SUNDAY MAIL

[Guest WINGS 04]

PAGE 37 HEADLINE (EASY PREY ) IT IS ABOUT THE PEREGRINE FACE EXTINCTION FROM GANGS STEAL EGGS NUMBERS OF BREEDING PAIRS SLUMPED BY HALF TO 300 THE PICTURE IS OF THE PEREGRINE GOING TO CATCH A PIGEON  > > > AR!£$%S IF YOU GET TO SEE THIS I THINK WE SHOULD EMAIL THE REPORTE  

 

( n.silvester@sundaymail.co.uk)

[dandydoo]

Here is the article Wings is talking about ..... can we organise ourselves so that perhaps all of us (in our own words or they think its a scam) E-mail the Sunday mail

at n.silvester@sundaymail.co.uk who is the author of the article with our dide of the story. He might choose to ignore us so perhaps e-mailing the editor who is News Editor:Brendan McGinty B.McGinty@sundaymail.co.uk or BOTH. For once lets take ten Minutes to e-mail these people and set them straight including the SOS and some of those awful pictures we have of Percy Peregrines killing maybe for once we can organise and get a balanced view

 

 

EASY PREY

EXCLUSIVE Peregrines face extinction as gangs steal 100 eggs to sell to Middle East dealers

By Norman Silvester

PEREGRINE falcons are on the verge of extinction in Scotland after 40 nests were robbed by gangs who sell their eggs to the Middle East, the Sunday Mail can reveal.

 

Numbers of breeding pairs have slumped by half to just 300 after around 100 eggs were taken in 18 months.

 

The gangs sell their eggs on for export to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain where mature peregrines can fetch £300,000.

 

Scottish peregrine falcons are the fastest creatures on the planet, swooping to attack pigeons and songbirds at speeds approaching 200mph.

 

In the Middle East they are prized as prestigious pets because of their unique hunting abilities.

 

Last week two senior Jordanian police officers and conservation experts visited their counterparts in Inverness in an effort to step up the battle against international wildlife crime.

 

 

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Mahdi Qyatrameez, head of wildlife enforcement for Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, said: "Illegal falconry is one of our biggest problems.

 

 

"This is an organised crime that nets the criminals involved millions of dollars."

 

 

Peregrine numbers first suffered a catastrophic drop in Scotland during the 1950s and 1960s, prompting new laws to protect the birds.

 

 

A national survey of peregrines in Scotland carried out 15 years ago recorded 625 breeding pairs.

 

 

But numbers have plummeted since then, with the species almost extinct in the Highlands and Argyll, Central Scotland, Perth and Kinross.

 

 

Most of the surviving falcons are now found in the south of Scotland with bird lovers keeping a round-the-clock watch on nests.

 

 

Keith Morton, peregrine expert with RSPB Scotland, said: "These birds are already extinct in large parts of the north of Scotland and the numbers in the wild elsewhere are declining almost daily.

 

 

"The theft from nests in Scotland is just the start of a long chain of supply in which tens of thousands of pounds are paid for peregrines.

 

 

"Very often it is done by German nationals coming to Scotland or rings of wildlife criminals in northern England who specialise in taking stuff like this."

 

 

Police wildlife officers monitor automatic number plate reading cameras on the M6 and M74 to spot known egg collectors heading north from England.

 

 

Police hold intelligence on some 300 known or suspected egg collectors, whose cars are logged if they go near the nesting sites of rare birds.

 

 

RSPB figures show five million wild birds are traded internationally every year, with a significant proportion of the £11.8 billion trade being illegal.

 

 

As well as the eggs, experts say around 100 live birds are transported illegally from Scotland to Arab countries every year.

 

 

Six years ago Dutchman Wilhelmus Ezlin was arrested by police near Aviemore as he tried to buy 16 live peregrine chicks for £4000.

 

 

He was fined £2000 and had his car and the cash confiscated.

 

 

In 1998 German wildlife, officials handed back two rare peregrine falcons after DNA tests found they had been . stolen from Scotland as eggs.

 

 

The birds are about ' the size of a crow, with long, broad, pointed wings, powerful talons hooked yellow, beaks.

 

 

mailfile 10 most at risk

 

 

Peregrines are not the only birds facing declining numbers through poaching or threats to habitat. These are Scotland's most at-risk birds.

