Latest news with #birdsOfPrey
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Man baited birds of prey with poisoned pheasants in shooting rights row
A man baited birds of prey with pheasants coated in rat poison amid a feud with a neighbouring landowner over shooting rights. A court heard Clive Burgoyne, 38, gutted four pheasant carcasses and filled them with rat poison in an attempt to damage the reputation of the Guynd estate near Arbroath, Angus. At Forfar sheriff court in April 2025, Burgoyne pleaded guilty to a breach of wildlife legislation between January and February 2023. The court heard he left four pheasant carcasses coated in rodenticide which would cause haemorrhaging in birds of prey. On Thursday, at the same court, he was given a community order and 135 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said. Prosecutors said he put birds of prey 'at risk of injury or death' using a known rat poison which can kill them in a single feed. Witnesses saw Burgoyne in the front passenger seat of a car travelling towards, and later away, from the Guynd estate on the morning of Feb 3, 2023. A short time later, an estate worker discovered a dead pheasant on a footpath, COPFS said. The breast had been removed and the bird was covered in a quantity of grain and seed which was then coated in a bright blue liquid. A further search of the area revealed three more dead pheasants nearby which had been similarly cut open and treated, according to COPFS. Blue grain was a known rodenticide Analysis carried out by officials at the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture confirmed the blue grain was a known rodenticide. They believed the pheasant carcasses had been prepared and set out with the intention of causing harm to birds. A sample of Burgoyne's DNA was found on all four of the dead birds. Iain Batho, who leads on wildlife and environmental crime at COPFS, said: 'It is highly important to preserve Scotland's natural heritage, including the wildlife that forms part of it. 'As such, wild birds are given strict protection by our law. 'Clive Burgoyne's reckless actions put various wildlife, particularly birds of prey, at risk of injury and death. 'COPFS takes offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act seriously and will prosecute individuals where there is sufficient evidence of a crime. 'This case is a testament to the collaborative working between COPFS, Police Scotland, and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, who in this case were able to provide vital forensic evidence,' he added.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Man who baited birds of prey with rat poison in landowner feud sentenced
A man who baited birds of prey with pheasants coated in rat poison has been ordered to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work. Clive Burgoyne, 38, of Forfar in Angus, left four pheasant carcasses gutted and filled with rat poison as part of an ongoing feud with a neighbouring landowner over shooting rights. He hoped his actions would cause reputational damage to the Guynd estate near Arbroath, Angus, according to prosecutors. At Forfar Sheriff Court on April 22, Burgoyne pleaded guilty to a breach of wildlife legislation between January and February 2023. The court heard he left four pheasant carcasses coated in rodenticide which would cause haemorrhaging, in a bid to harm birds of prey. On Thursday at the same court, he was given a community payback order and 135 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said. Prosecutors said he put birds of prey 'at risk of injury or death' using a known rat poison which can kill a bird of prey in a single feed. Prosecutors told how witnesses saw Burgoyne in the front passenger seat of a car travelling towards, and later away, from the Guynd estate on the morning of February 3, 2023. A short time later, an estate worker discovered a dead pheasant on a footpath within the estate, COPFS said. The breast had been removed and the bird was covered in a quantity of grain and seed which was then coated in a bright blue liquid. A further search of the area revealed three more dead pheasants nearby which had been similarly cut open and treated, according to COPFS. Analysis carried out by officials at the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture confirmed the blue grain was a known rodenticide formulation. They believed the appearance of the pheasant carcasses suggested they had been prepared and set out with the intention of causing harm to birds. After being arrested, a sample of Burgoyne's DNA was found on all four of the dead birds. Iain Batho, who leads on wildlife and environmental crime at COPFS, said: 'It is highly important to preserve Scotland's natural heritage, including the wildlife that forms part of it. 'As such, wild birds are given strict protection by our law. 'Clive Burgoyne's reckless actions put various wildlife, particularly birds of prey, at risk of injury and death. 'COPFS takes offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act seriously and will prosecute individuals where there is sufficient evidence of a crime and where it is in the public interest to do so. 'The result in this case is a testament to the collaborative working between COPFS, Police Scotland, and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, who in this case were able to provide vital forensic evidence.'
