Rare Scottish Golden Eagle spotted as majestic bird seen soaring south to England

Daily Record

29-05-2025

Conservationists and environment lovers have something to cheer about as a rare Golden Eagle was spotted in England
After vanishing from England more than a century ago, golden eagles are making a remarkable comeback, soaring south from Scotland in a revival that has thrilled conservationists and bird lovers alike.
Among the majestic birds spotted across the border this year is a young male named Talla, who recently turned heads in Northumberland National Park, much to the amazement of wildlife enthusiast Ian Glendinning.
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'It was the end of March and I was driving in a remote corner of the national park with a couple of friends and the rear passenger suddenly shouted out 'what on earth is that?'' he told the BBC. 'I looked over to my right and about 30 metres away there he was, sitting on a rocky outcrop."
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Talla is one of around 50 golden eagles now thriving in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, an extraordinary rise from just a handful in the region less than a decade ago.
Their resurgence is thanks to the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP), launched in 2018 in a bid to boost dwindling numbers. Since then, the project has successfully relocated 28 juvenile golden eagles, collected from the Highlands at six to eight weeks of age, along with 15 older birds aged between four months and three years.
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'Thanks to our satellite tagging, we can confirm that some are beginning to venture into Northumberland and further afield and these sightings reaffirm the importance of us extending our groundbreaking work,' said Michael Clarke, chair of SSGEP.
The golden eagles have now been tracked far beyond the Borders, gliding over the North Pennines, the Lake District, and even as far south as the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire and Nidderdale in Yorkshire.
'While it is too early to say if they are settling in these areas, it is a potentially exciting and significant milestone,' Mr Clarke added.
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Once wiped out across England and Wales by the mid-1800s due to persecution by gamekeepers and landowners, golden eagles only made a fleeting return following the First and Second World Wars, when driven shoots temporarily ceased. The last known English resident disappeared from the Lake District in 2015.
Now, the golden eagle, the UK's second-largest bird of prey after the white-tailed sea eagle, may finally be reclaiming its lost territory. These powerful raptors are known for their incredible hunting skills and wide-ranging territories, with pairs covering up to 150 square kilometres.
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They favour remote, undisturbed landscapes and are most commonly found in the Scottish Highlands and islands, where they glide silently above open moorland and craggy cliffs.
They feed on a variety of prey, from rabbits and red grouse to squirrels, smaller birds and even fish. They also scavenge carrion, playing a vital role in recycling nutrients through the ecosystem.
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Dwarf birch and downy willow trees once offered ideal nesting spots in Scotland's uplands, but widespread overgrazing by deer and sheep has devastated these habitats.
Nonetheless, golden eagles continue to adapt, building vast nests in the most secluded spots, from rocky cliffs to towering trees, and returning to them year after year.
The birds mate for life and build multiple nests within their territory, selecting their preferred site depending on the season and weather.
The largest golden eagle nest on record measured an incredible 4.5 metres deep. Most golden eagles live between 15 and 20 years, though some have been known to reach 30.