Protected bird of prey shot in Ribble Valley (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Protected bird of prey shot in Ribble Valley

5:25pm Friday 17th October 2008 in

By Catherine Pye » Reporter

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A protected bird of prey has been shot in the Ribble Valley countryside.

The Peregrine Falcon, a breed of bird that carries the highest level of UK protection, was found injured by a member of the public in Grindleton Quarry, Pinewoods, near Waddington.

The bird was unable to fly and taken to a vet.

It was later x-rayed and found to be suffering from injuries consistent with being shot with a shot gun.

The bird although relatively fit and well is being cared for at an undisclosed location.

Lancashire Police Wildlife Officers are investigating and the landowner for Grindleton Quarry has offered a substantial reward for information leading to the conviction of any person connected with this incident.

The peregrine falcon is afforded special protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern.

Peregrines have suffered illegal killing from gamekeepers and landowners, and been a target for egg collectors, but better legal protection and control of pesticides have helped the population to recover from a low of 360 pairs in 1963.

There are now thought to be about 1,300 pairs currently in the UK.

Any person with any information should contact Lancashire Police on 08451 253545 or Crimestopper's anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Comments(3)

andy1 says...
9:42am Sat 18 Oct 08

Heres hoping they catch the idiot who has shot this beautiful bird no doubt a pigeon fancier. I hope that if this person is caught they do not just issue a slap on the wrist. Has for egg collectors your hobby is outdated and uncalled for. Any one who knows of collectors, shooters etc report them annomiously to Crimestoppers please.

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terry pickford says...
1:35pm Sat 18 Oct 08

I have been involved with the conservation of peregrines throughout the N.W.for the last 45 years. Sometimes I wonder how the species has managed to survive at all. In recent years at least two additional peregrines have been recoved shot dead in our area.

What I find curious, according to recent published police comments relating to birds of prey in the Forest of Bowland, these "protected" raptors are doing well with no detectable persecution taking place!

For the last month I have been working on field data which clearly highlights a very different picture.
Taking just the peregrine as an example, records for the last 10-years obtained from occupied eyries in our region graphically prove the criminal persecution of just this single species is a real cause for concern.

Productivity figures gathered from occupied peregrine nests in Bowland, including a number in the Ribble Valley for just the last ten years, show that 63 nesting attempts failed to produce a single fledged chick. 30 additional nesting attempts only managed to fledge a single off-spring. This new data shows just how much direct persecution our local birds of prey are presently being subjected to.

Terry Pickford
Peregrine Coordinator Lancashire

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brossen99 says...
11:24pm Wed 22 Oct 08

Usual RSPB propaganda, there are several peregrines near Chatburn and the small bird population has been decimated since they arrived on the scene. You hardly ever see a thrush these days, peregrines will take them as footage on an old BBC " bird in the nest " illustrated. Of course they quickly cut the shot when something brown appeared as food for the chicks. Blackbirds seem to do better as they resemble crows which hawks wont go near.

The propaganda that they only eat pigeons has a hole through it, likewise Attenborough's claim that they always kill first strike. There are now only two racing pigeon lofts left in Chatburn now, the furthest possible points from the quarry.

Protected bird of prey shot in Ribble Valley (From Lancashire Telegraph)

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