Crimes against birds of prey in Derbyshire surge during lockdown

Buzzards have been the prey for illegal acts during lockdown. Photo by Pixabay.

Casualties this spring included a shot short-eared owl and a shot b uzzard, a dead peregrine awaiting toxicology testing, eggs stolen from three peregrine nests and four raven chicks dying after the adults disappeared.

Outside of the park, a dead kestrel and buzzard were found and confirmed poisoned near Glapwell and two buzzards were shot near Ashbourne over land managed for pheasant shooting.

The Derbyshire Ornithological Society is calling on people to be vigilant and report any criminal activity they witness to the police on 101 or call the RSPB’s confidential hotline on 0300

999 0101.

Dave Richardson, chairman of the society, said: “The people of Derbyshire are blessed with the Peak District on their doorstep, but their enjoyment is marred by the continual illegal persecution of birds of prey, this is wrong and especially so in a National Park, where iconic species should enjoy the greatest protection ”.

The RSPB describe the Peak District National Park as a raptor persecution hotspot, which is why the first Hen Harrier Day was held in the park in August 2014, just before the ‘Glorious Twelfth’, to campaign about the persecution of this species on land managed for driven grouse shooting.

This year’s Hen Harrier Day will be held online on Saturday, August 8, when it will be hosted by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin.