Crofters blame eagles for rise in lamb losses

[rlchew]

My understanding was that White-tailed Eagles only took dead lambs ....

Crofters blame eagles for rise in lamb losses

Mind you, this is from "Farmers Weekly Interactive" so there may be a degree of bias and prejudice. The photo of a Red Kite in a White-tailed Eagle story does not inspire confidence either!

Let's hope that this one does not get out of hand and that we do not start to hear reports of White-tailed Eagles being shot or poisoned.

Everyone needs to remember that the White-tailed Eagle is still a very rare breeding species in the UK and has the full protection of the law.

Richard

[Dogghound]

They have always got to blame something, theres always got to be scapegoats. This sort of ignorance doesnt surprise me and the fact theres a red kite in the photo just goes to show they dont have a clue what there talking about.

[Kev-B]

Another article from the same source alleges that ....

Buzzards are an increasing problem for free range layer flocks

This situation will definitely bear watching .. as I doubt it will take long before some Politician fearing the loss of his/her seat in a Local Election cottons on to the fact that this might just be an easy way to garner votes from the Agricultural Community .. and presses for a relaxation in the protection of these species ..

The use of a Red Kite photo in the article about Sea Eagles probably owes more to journalistic ignorance than anything else ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[RobSutton]

I remember once talking to a farmer in the Dales who said: "It'll be sad day when we kill the last raven and buzzard because we'll have no-one else to blame for our bad husbandry"

[Jeapesy]

This sort of thing makes my blood boil, farmers are worst at starting witch hunts and spinning the yarn. The quote which best sums it up is "and one member has been close to a sea eagle's nest which he described as being like a sheep's graveyard".

If this is true where's the photographic evidence to back up such a ludicrous claim?! Of course there isn't any!!

[Ukwildlifeo]

I a shame but its no real shock to anyone that follows the news. Soem farmers blame most of there lamb losses on foxes but a scientific study I read said that less than 5% of lamb losses were due foxes AND dogs.

So from what I read and heard in the last year:

BOP kill the lambs beacuse of the RSPB

Badgers kill the cows beacuse of the wildlfe trust (more poor friend who works for them got an angry farmer telling her off until she politely pointed out DEFRA decide on the cull. He didnt apologise...)

Deer eat all there crops

DEFRA makes their land flood

[seamusagleann]

at the end of last season the sea eagles nest on my beat was sent for analysis . it revealed that most of the remains were in fact geese and several dogfish, but only two lamb carcasses were identifyed.

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by seamusagleann

at the end of last season the sea eagles nest on my beat was sent for analysis . it revealed that most of the remains were in fact geese and several dogfish, but only two lamb carcasses were identifyed.

...and I understand from an RSPB source that analysis of the remains in one of last year's nests on Skye indicated that the main prey brought into that particular nest was Fulmars (100+), with apparently no lambs

Jeff

[PMG]

I've seen a lot of eagles on and off over the past 50 years and never yet seen one flying around carrying a live bleating lamb - or dangling a dead one either .............. but I do get sick of hearing nonsense ...........

Pauline

[Kev-B]

The staggering ability of Farmers to trot out excuses .. and the fact that its always someone else's fault .. make me think that if they feel so badly done by, then perhaps they ought to give up farming & become Politicians ..

They'd have so much in common with all the other useless clowns (of every political stripe) who inhabit Westminster ...

What they lose in EU subsidies would soon be made up in MP's expenses ...

Bye for now ..

Kev ..