 

 

Capercaillie Deer fencing prevents the birds from travelling to mate. Has also been an increase in predators.

 

 

Hen harrier Illegally hunted to protect grouse numbers as they prey on the lucrative game birds.

 

 

Corncrake Changes in farming methods have reduced their tall grassland habitat.

 

 

Great skuas Eat fish thrown from trawlers but a decline in fishing means fewer fish are thrown back.

 

 

Golden eagle Grouse hunters poison them and steal their eggs to protect the game.

 

 

Red-necked phalarope Loss of suitable pools for breeding and feeding has caused a decline in numbers.

 

 

Golden plover Global warming makes them nest before food source (crane flies) appears.

 

 

Whooper swan Pollution of wetlands poisons the swans when they arrive here during migration

 

 

Greenshank The loss of peat habitats means the wading birds have lost much of their natural habitat.

 

 

Black-throated divers Under attack by poachers, while nesting sites are prone to flooding.

 

 

SUNDAY EMAIL I n.silvester@sundaymail.co.uk

 

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[toofawest]

well,its no too good too see something like that,but we must remember the veiw that people who are not in the sport have of pigeons and unfortunetly pigeon fanciers,so i think too email this reporter "en-mass",would not be the best thing too do.

i called the sunday mail and asked too speak too the reporter in question and he will be contacting me tommorow and i will put forward our case in a rational manner and see where that leads us,i will explain how these animals are our pets,how much work goes into them and how responsible we as animal keepers are and ask him to write an artical on pigeons and our sport.

i will see where it goes from there.

toofawest

[fifestay]

I wasn't suggesting that folk e-mail him in irrational manner, merely to point out the other side of this article.... I have to disagree I think everyone putting their view in terms of their own angle will allow the editors to see the depth of feeling , the other side of the coin and may also prompt another article with more balance

[toofawest]

hi fifestay,

              a few emails from guys about pigeons aint gonna put them in the mind too write an article,no way.as for the emails that reporter dosent even see them,admin deal with all emails and probably wont even take a second look,thats why i called and arranged for a meeting of type and speak to him directly.

even that may not get us anywhere as this guy has no personal intrest in falcons or pigeons,he is only sent to get the story,he roughly writes about it it is edited by a team of people and sent to press,sometimes if theres no space in the newspaper they grade the stories and maybe on any other week this story would not even have made print.

[toofawest]

hi again,

just wandering fifestay as i did not see any posts from you on this topic how could you have suggested anything before your first post?

are you dandydoo?

or is there a post i have missed?

[jimmy white]

excactly,,,fife stay,,,,they love another story, which theyll get from me,as well

[Guest slugmonkey]

I have just hit upon a good idea on how to get a bunch of money to buy me a new national ace and get rid of some hawks do any of you guys know any of these mideast falcon guys I can make trhem a real good deal ?????

 

   LOL

[toofawest]

jimmy,how many stories have you seen in the papers about pigeons?

come on.....

[jimmy white]

have emailed sunday mail in a proper manner[[in no uncertain manner] including the first post on the birds of prey column  

TOOFAWEST,, YOU MIGHT SEE STORY NOW,,,,WATCH THIS SPACE

[Guest]

Rocky

 

You don't need to go to The middle East, the guy who breeds the falcons that are exported out there, lives not but 20 miles from me and one of our club mates feeds and waters the birds every day, maybe I can go and visit him with a big pocket.

[Guest]

Toofarwest

 

There are not many articles printed about pigeons because pigeon folks don't contact the press and give them anything to write about, good or bad.

 

[toofawest]

well then thats good jimmy,well done,i dont need to rush home from work tommorow to have meeting with said rporter,i didnt bother emailing as usually the reporter who done story does not even see them,thats why i phoned and arranged meeting but clearly you have had a very good response to the email s youve sent and your getting a story printed this week i will look forward too seeing it.

my meeting is now being cancelled,

jimmy was quick off the mark and has done the pigeon fraternity a great service.

THANKS JIMMY,looking forward too seeing article,will pm you once it is printed.

