BOPs

[plocket]

I love Birds of Prey but no practically nothing about them. I nearly drove into the most beautiful bird the other day and went to my dad for an ID - he's very keen on birds (the feathery kind!). Anyway he noted my detailed description and deduced that I had had a close encounter with a Sparrowhawk. What a stunning creature! We've also got Buzzards nearby and on Friday I found what looked suspiciously like an Owl pellet in the garden. I know we've got owls living close by but I'm not sure what sort unfortunately.

[The witch]

We often see sparrow hawks, kestrels and just lately a barn owl has taken to hunting in the paddock next to our house. ;D


www.hawkandowl.org/page82aaaaaaaaaa.html

[plocket]

Ooooo you are so lucky! I love hearing the owls at night but can't tell a buzzard from a sparrowhawk unless dad is there to tell me!

[madonplants]

Rather than start a new thread, thought I would pull this one back up.

Could certain BoP end up becoming like the Dodo?

When we were in Scotland this summer, it happened to coincide with the 12th August, the start of the grouse shooting season!!
On the local BBC channel, they did a report, that if they keep this up the way they are going, the Golden Eagle, in particular, may just be a lovely memory in years to come, as the grouse is the main food source for these lovely eagles. What with some idiots shooting the BoP, as they think they are killing their livestock, maybe the report was close to being right. I know they take rabbits and carrion as well, but grouse do make up quite a bit of their diet in Scotland.

I won't show any of the sad pictures of shot Red Kites, Hen Harriers, they are too upsetting, but would hate to think I would never have a chance to see such a great bird again in Britain. I am just glad the RSPB are onto it, with an online petition. Not sure how much it will help, but I have signed it.

www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/birdsofprey/

[4pygmies]

I've signed it already, Keith. They are such glorious birds...it's just an abhorrent thing to do to them isn't it......typical of rich landowners though..makes me very very cross....

[debbiem]

I've done so too.

[emseypop]

ditto

[madonplants]

Sept 12, 2008 8:33:56 GMT 1 @4pygmies said:

I've signed it already, Keith. They are such glorious birds...it's just an abhorrent thing to do to them isn't it......typical of rich landowners though..makes me very very cross....

I signed it a while ago too, not sure if I should mention it on here. BoP, are such an indicator of the state of the countryside, that it would be a sad loss, if we lose some of them.

My Dad's ex boss, owned a farm, as you know, and I don't remember them going shooting for the Buzzards we used to get flying around and the farm had sheep. They did go fox hunting, though and my Dad had to go on the day of the hunts, to help organise things. I asked him a while ago, how he felt about that. I won't tell you what he said, but it was part of his job description. What, of a gardener, for Ch**st's sake!

Thanks everyone for signing up

This is the Golden Eagle, that started my obsession all those years ago. It is so much better seeing them in the wild, though. Excuse the quality, I used an ancient camera and I was only about 10 as well.

[debbiem]

Where was that, Keith?

[4pygmies]

My great grandfather was a gamekeeper for the Duke of Bedford but he and my grandad both loved wildlife. My Mum has a set of my Grandad's notebooks filled with his drawings and observations of the wildlife he saw on the estate, so it just goes to show that Gamekeeping on these huge estates and the shooting of wild birds go together........ Some of these b*****ds just like killing things that they can't make a profit from IMO..... Thank goodness for the RSPB etc - they have saved so many of wilder native creatures from destruction. Thanks for putting the petition on here, Keith.

[madonplants]

Sept 12, 2008 13:52:19 GMT 1 @debbiem said:

Where was that, Keith?

London Zoo, when I went with the school.

[karenwl]

I normally get messages from the RSPB but ive not had one about this i will also sign the petition.

[cheerypeabrain]

me too....

Yesterday when we were on our way home from Melton Mowbray (where the pies come from) a Sparrowhawk flew across the road in front of us, then alongside us for a while (they can really shift as we were doing 35 mph)...it was almost as if she was showing off...pretty sure it was a female as it was quite large...and so beautiful...OH and I were grinning like loonies all afternoon.

[madonplants]

Sept 14, 2008 19:46:10 GMT 1 @cheerypeabrain said:

me too....

Yesterday when we were on our way home from Melton Mowbray (where the pies come from) a Sparrowhawk flew across the road in front of us, then alongside us for a while (they can really shift as we were doing 35 mph)...it was almost as if she was showing off...pretty sure it was a female as it was quite large...and so beautiful...OH and I were grinning like loonies all afternoon.

