Could a sea eagle mistake young child for prey, ask gamekeepers

By Frank Urquhart

A FURIOUS row has erupted between Britain's leading bird charity and Scottish gamekeepers over claims that sea eagles could mistake young children for their natural prey.

The Scottish Gamekeepers' Association (SGA) called for a public inquiry into the impact of the controversial reintroduction of the huge birds of prey in Scotland after a Perthshire clergyman reported last month that he had been attacked by one of the raptors while trying to protect his prize-winning goose.

The SGA said yesterday that the incident had fuelled fears of further aggressive behaviour by the birds and prompted the association to raise concerns about the safety of reintroducing the species.

Bert Burnett, an SGA committee member, has written to Stuart Stevenson, the environment minister, warning that the attack on Mr Farquharson "may well be the first of many" and asking for the formulation of an "exit strategy" if the sea eagles turn out to have an adverse effect on social, economic or leisure activities.

The Very Rev Hunter Farquharson said he was "traumatised" after the sea eagle left him with a head injury and a slashed shirt during the attack at his home in Abernethy.

He claimed that when he tried to tried to scare the eagle away when it went after his champion gander Bertie, the bird jumped on his back, tore his shirt and caused a 4in wound below his shoulder and cuts to his head.

In his letter, Mr Burnett writes: "These creatures are being released into what is a comparatively densely populated area so they will come into contact with humans on a daily basis. That will instil habituated behaviour and remove what should be a healthy fear of humans. There are reports of buzzards which have obviously undergone this desensitisation and this has resulted in them attacking people. This could pose a serious threat in the future.

"Will these very large creatures differentiate between a small child and more natural quarry?"

Sea eagles, as well as being scavengers, feast on live small mammals, such as rabbits, as well as fish and birds. There are reports of sea eagles eating lambs and piglets.

Mr Burnett warned there would be inevitable increases in the sea eagle population once they started to breed in the wild.

He added: "Is the government intending to compensate all those who lose stock or suffer other financial losses through the behaviour of these birds?

"At the moment some raptors have exclusion zones round their nest sites encompassing several acres in an effort to reduce disturbance. Presumably sea eagles will also require these zones, so how will that affect farming or recreational activities and will there be compensation for this?"

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/Could-a-sea-eagle-mistake.6830072.jp

Sea eagle attacks reverend and his flock....of geese

God may have made "all creatures great and small" but one leading churchman admitted yesterday he had been left traumatised by Britain's biggest bird of prey after it attacked him and killed one of his geese.

The Very Rev Hunter Farquharson, who breeds and shows birds as a hobby, returned to his cottage to find his prize-winning goose Beatrice dead, and a white-tailed sea eagle perched on a fence post nearby.

The giant raptor, with a wingspan of up to 8ft, was one of 16 released recently in the east of Scotland as part of a controversial reintroduction programme.

Mr Farquharson, Provost of St Ninian’s Cathedral in Perth, said he was "horrified" to find the goose, worth about £300, "ripped to shreds".

He went inside to phone the RSPB, a partner in the reintroduction project, but then heard a "terrible noise" as the eagle chased his champion gander Bertie.When he tried to intervene the raptor jumped on his back, tearing his shirt, leaving a 4in wound below his shoulder and cutting his head.

Mr Farquharson said: "It was very, very frightening. The geese have been traumatised by it. They have not laid since. And I'm traumatised too. I'm 6ft 5in, but it was such a shock."

When the young eagle tried to fly away it bumped into a shed and he managed to trap it by throwing wire netting over it while it was on the grass.

RSPB staff then came to his cottage in Abernethy, Perrthshire, and took the sea eagle away before releasing it to the wild again.

It was the second time Mr Farquharson's birds had been attacked by young sea eagles. Two years ago four of his bantams were killed.

He now believes they should not be reintroduced to Scotland, particularly in a populated part of the country.

Dozens of birds have been released in previous years from Wester Ross in the north west Highlands, but the RSPB is now feeding Norwegian chicks in enclosures in Fife, an hour's drive from Edinburgh, before releasing them in the east of the country. The bird involved was freed ten days ago.

"This part of the world is far too populated to be releasing sea eagles," said Mr Farquharson. "I have nothing against sea eagles at all. They are magnificent birds but around here there are far too many people and domestic animals.

"If this had been a dog that attacked livestock or a person, the dog would have been destroyed.
"But the RSPB has been quick to point out that these eagles are protected and that to harm them may result in a custodial sentence."

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said the incident on Friday was regrettable and it would be visiting Mr Farquharson again to ensure his birds were safe.

He added: "In our experience sea eagles will only defend themselves and attack humans if they feel cornered and threatened. The sea eagles just introduced are young and naive birds.