[Guest slugmonkey]

I am in Hy does he need any cats, raccoons, or snakes as I have plenty of all three

[Guest]

have emailed sunday mail in a proper manner[[in no uncertain manner] including the first post on the birds of prey column  

TOOFAWEST,, YOU MIGHT SEE STORY NOW,,,,WATCH THIS SPACE

 

well done doc is the reporter clark kent   ;D ;D ; D lol

[fifestay]

The Sunday mail is a red top paper ... (yes I, we am are -partnership-  Dandy doo, too) and "red top" tabloids like a different story from the Scotsman and Herald (who seem to be in the RSPB and scottish Natural heritage's pocket) So do i detect sour grapes at your cancellation or what. I still maintain that we should give this guy a hook and catchline to work with he is a freelancer good stories and response = £££ ....SO LETS ALL KEEP CALM AND SEND IN OUR THOUGHTS TO THE EDITOR

[dandydoo]

Funnily enough I agree fifestay lolololol

[toofawest]

no sour grapes,jimmy got in quicker and the story is being run,i could not be happier as i like everybody else did not like what i seen in the sunday mail,although i will admit i was very surprised that all these mails were even read today,as i said,i know that it is an admin team who pick up all mails and usually erase them all,or even start sending what they think are the funny ones around there friends.

that is why i called the rag in question and after a few calls back and forth had arranged for that reporter to meet and i could have shown him all sides,how hard we work with our pigeons etc..

but jimmy has worked wanders,and i for one will look forward too seeing the article.

POWER TO THE PIGEONSlol.

[jimmy white]

keep the heed folks , im trying my best , surely nothing wrong with that , its just that i have built up lots of info in the last few years, regarding these perigrines,,,,,, gave the shu about 500 rings from the perigrines nest,,AFTER the rspb had cleared them of rings, with the letters from the gamekeepers that found them , and there whereabouts, but that was a while ago ,whether shu have kept them, i dont know, so you carry on with your interview,,,,,,two heeds are better than one,,,,then off course theres other papers too,,,so i dont get the gist of this fuss, i say the more that TRY and help the better,,,,,,toofawest seems familiar to me,somehow, looking at past posts,,,,i say lets all pull from the same rope and try and let the public know the truth

[toofawest]

hi jimmy,

             today at 14.41,you posted that AFTER you had been in contact with said paper or reporter "TOOFAWEST YOU MIGHT SEE STORY NOW",well too me this suggested you had that side of it covered.

as i say these people dont even look at there emails,thats why i called,but most defenatly your post suggested that you had taken it in hand and that we would be seeing a story.

WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE ON THIS ONE,but i will ask one question,HAS ANYBODY DONE WHAT I HAVE DONE AND ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO THIS REPORTER OR SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THIS NEWSPAPER.

if not your going nowhere,they delete emails.

lokking forward too seeing the story in print

[Guest CS]

I AGREE WITH JIMMY THE MORE THAT HELP THE BETTER.

 

I NEVER SEEN ANY POSTS FROM YOU IN THE

HAWKS POST, SO WHY THE INTEREST NOW. TOOFAWEST

[toofawest]

well,as i say i am looking forward too seeing the article.

and i better stay out of this now,apparently i have not posted on the hawks post,so i should not be interested now.

no wander we are going backwards.

[Guest]

toofarwest---you have your say this is what the forums about

[jimmy white]

TOOFAWEST, DO YOU NOT THINK YOUR TAKING THIS A BIT PERSONAL, I WAS AS MAD AS YOU WHEN I SEEN THE ARTICLE, I AM IN NO WAY TRYING TO OUTDO YOU OR GO AGAINST YOU, I ONLY WANT TO TRY AND HELP, I THINK YOU HAVE TAKEN ME OUT OF CONTEXT,  , IF IVE OFFENDED YOU I CERTAINLY DIDNT MEAN IT, LETS TRY AND PULL TOGETHER, FOR THE BEST,,,I ACTUALY THINK YOUVE DID WELL AT WHAT YOUVE DONE, AND CERTAINLY AM NOT LOOKING FOR AN ARGUMENT, WHY NOT WORK TOGETHER ON THIS,IM SURE THERE WOULD BE MANY FANCIERS WILLING TO HELP

[Guest speckled]

;D ;D need back up jimmy, :o lol loise to the rescue,don the superman outifit. :D :D