Know it well, that is where Craig did his Karate, every wednesday evening.

I bet you were pleased with that sighting. I remember driving down a narrow road, when a Kestrel pounced on something on the verge. If I had my window open, I reckon I could have touched it, it was that close. It was a male as well, so the colours were brilliant.

[bogmyrtle]

Signed.

[madonplants]

Thanks everyone. The Sea Eagles are now at risk in Scotland. According to Ceefax, farmers think the newly introduced birds have killed over 200 lambs. I thought Sea Eagles only eat birds and fish, maybe the odd Carrion as well, so why this? I think these birds are tagged, so if anything untoward happens, they will have a record of it at least!!

Not sure where the eagles have been located, just says NW Scotland, so lets just hope the RSPB haven't done an RSPCA job. When they introduced otters to various rivers, they didn't look into the eel stocks, which are low, so the otters go for other fish, like Barbel and only eat bits of the fish and leave the carcass on the bank.

[4pygmies]

I'm certain I've mentioned it before but has anyone else read the books by William Horwood about the Eagles? His Duncton Woods stories are wonderful but I really love 'The Stonor Eagles' and 'Callanish' too - absolutely beautiful and really involving....everyone who loves BoP should read them....

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Horwood_(novelist)

[madonplants]

Sept 23, 2008 10:01:46 GMT 1 @4pygmies said:

I'm certain I've mentioned it before but has anyone else read the books by William Horwood about the Eagles? His Duncton Woods stories are wonderful but I really love 'The Stonor Eagles' and 'Callanish' too - absolutely beautiful and really involving....everyone who loves BoP should read them....

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Horwood_(novelist)

I'll have a look out for them, 4P, as I have always liked BoP. One of my first, if not the first, ladybird books was on BoP, so maybe that is where my interest stems from.

I still can't believe a few Sea Eagles have taken 200 lambs. Maybe most were dead beforehand and the eagle was chewing at the body, so the farmer put 2 and 2 together and made 5!!

[4pygmies]

I don't believe it either! Eagles are just the easiest ones to blame.......farmers are not very bright....

[maggyd]

Well I wont be going anywhere near them or they will take Teddy!! I have heard of them taking yorkies and they are huge birds I watched them being released.

[madonplants]

Sept 24, 2008 21:26:58 GMT 1 @maggyd said:

Well I wont be going anywhere near them or they will take Teddy!! I have heard of them taking yorkies and they are huge birds I watched them being released.

Really, that must be a rare occurrence, surely? As long as your dog was close by you, I don't think an eagle would consider it as food. The eagle would be too concerned about your presence too much.

[madonplants]

Some good news for a change! I've seen these lovely birds and to see them on the increase is good news indeed.

[cheerypeabrain]

We see these quite often when we go to some Rutland GCs...Red Kites, Bustards (scuse me) and there is a large cottage (v posh one) that we go past...in the middle of nowhere it is...where they have a Golden Eagle on a perch in the garden! Honest! it was injured or sommat. Haven't seen it recently but I think that most of the time it's kept at a BOP centre.

[maggyd]

Sept 24, 2008 22:20:32 GMT 1 @madonplants said:

Sept 24, 2008 21:26:58 GMT 1 @maggyd said:

Well I wont be going anywhere near them or they will take Teddy!! I have heard of them taking yorkies and they are huge birds I watched them being released.

Really, that must be a rare occurrence, surely? As long as your dog was close by you, I don't think an eagle would consider it as food. The eagle would be too concerned about your presence too much.

Well that reasuring Keith ;D he is always on a leash anyway the little B would run off otherwise!!

[madonplants]

Sept 27, 2008 18:02:47 GMT 1 @cheerypeabrain said:

We see these quite often when we go to some Rutland GCs...Red Kites, Bustards (scuse me) and there is a large cottage (v posh one) that we go past...in the middle of nowhere it is...where they have a Golden Eagle on a perch in the garden! Honest! it was injured or sommat. Haven't seen it recently but I think that most of the time it's kept at a BOP centre.

Do you mean Bustards or Buzzards? Both birds I know, but don't think there are any Bustards there. Rutland, how I remember it well. It was at Rutland Water, I saw my first Osprey. I wish I had known about the Golden Eagle though, while we lived in Oakham!