As we reported a while ago, Mull suddenly seemed a slightly emptier place recently when Mara and Breagha, our two satellite tagged youngsters from 2008, both left the island for the first time. In the last year, one has gone on a fly about and then returned and then the other has gone and returned and they continued to spend alot of time together here. So now, for both birds to have been gone for so long is, well, a bit unsettling. It shouldn't be of course. We should be celebrating the fact that we still have two fit and healthy juveniles, now over a year old exploring their new world. But with all the sickening news this summer, of the poisoning of a golden eagle in nearby Glen Orchy and then the sad loss of Alma on another sporting estate in the Angus Glens near to where poor White G met his fate, it just kind of makes you feel uneasy to say the least.
But let's concentrate on the good news. Breagha in particular has had a grand tour of the famous Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland, at one point flying near to our brilliant nature reserve at Forsinard. She then made her way back down the west coast a short way and seems settled in the dramatic Kylesku area for the time being. She's made the occasional day trip to Loch Maree but has headed 'home' to Kylesku to roost. Of course she has hopefully many more years of wandering and exploring yet before she finally settles down on a breeding territory. I'm sure she'll be back to pay us a visit before too long. Meanwhile 'little' brother Mara is just across the water from here on Morvern and Ardnamurchan. By all accounts he seems to have made friends with some guys at the local fish farm (I wonder why?).
So what of the Mull 'Class of 09'? Well our 10 chicks are now all fledged and flying well but are still near their nesting area and being fed by their parents. We're lucky that we have a host of people across the island, both residents and visitors, who keep an eye on things for us and send in regular reports. Soon we hope to be introducing the two new Mull satellite tagged chicks to you all. We have another male and a female from different nests on the island and both are doing well. Once we have everything up and running for the website and the data coming in regularly, we'll be launching them to the world! Standby for that exciting moment. Meanwhile, we will continue to keep a close eye on the data for Breagha and Mara on their big adventures and hope, above all, that they keep themselves safe and out of harms way. Bon voyage!
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
No success logging into The Times, but I have left a message on the RSPB News Blog calling attention to the Simon Barnes article. I don't know whom at the RSPB I should contact about this. I had previously asked various people at the RSPB to contact him in support against the poisoning of raptors in Scotland. However, he seems still unaware of this on-going barbarism, as he is singling out Scotland as the paragon of virtues. I have asked if there is anyone at the RSPB who can contact him - it's not too late for him to write an update. I would have thought that the RSPB could help in this. I said that publicity from people like him is vitally important - it might help to bring the villains to justice at long last, and, who knows, it might just deter further poisonings of more eagles. Surely he should be reminded of the tragic tale of Alma in Angus, as well as the golden eagle poisoned in Argyll and the buzzards being poisoned in various localities including Sutherland, not to mention your little White G. having a trip out to Angus...