poisoned Goshawks

That is just shocking!  I hope they catch the beast behind this (not that they ever seemed to find who kept poisoning the peregrines around Exeter!)

I'm afraid we see headlines like this all too often in our area,not so much Goshawks as we do not have many to start with,but Red Kite and Buzzard seem to feature a lot.The poisoned bait may not be put out with raptors as the main target it may to kill corvids or carnivorous mammals but this shows how indiscriminate this method of predator control is.This could have poisoned a family pet or even a curious child,it just does not bear thinking about and the sooner these people are hit with the full force of the law the better for all.

Another gos killing makes the news -

www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-scotland-south-scotland-14944851

How someone can do something like that is beyond me, I hope they fall from a tree and break their neck next time they try that!

Unknown said:

If I put in writing what I thought I would be banned from the foram

 Ray

There was talk in Scotland of making the land owner responsible for any deliberately killed Birds of prey on thier land. I dont know what ever came of that.

Maybe one solution is for legislation to say that if any BOP is found shot, poisioned etc on land then no hunting - grouse, pheasant whatever will be allowed on land within a 50 mile radius of the point the dead BOp was found. The only thing that will stop this is a direct root cause attack at the heart of the matter - Money. Trouble is no government will take such a bold step, after all who bank rolls thier political parties?

Another way would be to hold back on the grants that the estates get if the crime can be proved to be deliberate.

Particularly when the land is owned by the government !! As is the case with the Kildrummy Estate & George Mutch !! That's owned by Scottish Heritage, so much for protecting the Scottish Heritage !

At last the Courts are getting tougher.

www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30777299

June,  Just to correct a point.  Kildrummy Estate appears to owned by Kildrummy (Jersey) Ltd.  This is an investment company who appear to own property on behalf of people who seem to be able to remain anonymous as a result.

Kildrummy Castle is Scottish heritage I think.