This is a catch-up on white-tailed eagles.
Last Monday's East Anglia Daily Times had a two-page spread on the subject of white-tailed eagles. It included large chunks of my blog (6 January) on myths about white-tailed eagles, Derek Moore's comments which also appeared here on my blog, a piece by Nicola Currie, the CLA's Regional Director, and an article about the value of white-tailed eagles to the local economy.
The CLA are still questioning whether white-tailed eagles have a history of occurrence - but not with any data. Nicola Currie writes 'Archeological evidence is claimed to show that the sea eagle was here long ago...'. In fact, archeological evidence shows that this bird was here long ago, and other evidence shows that they remained until not that long ago!
Iain Dunnett, the manager of the Suffolk - the Greenest County project, has visited Mull and Hungary to see places where white-tailed eagles live alongside agriculture and says that in both places 'the local population, including farmers, have embraced the eagle.'. He also writes 'The challenge for farmers and landowners is to overcome perceived fears and enable the reintroduction to occur with farmers receiving the maximum benefit.'. So, no doubt about what Mr Dunnett thinks but I would re-write his sentence as follows 'The challenge for farmers and landowners is to overcome perceived fears and enable the reintroduction to occur with farmers receiving fair compensation for any damage and allowing the wider community to experience the maximum benefit.'. But I wouldn't change a word from his conclusion 'Whether viewed following a fishing boat or roosting in a pine tree this bird would add further majesty to, and enrich the atmosphere of, the Suffolk coast.'. This is a very welcome viewpoint - the economic value of these birds, and spiritual value too, should not be overlooked.
A letter also appeared from BASC Regional Officer which talked a lot of sense, such as 'Sea eagles simply do not have the agility and would waste more energy pursuing game birds than they would gain from it. Like buzzards they prefer carrion.'.
And I received a letter from an academic from Southampton University, Dale Serjeantson, whose speciality is zooarcheology. She was irritated to read newspaper reports that white-tailed eagles had never bred in East Anglia as she regards the data as 'quite abundant' that they did. In fact, these birds must have been 'quite common' in her (expert) opinion. Ms Serjeantson sent me a chapter she has written on extinct British birds which will appear in a book later this year. I might send the CLA a copy when the book is published.
Overall, it seems that the hysteria is dying away and the potential return of the white-tailed eagle to lowland England is being talked about in a more rational way.
Hi Mark my apologies you have made it clear that RSPB are not in favour of cull on E O afraid I had not taken it in but strangely reading lots about E O lots of people who I would think not doing it deliberately feel that the RSPB have the view of supporting a cull,obviously how misinformation comes about.
Hi Dave thanks for that you are quite right but not mischievous on purpose just bee taking too much notice of what others been saying.Personally and this does not excuse me but think it would be better if when any of us make a mistake the RSPB through various ways for example on the comment page or a private E-Mail or a comment on our individual page let us know and then at least we would not repeat it.For sure anything that is repeated starts to get believed.
This is a mistake by me but think my comment about correcting us would do well to get taken on board so that at least a lesson learnt as for sure if we comment and Mark does tend to publish all,there are always going to be mistakes.