The Guardian
7 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Brenda the buzzard terrorises children at Havering primary school
A buzzard called Brenda has been terrorising a 300-year-old primary school on the outskirts of London, sending children running for cover while neighbours have been dive bombed as they put out the bins. Pupils at Dame Tipping Church of England primary school in the village of Havering-atte-Bower, in the London borough of Havering, have been told they cannot play outside while the bird remains a threat. Neighbours, meanwhile, who have reported multiple sightings – and a number of attacks – over the past few months, have been advised to carry a large, coloured umbrella as a possible deterrent whenever they go out. 'She's huge,' said the headteacher, Stella McCarthy, who has had a number of close encounters with Brenda. 'She's really, really big. Her wing span is pretty much my arm span. It's quite frightening. 'When you see her perched somewhere, it's lovely. You think, what a beautiful bird. But when you're outside and you hear that squawk, you don't have much time. You know she's coming down.' It comes just weeks after villagers in Flamstead, near Luton, reported being attacked from behind by a Harris's hawk. Some were left bleeding and in at least one case requiring hospital treatment. The pupils in Havering-atte-Bower are being bussed to a neighbouring school for outdoor play, and arrangements are being made to hold sports day elsewhere, but teachers and pupils have embraced Brenda as an opportunity to learn about birds of prey. She has been spotted perched on school fences, and peering into classrooms. On one occasion, teacher Hannah Graves saw her watching from a nearby rooftop while pupils in years one and two played outside. 'Myself and the teaching assistant quickly got the children back inside, but I didn't realise the bird was swooping down towards me. My TA shouted to me to get inside quickly. It did shake me up.' The RSPCA said the buzzard may be protecting her nest or chicks. Pupils, meanwhile, are convinced there is a mate called Barry in the neighbourhood, and there is local speculation that her nest may have been disturbed by nearby renovation work. In April, the Romford Recorder carried a story about Nikki Dix, 37, who was attacked as she walked in nearby Havering country park. She took a picture of what she thought was a buzzard and carried on walking, then felt a bang on the back of her head. 'I was dead shocked,' she said. On Tuesday, when the Guardian visited the school, equipped with birdwatching binoculars, there were screaming swifts, fat pigeons and cawing crows but neither Brenda, nor any other bird of prey, was to be seen. But that did not stop parents – and reporters – flinching every time a bird-shaped shadow passed over. Steven Whittle, whose wife, Louise, is among those to have been attacked by the buzzard, cast his eyes nervously up to the skies as he picked up his children from school. In video footage, his wife can be seen putting out the rubbish in her pink dressing gown and slippers, then walking back to her front door, unaware that a huge bird of prey has swooped down to head level. She ducks at the last moment and is unhurt. 'In the last couple of months, pretty much all the neighbours have had some sort of encounter,' he said. 'If you hear a bird making any sort of sound, you are on edge. Every time you leave the house, you're watching.' Havering council has been advising the school about possibly hiring a falconry expert who may be able to deter the buzzard. 'Buzzards are protected under UK law, therefore our intervention options are very limited, and we have advised that warning signs would be the easiest solution at this time,' a council spokesperson said. 'We completely understand how difficult and worrying this situation is for the school and local residents and we regret that there is not a quick or straightforward solution.'
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hawk conservation trust receives grant
A birds of prey conservation trust has received more than £15,000 in government funding to improve its Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover, Hampshire, was awarded the grant from the Rural England Prosperity Fund by Test Valley Borough grant will cover half the costs of a project to fund new bollard lighting throughout the grounds, and modern PA systems in two of the main flying demonstration Smout, chief executive officer of the trust, said the funds meant their facilities would be "significantly" improved for evening events, "addressing past concerns about lighting while also protecting the planet". She added: "The enhanced PA systems will also create a more immersive experience, ensuring all visitors, including those with accessibility needs, can fully enjoy our demonstrations."Maureen Flood, councillor for the Anna ward, said the trust played a "vital role in educating visitors and protecting birds of prey". "The new lighting system replaces a less efficient battery lighting system and prioritises sustainability while enhancing accessibility, and the upgraded PA systems will provide a more engaging experience for all visitors," she explained. In addition to the £15,460 grant, the trust has also received £3,750 from a UK Shared Prosperity Fund Net Zero grant, which is going towards a solar project aimed at reducing the organisation's carbon footprint. The solar panels on the visitor centre's roof are to cut energy costs, particularly for its catering facilities. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
