BY BEN O’ROURKE Heavens to Murgatroyd! How did a botched bird report become the seminal study on raptor persecution? Most of the tags attached to the birds of prey failed and less than a handful were confirmed illegally killed, yet researchers fiddled the figures to support an agenda. Ruth Tingay sat in her office one morning in March, 2019, clutching a wad of freshly-printed paper, … Continue reading Raptor Persecraption: Heavens to Murgatroyd
BY ALENA WILDE Many parts of southern England are capable of supporting, breeding and wintering White-tailed Eagles, but the Isle of Wight was considered the most suitable location for their reintroduction. It is the last known breeding site of the species in southern England, located close to highly suitable foraging areas in the Solent and surrounding estuaries, with numerous potential nesting sites in woods and … Continue reading Isle of Wight Sea Eagles
BY BERT BURNETT Dear Editor, Something is fundamentally wrong in ‘conservation’ circles. We have seen huge increases in raptor populations over the last half a century, some species the highest ever recorded. Kites, buzzards, goshawks and sparrowhawks are all on the rise. We have raptor lobbyists claiming eagles are in trouble through persecution when in fact their numbers have apparently risen by approximately 35-40 pair … Continue reading Raptor Agitprop, Wader Persecution
Dear Editor, The Countryside does not just make itself. If we let Nature just take its course, everything will not just be fine. These are two statements that are obvious and even some of the more extreme Rewilders would agree with them, at least on a good day. It is obvious to anyone that without managing the land we would, for example, starve. Therefore, it … Continue reading Passing the Science Test
BY MARK CRUDGINGTON Have the British shooting public been led into a miasma of confusion that may lead to the end of the shooting of live quarry as we know it? In modern cancel culture the opportunity to “ban” time-tested methods to assuage a “green” agenda seems increasingly common. In the case of lead in ammunition there have been reports produced for years on the … Continue reading Lead into Darkness?
