, to the airstrip and these were loaded into the aircraft. A large plastic open container filled with chicken and rabbit carcasses was placed in the front right location, and the bags of grit were distributed behind it, and behind the rear seat. The intention was to drop these, along with the carcasses, over the moor land used for the grouse shoot.

The passenger occupied the rear seat behind the pilot, but did not use the rear seat lap harness. He restrained the carcass container during take-off and was intending to pass the paper sacks to the pilot for dropping during the flight. The pilot was wearing a pair of industrial rubber gloves and wellington boots and was restrained by a lap and diagonal shoulder harness."

How thoughtful of the passenger to feed the foxes, buzzards etc. with surplus chicken and rabbit carcasses! I wonder whether they contained some special seasoning. Were the "industrial rubber gloves" to protect the pilot from being poisoned? Maybe he should have taken the additional precaution of not flying into a stone wall, which resulted in his death. Unfortunately the passenger survived.

 

[Poacher]

Three hen harriers disappeared from private grouse moors between 9th and 15th August.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-66550431

 

[albion]

'Chief executive Beccy Speight said it was the first time "so many hen harriers have gone missing in such a short space of time", all on driven grouse moors.
"If these magnificent birds are ever going to have a sustainable population in England this has to stop," she said.
"Productivity from nests means nothing if the birds don't survive." '

Shooting parties expect more for their money.

 

[Poacher]

Yet another protected raptor shot. Despite some dedicated care it has now died.
"North Yorkshire Police said it was the third buzzard in the last four months that had been shot or had died in suspicious circumstances in the Rosedale area." Has any perpetrator been prosecuted? What do you think?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-engla...b_link&at_format=link&at_campaign=Social_Flow

 

[Poacher]

Peregrine found dead in a pole trap a week ago.
Next year marks the 120th anniversary of these traps being made illegal.
My prediction is that no-one will be convicted of this offence due to lack of evidence.
Would evidence be forthcoming if someone took it into their head to smash the perpetrator's legs with a sledgehammer?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-67557199

 

[Poacher]

That illegally killed Peregrine was found on the edge of woodland, south of Wester Bavelaw, near Balerno.
This is on the Bavelaw Estate, owned by Robert, Andrew, Robert and Edward Douglas-Miller as Trustees of Firm of Bavelaw Castle Farm.
Last Friday, 1/12/2023, 10 Downing Street appointed a new environment minister, after making him a member of the House of Lords to enable him to take up the role.
Arise, Baron Robbie Douglas-Miller (obviously not at all related to either of the Robert Douglas-Millers who own the estate where the illegal trap was deployed).
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ructs-public-access-made-environment-minister

They really are taking the piss now, aren't they?

 

[monkers]

That illegally killed Peregrine was found on the edge of woodland, south of Wester Bavelaw, near Balerno.
This is on the Bavelaw Estate, owned by Robert, Andrew, Robert and Edward Douglas-Miller as Trustees of Firm of Bavelaw Castle Farm.
Last Friday, 1/12/2023, 10 Downing Street appointed a new environment minister, after making him a member of the House of Lords to enable him to take up the role.
Arise, Baron Robbie Douglas-Miller (obviously not at all related to either of the Robert Douglas-Millers who own the estate where the illegal trap was deployed).
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ructs-public-access-made-environment-minister

They really are taking the piss now, aren't they?

Democracy is dead under the Tories.

 

[Poacher]

Sadistic gamekeeper filmed dogs ripping badgers apart to make quick cash on TikTok
... and got "sentenced" to 175 hours of unpaid work and a 5 year ban on keeping animals.
Just what would he have had to do to merit a custodial sentence?

 

[monkers]

Sadistic gamekeeper filmed dogs ripping badgers apart to make quick cash on TikTok
... and got "sentenced" to 175 hours of unpaid work and a 5 year ban on keeping animals.
Just what would he have had to do to merit a custodial sentence?

Create a 5 minute traffic delay by peacefully protesting badger culling in the road with a placard?

 

[icowden]

... and got "sentenced" to 175 hours of unpaid work and a 5 year ban on keeping animals.
Just what would he have had to do to merit a custodial sentence?

A crime that merits a custodial sentence? In the Courts of England and Wales the likely starting point would have been a 2 year sentence. I can;t find any guidelines for Scotland but it would appear that they are less stringent.

 

[Poacher]

A crime that merits a custodial sentence? In the Courts of England and Wales the likely starting point would have been a 2 year sentence. I can;t find any guidelines for Scotland but it would appear that they are less stringent.

"Taking effect from 30 November, the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 increases the maximum penalty for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife crimes to five years imprisonment and unlimited fines.

These tougher penalties will be available to courts when convicting those who are involved in animal fighting, causing unnecessary suffering to animals or committing a wide range of serious crimes against wildlife."
https://www.gov.scot/news/tougher-penalties-for-animal-and-wildlife-crime/

Seems to me he got off extremely lightly - I wonder if the sheriff goes game shooting in his leisure time?

 

[icowden]

Seems to me he got off extremely lightly - I wonder if the sheriff goes game shooting in his leisure time?

I agree, but I can't find any specific sentencing guidelines for Scotland, so it's difficult to give an opinion as to whether he got off lightly or not.

 

[Poacher]

A "part time gamekeeper", 48, and his son, 23, admitted illegal sale of Peregrines (very lucrative crime if you have the right buyers, prices of £35000 and £64000 are quoted in the report).
"Timothy Hall, who has been described as a part time gamekeeper, also pleaded guilty to being in possession of peregrine falcons and also a charge of failing to provide the needs of an animal as required by good practice by not providing clean water and had inadequate perches for the birds. He also admitted a breach of the Firearms Act by not properly securing a shotgun in his property."
Now for a rather intriguing detail. His wife, a serving police officer, was found not guilty on five charges, but might not yet be out of the wood; there's a potential fraud charge hanging over her. Was she complicit, or so incurious that she asked no questions about he husband and son's illegal activities? Either way, I suspect that she's not destined for a glittering career in crime investigation.
https://www.peeblesshirenews.com/news/23987552.officer-cleared-accused-selling-peregrine-falcons/

 

[AuroraSaab]

I know falconry is a big deal in the Middle East and has been for centuries. How do they manage to export the birds? You'd think it would be noticed on commercial flights and by ship would take a while. Private jets and back handers to small airport staff perhaps.

Can't imagine the police officer was unawares. That's not the sort of money you can explain away to even the most gullible of spouses.

Birds of prey are such beautiful things. Just stunning to see up close and in the wild. I've been up mountains where you can look down on buzzards circling and coming quite close. It's magical.

Can't think about birds of prey without thinking of owl legs. Who knew?