Sea Eagles v crofters' lambs....

[larachmor]

Originally Posted by JeffH

As an aside, whilst watching Sea Eagles on Mull earlier this year I was told of one taking a Barn Owl (in flight) the previous day - one protected bird preying on another - so there's another issue

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Avocets and Barn Owls)
Jeff Harrison - Wildlife, Nature and Landscape Photography

Our eagles - by which I mean Golden and WTSE, though relying a great deal on carrion, will prey on anything that's available: They DO take live lambs - and healthy ones at that, as well as the weak and sickly specimens. They will take virtually anything that flies from small nestlings, through crows to peregrines, and anything that walks and can be lifted, from a vole to a fox. It's always been the way, and it's nothing new.
The crofters - who seek to persecute the WTSE, invariably fail to mention the golden eagle which will not hesitate to take a lamb, but only during those early days of lambing when they are small enough to lift. This opportunistic window however does not last long.

[willing to learn]

Of course eagles can take lambs and bigger, be silly to say otherwise. But livestock losses due to eagle predation must be small. While I feel ror the crofters losses, I am more concerned about the persecution eagles and other BOP they seem to be facing still.
YouTube - Golden Eagle flies away with a goat.
Regards
Colin

[Assyrian]

Worth remembering here that the WTSE was (legally) originally wiped out to protect British foodstocks in the way of lambs during the First World War. Just because the birds are a different generation doesn't mean that they've changed habits and instinct that's accrued over centuries. The crofters know this and understandably feel a bit miffed that everyone now officially denies that the WTSE takes lambs at a time when they can't afford a single loss.

I personally think that everyone needs to accept that the eagles are back, they eat lambs and there should be compensation paid to the crofters on an annual basis - and this is what discussions/negotiations should be based on, not wasting time arguing over transmitters etc.

BTW I'm not linked with eaither camp, just a subject I've followed for a long time.
Chris

[larachmor]

Originally Posted by Assyrian

Worth remembering here that the WTSE was (legally) originally wiped out to protect British foodstocks in the way of lambs during the First World War. Just because the birds are a different generation doesn't mean that they've changed habits and instinct that's accrued over centuries. The crofters know this and understandably feel a bit miffed that everyone now officially denies that the WTSE takes lambs at a time when they can't afford a single loss.

I personally think that everyone needs to accept that the eagles are back, they eat lambs and there should be compensation paid to the crofters on an annual basis - and this is what discussions/negotiations should be based on, not wasting time arguing over transmitters etc.

BTW I'm not linked with eaither camp, just a subject I've followed for a long time.
Chris

You are incorrect in saying that everyone officially denies that eagles take lambs. It is widely accepted that they do, but not in the numbers that are suggested by the crofters.
It was hoped that the recent tagging experiment would back up the argument that the number of lambs taken is minimal, and indeed it does. But surprise surprise the crofters maintain that the tags “deter the eagles.” The argument therefore is set to continue – courtesy of the crofters. When faced with the evidence they refused to accept it, so any progress by meaningful discussion they have rendered impossible.
(And incidentally - many of these same crofters run B & B businesses that do very well out of the tourists that flock to see the WTSE - on Mull in particular, they are worth millions of pounds to the local economy.)