"There are a tiny number of incidents of this sort every now and again, but these birds will soon disperse as they grow in confidence and wish to explore the wider countryside.

"It is worth noting that when this first happened with Mr Farquharson in 2008 we visited his property and afterwards paid for the installation of heavy nylon netting affixed to fence posts driven into the ground so that the poultry pen and all Mr Farquharson's birds were safe from predation.

"When we visited again on Friday it was apparent that, for whatever reason, these measures were no longer present.

"It is of course unfortunate that the bird scratched Mr Farquharson, but we believe it was simply trying to escape and resist capture."

Sea eagles were persecuted to extinction in the early 20th century and the first attempt to bring back the species began with a release project on Rum in 1975.

The scheme has previously been criticised by farmers and crofters in the west Highlands who claim they have lost hundreds of lambs to the sea eagles. There are now more than 50 breeding pairs, mostly in the north of Scotland.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8718155/Sea-eagle-attacks-reverend-and-his-flock....of-geese.html

Sea eagle numbers reach new levels in Scotland

New figures reveal record-breaking year for iconic bird of prey

November 2010. 2010 has proved a record-breaking year for the UK's largest bird of the prey, the white-tailed sea eagle. Not only has the Scottish population passed the 50 breeding pairs milestone, the species has also produced more young per pair than in any other year since their reintroduction 35 years ago.

52 pairs of Sea eagles in Scotland - 46 young fledged
Recent figures show there are now 52 territorial pairs in the country, an increase of 6 since 2009. The last 12 months also saw 46 young successfully fledge, a good 10 more than the previous year, resulting in a landmark year for productivity.

Extinct in the UK
This iconic species was completely wiped out in Britain, ultimately due to human killing and the activities of egg and skin collectors. After an absence of over half a century, a reintroduction programme started on the island of Rum in 1975, aimed at returning these majestic raptors to Scotland's skies.

Numbers not seen since 1850s
Since then the species has been steadily recovering and RSPB Scotland experts believe there are now as many "flying barn-doors", as they are affectionately known, in the UK as there were around 150 years ago.

8 foot wingspan boosts local tourism by £2 million per year

An adult bird has an impressive 8 ft wing-span and striking white tail, making the majestic sea eagle a spectacular sight and a tourist magnet to areas such as Mull and Skye. On Mull alone sea eagle tourism boosts the local economy by over £2m every year.

Satellite tracking
The species' appeal has even spread online where wildlife web-watchers can track the progress of two young sea eagles satellite-tagged on Mull earlier this year. The pair, Shelly and Midge, hatched on the island and it is now possible to follow their movements by visiting www.rspb.org.uk/mulleagletracking .

East of Scotland reintroductionMeanwhile, the third stage of the reintroduction programme is continuing in the East of Scotland. This year a further 19 young eagles, donated by the people of Norway, were released from a secret location in Fife. This takes the total number of birds released during the first four years of the East Coast Sea Eagle reintroduction programme, a partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, to over 60.

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "This is fantastic news. 2010 is a significant year in that it is the 25th anniversary of the first young to be reared in Scotland since its extinction in the early 20th century, and it is also the year of International Biodiversity. I have no doubt that the successful reintroduction of this magnificent bird can continue, and along with the East Coast Sea Eagle Project, ensures that this species can establish territories right across Scotland, restoring a strong Scotland wide population."

First released on Rum
Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland said: "This record breaking year comes exactly 35 years after the first birds were released on Rum, it's really amazing to see just how far this inspiring species has come since then. A huge number of people from all walks of life have helped this project. With the east coast reintroduction now in full swing, we look forward to these birds adding to the Scottish population in the coming years. There are plenty of suitable habitats and natural wild prey to support a good population.

Cooperation with farmers, crofters, foresters and others
"Achieving the milestone of 50 pairs puts the species well on track to reaching pre-Victorian population levels - and this has only been possible due to the invaluable support of farmers, crofters, foresters and countless others in communities up and down Scotland."

Ron Macdonald from Scottish Natural Heritage, one of the main partners and funders of the sea eagle reintroduction projects, and joint funders of the monitoring of the west coast birds, said: "The increase in the range of sea eagles on the west coast combined with the ongoing reintroduction on the east coast is returning Scotland's sea eagle population to its former glory. It's a joy to see one of these huge birds soaring above you - but they also bring money into local businesses. We hope that, like Mull, other communities will begin to enjoy the economic return that wildlife projects like this can bring."

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sea-eagles010.html

Sea eagle numbers reach new levels in Scotland

New figures reveal record-breaking year for iconic bird of prey

November 2010. 2010 has proved a record-breaking year for the UK's largest bird of the prey, the white-tailed sea eagle. Not only has the Scottish population passed the 50 breeding pairs milestone, the species has also produced more young per pair than in any other year since their reintroduction 35 years ago.

