The poor season for hen harriers was covered in yesterday's Daily Telegraph and Guardian.  The Guardian basically rehashes our press release (I'm not complaining!) whereas the Telegraph quibbles a bit about whether the lack of this grouse-eater is the fault of grouse-shooters.  I found the last line in the Telegraph piece very witty - you don't often find jokes in the papers' news coverage.  It says that '...gamekeepers and landowners insist that shooting estates are helping to protect the hen harrier by ensuring grouse moors are well managed and maintaining native moorland.'. That was meant to be a sardonic joke, surely?

I can't find any comment from Natural England on their web page on this sorry state of affairs - although we did offer them a quote in our press release.  In the past Natural England has been commendably outspoken on the subject of raptor persecution.  On 22 December 2008 Natural England were happy to say 'Persecution is prime cause of harrier disappearance.'. On 2 November 2009 Natural England were happy to say '... illegal persecution has led to today’s critically low breeding numbers and patchy distribution.'.  So what has happened since then?  The General Election was held on 6 May 2010.

Maybe in this new age, Defra is the place to look for comment on this subject?  I cannot find any comment on the Defra website - certainly not under 'news'.  Bu then this isn't news is it?  It is the status quo

The Raptor Politics website is naturally concerned about the plight of this fantastic bird. Farmers Guardian and Bird Guides also cover the story.

 

 

Parents
  • I confess to a feeling of recurrent despair on this subject!!! In many senses the same old questions, rhetoric and reasons for the loss of Hen Harriers crops up time and time again. The names are different, so the concerns are now being expressed by a successive generation to previously.  Of course the situation has to change, but, it seems to me, the RSPB simply can't afford to follow the same route as it has tried over the last thirty years. It's simply not working,  and whilst I admire those involved for sustaining their motivation in the light of all the disappointing repetition of poor results and the inevitable accompanying  frustration, a fresh approach is now needed. I realise various initiatives are under consideration to improve the numbers of harriers,  but I still feel a new focus needs to be directed at the errant minority who continue to repeatedly break the law. The fact is , I've no confidence that there will be a faithful uptake of new ideas without persecution continuing.  This is where a licensing procedure would have more influence!!

    I have just put a piece out on my own Blog (www.islaybirder.blogspot.com ) in the form of a response to the press release issued last week.   We're in a bind on this one, things have to change and the level of "activity" moved up a gear.  Whether or not the RSPB , as a charity, can front such an overt political exercise is perhaps a problem but the time is ripe to try.  With the Coalition Government claiming to be ( read "wish to be" ) the "Greenest " ever they need seriously taking to task if improvement doesn't ensue.

    Apologies for the tirade, but the situation is so damned frustrating!!!

    John Armitage.

Comment
  • I confess to a feeling of recurrent despair on this subject!!! In many senses the same old questions, rhetoric and reasons for the loss of Hen Harriers crops up time and time again. The names are different, so the concerns are now being expressed by a successive generation to previously.  Of course the situation has to change, but, it seems to me, the RSPB simply can't afford to follow the same route as it has tried over the last thirty years. It's simply not working,  and whilst I admire those involved for sustaining their motivation in the light of all the disappointing repetition of poor results and the inevitable accompanying  frustration, a fresh approach is now needed. I realise various initiatives are under consideration to improve the numbers of harriers,  but I still feel a new focus needs to be directed at the errant minority who continue to repeatedly break the law. The fact is , I've no confidence that there will be a faithful uptake of new ideas without persecution continuing.  This is where a licensing procedure would have more influence!!

    I have just put a piece out on my own Blog (www.islaybirder.blogspot.com ) in the form of a response to the press release issued last week.   We're in a bind on this one, things have to change and the level of "activity" moved up a gear.  Whether or not the RSPB , as a charity, can front such an overt political exercise is perhaps a problem but the time is ripe to try.  With the Coalition Government claiming to be ( read "wish to be" ) the "Greenest " ever they need seriously taking to task if improvement doesn't ensue.

    Apologies for the tirade, but the situation is so damned frustrating!!!

    John Armitage.

Children
No Data