Peregrine poisoned by pesticides near Buckfastleigh

The poisoning of a bird of prey using a banned pesticide is being investigated in Devon.

The young female peregrine falcon was found at Whitecleaves Quarry near Buckfastleigh in July, but toxicology results have just been released.

It is the third such incident within a matter of weeks involving the banned pesticide carbofuran, the RSPB said.

Two peregrines were found in Cornwall just weeks after four goshawks and a buzzard died near Exeter.

Toxicology tests showed the Buckfastleigh peregrine also had aldicarb in its system - another banned pesticide.

The RSPB believes the poisoning was deliberate.

'Live bait'
All three cases are being investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police and the RSPB.

Peregrines at the Whitecleaves Quarry site have been targeted previously, with dead birds found in 1992, 2004 and 2005. On each occasion, the birds had been poisoned.

Wildlife conservationists have expressed concern over the presence of banned chemicals in the countryside.

Read more...

Peregrine Falcon shot in the Forest of Dean

A seven-year-old peregrine falcon has been shot dead near a Forest of Dean nature reserve.

The bird, a seven-year-old female, was found near to the RSPB's Nagshead Nature Reserve in Parkend on 2 June and after examination it was found that the bird had been shot a close range with a shotgun.

The Police and the RSPB are warning that shooting a peregrine falcon is a crime as the bird is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Penalties upon conviction include fines of up to £5,000 or up to 6 months in prison or both. Court can also order the confiscation of any vehicle, weapon or other thing used to commit the offence.

Mark Thomas from the RSPB investigations unit said; “This is awful. Peregrine falcons are magnificent birds of prey.

"It has taken 20 years for them to recover from the devastating effects of pesticide poisoning and now, at a point when they are doing well in south west England, we are finding that they are increasingly becoming the target of people who, for reasons of their own, hold a grudge against them."

Anyone with information about the shooting should call the police directly on 0845 090 1234 (quoting the incident number 296 of June 2). Alternatively, call the RSPB in confidence on 0845 466 3636.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Falcon-shot-Forest/article-1102814-detail/article.html

Falcons poisoned in nesting site

A family of peregrine falcons were found dead in their nest after being deliberately poisoned, police said.

Officers said an adult falcon and her three chicks were targeted in Houghton Quarry on 31 May.

The alert was raised after a falconer observing the nest became suspicious when the mother appeared to have stopped moving.

Pc Nick Pearson, wildlife crime officer for Northumbria Police, described the attack as "cruel and selfish".

He said: "Our initial enquiries suggest the birds have been poisoned deliberately and we are currently carrying out further enquiries to confirm which substances may have been used.

"I would appeal to anyone with information about this incident to come forward and help us identify those people whose selfish actions have deprived the region of the presence of these majestic birds."

There are about 1,500 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/8116412.stm

Peregrines at the Tate Modern

There are around 12 peregrine falcons in London. This one, hatched on the Tate Modern in 2008, was seen at the Barbican with St Pauls and Tate Modern in the background. Copyright Peter Kenyon.

Make a date with peregrines and the RSPB at the Tate Modern
June 2009. The annual RSPB peregrine watch resumes outside London's Tate Modern gallery next month. Staff and volunteers will breakout the telescopes and binoculars again to bring these amazing birds closer to the public.

RSPB trailer will be set-up every day from midday through to 7pm, starting Saturday 18 June up to and including Sunday 13 September.

3 chicks hatched

The star peregrines, Misty and Bert, have successfully fledged three chicks this year, two females and a male. The chicks will soon be learning to fly and look after themselves.

The birds perch on the raised brickwork near the top of the Tate's iconic chimney. They are creatures of habit and spend hours on the chimney, making it an ideal point to watch them.

200 miles per hour

Peregrines are the world's fastest birds, reaching speeds of up to 200 miles an hour when diving on prey. That's roughly 200 peregrine body lengths per second; faster than a fighter jet with its afterburners on full-blast (150 body lengths p/s)!

London has a dozen peregrines

London now has more than a dozen peregrines that have arrived naturally in the city and decided to stay. Not all have successfully bred this year, and one new arrival is a female peregrine that has identification rings on her legs. This has allowed us to track her back to the south coast where she hatched on a traditional cliff-edge nest in May 2007.

Urban peregrines

Peregrines are now commonly seen in towns and cities across the UK. Other nesting sites include Battersea Power Station, tower blocks in Tower Hamlets, Croydon, Sutton, and in Regent's Park. Cathedrals in Lincoln and Chichester, Cardiff clock tower and Manchester's Arndale shopping centre.

1,500 + pairs in the UK

After a population crash in the 1960s, peregrine numbers have recovered steadily and recent surveys show that there are now almost 1,500 peregrines pairs in the UK. They have traditionally been associated with wild crags or lonely sea cliffs but changing landscapes mean they have adapted to living in more unlikely places.

We'll be asking visitors at our Date at the Tate to show their support for our native birds of prey, by signing a pledge calling for tougher action against those who continue to illegally persecute them

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/london-peregrine009.html