52 pairs of Sea eagles in Scotland - 46 young fledged
Recent figures show there are now 52 territorial pairs in the country, an increase of 6 since 2009. The last 12 months also saw 46 young successfully fledge, a good 10 more than the previous year, resulting in a landmark year for productivity.

Extinct in the UK
This iconic species was completely wiped out in Britain, ultimately due to human killing and the activities of egg and skin collectors. After an absence of over half a century, a reintroduction programme started on the island of Rum in 1975, aimed at returning these majestic raptors to Scotland's skies.

Numbers not seen since 1850s
Since then the species has been steadily recovering and RSPB Scotland experts believe there are now as many "flying barn-doors", as they are affectionately known, in the UK as there were around 150 years ago.

8 foot wingspan boosts local tourism by £2 million per year

An adult bird has an impressive 8 ft wing-span and striking white tail, making the majestic sea eagle a spectacular sight and a tourist magnet to areas such as Mull and Skye. On Mull alone sea eagle tourism boosts the local economy by over £2m every year.

Satellite tracking
The species' appeal has even spread online where wildlife web-watchers can track the progress of two young sea eagles satellite-tagged on Mull earlier this year. The pair, Shelly and Midge, hatched on the island and it is now possible to follow their movements by visiting www.rspb.org.uk/mulleagletracking .

East of Scotland reintroductionMeanwhile, the third stage of the reintroduction programme is continuing in the East of Scotland. This year a further 19 young eagles, donated by the people of Norway, were released from a secret location in Fife. This takes the total number of birds released during the first four years of the East Coast Sea Eagle reintroduction programme, a partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, to over 60.

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "This is fantastic news. 2010 is a significant year in that it is the 25th anniversary of the first young to be reared in Scotland since its extinction in the early 20th century, and it is also the year of International Biodiversity. I have no doubt that the successful reintroduction of this magnificent bird can continue, and along with the East Coast Sea Eagle Project, ensures that this species can establish territories right across Scotland, restoring a strong Scotland wide population."

First released on Rum
Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland said: "This record breaking year comes exactly 35 years after the first birds were released on Rum, it's really amazing to see just how far this inspiring species has come since then. A huge number of people from all walks of life have helped this project. With the east coast reintroduction now in full swing, we look forward to these birds adding to the Scottish population in the coming years. There are plenty of suitable habitats and natural wild prey to support a good population.

Cooperation with farmers, crofters, foresters and others
"Achieving the milestone of 50 pairs puts the species well on track to reaching pre-Victorian population levels - and this has only been possible due to the invaluable support of farmers, crofters, foresters and countless others in communities up and down Scotland."

Ron Macdonald from Scottish Natural Heritage, one of the main partners and funders of the sea eagle reintroduction projects, and joint funders of the monitoring of the west coast birds, said: "The increase in the range of sea eagles on the west coast combined with the ongoing reintroduction on the east coast is returning Scotland's sea eagle population to its former glory. It's a joy to see one of these huge birds soaring above you - but they also bring money into local businesses. We hope that, like Mull, other communities will begin to enjoy the economic return that wildlife projects like this can bring."

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sea-eagles010.html

The eagles have landed in Scotland

A total of 20 white-tailed sea eagle chicks have arrived in Scotland as part of a reintroduction programme.

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham welcomed the third batch of chicks in the five-year East Scotland Sea Eagles (ESSE) reintroduction project.

The chicks were then taken to ten purpose-built aviaries at a secret location on Forestry Commission Scotland land in Fife.

They will stay here for up to two months until they have developed all their flight feathers and are strong enough to fledge.

ESSE is a partnership between the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland to reintroduce the birds to the east of Scotland.

The birds disappeared from the UK in Victorian times as a result of attacks by humans.

Ms Cunningham said in a statement: "Previously wiped out in Scotland it is apt these chicks are arriving in this year of Homecoming and I am confident their presence, and that of the sea eagles released before them, will help encourage visitors to our shores.

"Ultimately however, the project's goal is to replace what was once lost and with 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity there is no better time to take action to boost the variety of life in Scotland.

"It is particularly gratifying that an animal driven to extinction by human persecution now has us going to great lengths to rectify the mistake. I'd like to congratulate RSPB Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage on their efforts and I look forward to seeing these magnificent birds thriving in their new home"

Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland sea eagle project officer, said: "With two previous batches of chicks now well established in the east of Scotland, this project is helping to ensure that these spectacular birds become an increasingly common sight all over the country.

"Over time, they will begin to link up with the established population in the west, helping boost the number of breeding pairs in the wild. We are already seeing the two populations of birds mixing with increasing visits from young west coast birds to the east over the past few months."

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/105398-the-eagles-have-landed-in-scotland/