This other pair are older and more experienced, and have successfully fledged their chicks already - despite what's described as "swarms" of watchers crawling all over any raptor foolish enough to set up home in the area. I'm told the poor harriers have to put up with a hide barely 30 yards from their nest.
Meanwhile, back home, the foxes are coming in nicely to my bait. Here's one that grabbed a trout I'd left out. The foxes had been feeding all round it on and off through the night, but treating it with great suspicion. It wasn't until dawn began to break that this one plucked up courage to grab the fish...
Fox grabs a fish from James Marchington on Vimeo.
5 comments:
Eagle owls and foxes.
Lets just think fox like just now? Fox thinking like Mark Avery.
What is he upto ?
Well no good that's for sure but why is he not explaining that the old pair of Eagle Owls have successfully raised a brood ?
Why did he spin the fact that bTB in cattle is on the increase ???
Has this man to much power within the RSPB and has he a set personal agenda somewhat like Peter Mandelson ??
Maybe the RSPB high command should be asking a few questions about what he is upto before every farmer and landowner say's enough is enough !!!
I think you have it the wrong way around there - the nest of the older more experienced birds has been known about for some time. United Utilities declined to let the police mark their eggs this year after the debacle last year when they were marked at the insistence of our old chum PC Thomas - with the consequence that they deserted the nest.
I'm not aware that the chicks have actually fledged yet, but the last report I heard was they were doing fine.
It's the second pair of eagle owls - discovered by the Unpopular Front for the Protection of Raptors - who are in difficulties. The safest thing to do if you discover any endangered species of raptor nesting in Bowland is to tell nobody about it. Unfortunately, one of the UFftPoR broke rank and publicly revealed the location. Shortly afterwards the fun and games publicised recently began - chicks starving and parents missing.
You never know though - one chick is unaccounted for, and may yet turn up alive and well. Fingers crossed ... ;)
I'm told an amateur photographer has been given permission to film a Harrier's nest in Bowland - it's probably his hide you refer to.
Don't worry, if he scares the birds away, United Utilities probably won't let him film again next year. They learn by their mistakes .... eventually, and at a cost!
Assuming that is true about the hide it is disgraceful surely RSPB should not allow this to happen.Meconopsis sadly the top brass at RSPB who i generally think do a top rate job have serious difficulty understanding that they need to get land owners on side so how about a change of attitude from the new C E think it is Mike Clarke for sure wildlife needs you to change that attitude and the Sea Eagle debacle in East Anglia where land owners refuse to co-operate is a direct consequence of their attitude to land owners.
Mark Avery is playing poker.
Just now I feel I have a full hand as he does.
The Bowland raptor folk feel the same.
What an interesting game we have here :-))
I wonder if the Raptor folk have somehow upset Mr A at some point in the past.
It looks to me like he is setting them up for a big fall and they have taken the bait.
Some of the posts on the raving raptor blog do seem to blame Mr A as much as they blame Gamekeepers for the dimise of their Owls.
Post a Comment