To read the full story go to:
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/peregrine-found-shot-next-to-grouse-moor-in-peak-district-national-park/ .
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| Photo of the bird shortly before it died. |
Such killing of raptors is illegal and constitutes 'wildlife crime'.....and it has been going on up in the moorlands of the Peak District National park and elsewhere in the UK for years.
So it is highly likely that some of the youngsters reared at Derby Cathedral end up being shot on the moors.....a real tragedy.
A national petition to ban driven grouse shooting has now reached 120,000 signatures which means that there will be a debate on this subject in the House of Commons sometime in the autumn.
A local and new petition is now open for people to sign and we urge you to do so if you are appallled by the news above.
Earlier this year, a man with a gun was filmed sitting near a decoy hen harrier on a Derbyshire moor owned by the National Trust and leased by them to a shooting tenant. The incident was too far off for any prosecution to be made but the National Trust is throwing the shooting tenant off - a move we applaud.
The petition now asks the Trust NOT to put another shooting tenant on this huge moor but to manage it for wildlife and restore its biodiversity. To read the background and find a link to the petition please see: www.nomoorshooting.blogspot.com .
And do please sign up if you will. We have 2000 signatures in a month since the petition started but we need many more......
The Project team
11 comments:
Very sad news. I will sign the petition.
This is just gut wrenchingly sad. It has also made me incredibly angry. Somebody somewhere is robbing all of us of OUR wildlife. I simply cannot understand how anybody of sound mind could take a gun and shoot a magnificent creature like a peregrine falcon (or any other creature, to be honest). If somebody can kill beautiful birds of prey, how much longer before they start shooting people too? Our Government keeps up the mantra that they are serious about stamping out wildlife crime, well, here's one they can get straight on the case about. It needs reporting to the National Wildlife Crime Agency and BAWC (Birders Against Wildlife Crime) Mark Avery and the sponsors of the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting would also find it very helpful as another piece of evidence supporting their position that driven grouse shooting should be banned and the Government should get on with sorting out wildlife crime. The e-petition has passed the 100,000 threshold and the Government will be holding a debate. However, the e-petion does not close until 20th September and the more signatures the stronger the case is for banning. It costs nothing to add your voice to the campaign, please think seriously about supporting it. The link is here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003 Thank you. Sue in Bucks
Thanks Phoebe...appreciated. Please ask your friends/relatives to do likewise!
The story will be on Mark Avery's blog later today/tomorrow I gather......worth a look.
Nick
Appalling news about the peregrine murdered (that's the only word for it) near the Errwood reservoir on 5 Sept. One wonders if it might have survived if it had been found earlier and possibly been able to be adopted like Cathy. Seems the incident might have occurred 6 days prior to it being found. This should definitely be more ammunition for the petition being debated in Parliament.
Peregrine on scrape short while ago but has moved off now - nice to spot him? though.
Sorry perhaps "ammunition" wasn't the best choice of words in this case!
Hi Heather: indeed - appalling news. Sadly though the bird's wing was badly smashed so it would never have flown again.....
The e-petition closes tonight at midnight - so anyone reading this who hasn't signed please do so - google 'ban driven grouse shooting' and the government site should appear. https://.parliamepetitionnt.uk/petitions/125003 .
Only 54 signatures needed to get the total to a nice round 123,000.....
(100,000 was the target to trigger a debate in the Commons which will happen sometime in the autumn).
The Project Team
Mark Avery's "Ban Driven Grouse shooting" e-petition closed having amazingly topped 123,000. Everyone (well, maybe not the shooters) is delighted with this, it exceeded everyone's wildest dreams. If anyone cares to read more, Mark Avery has a blog (worth a read for all sorts of topics) and it's here http://markavery.info/blog/
On another subject entirely, I buy my wild bird food from the lovely Vine House Farm. I've just been buying more supplies for my own garden birds (I'm sure I must have plagues of locusts out there, the food goes in a flash!) and I noticed that Vine House Farm itself now has some interesting webcams. They are here http://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/live-bird-footage I had to have a wry smile at the nine hanging feeders they have on offer - only they could afford to be so generous with food! Joking apart, Nicholas Watts is the farmer and a jolly good sort. He supplies the Wildlife Trusts with birdfood and was an excellent and interesting speaker at the recent BirdFair.
Peregrine on ledge of scrape now!
Has anyone else had the 'privilege' of reading the Parliamentary debate of 31st October regarding the ban on driven grouse shooting? I think Chris Packham and Mark Avery would also have something to say regarding the rather derogatory remarks made.
We can only hope that our peregrines have found a safe haven and are still alive. Perhaps their best chance of survival is to stick to inner city areas like their parents.
Hi Heather: there's a very good brief summary of the debate in The Guardian by Patrick
Barkham = see: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/07/catch-feral-kitten-wild-animal-home .
Well worth reading!
Regarding our birds, the next post on this blog reports how one of the 2015 batch of youngsters has reappeared at Rutland Water...hope you enjoy the photos and reading about her!
Best wishes
Nick
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