As a follow-up to our news item on 3rd December, The Scotsman has carried a headline story with extensive coverage - see http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Claim-and-denial-as-a.3589649.jp. The article actually names the estate as the Glenogil Estate in Angus which is owned by John Dodd a leading figure in the Scottish financial world. The Scotsman also suggested that the Estate is considering legal action against Tayside Police over the official statement released regarding the incident, despite the fact that the police statement made no reference to a specific estate. In the letters page of the same issue of the Scotsman Alex Hogg of the SGA describes a report carried by the newspaper on 4.12.07 as one of the worst examples of anti-gamekeeper propaganda put out by the RSPB and police concerning wildlife crime. Mr Hogg's comments in the original article are shown below. He also added that the police should use facts and truth not speculation and gossip. As the Persecution pages on this website will show, SRSGs are in complete support of the RSPB and police effort in the fight against wildlife crime. All raptor workers have experience of finding that protected birds of prey have disappeared in extremely suspicious circumstances and where it can sometimes be difficult to point the finger of blame. In this instance SRSGs are confident that the judgement to make the matter public would not be taken without full consideration of all the evidence, and applaud the decision by Tayside Police to make a statement, in what is after all a matter of considerable public interest. Whilst the SGA claim to be a partner in fighting wildlife crime, unfortunately their public pronouncements show little evidence of any such commitment. Rather than criticise the police and RSPB in their efforts to try and stamp out serious wildlife crime, it would be encouraging, albeit only occasionally, if they were seen to provide some positive support in this effort, and perhaps accept that such barbaric deeds are perpetrated by individuals who call themselves gamekeepers, whether members of the SGA or otherwise.

The name of Eddie Balfour will be forever linked to Orkney and to Hen Harrier studies. He died in 1974 and Orkney Field Club are to be congratulated on producing a book about Eddie's life, interviews with folk who knew and worked with him, as well as a number of papers Eddie wrote about the breeding biology of Hen Harriers. Details of where the book can be obtained are shown on the Publications page.

Tayside Police has announced that one of the young White-tailed Eagles recently released in the east of Scotland has been deliberately killed. Alan Stewart said "We recently received confidential information that a White-tailed Eagle had been killed on an Angus Grouse Moor. The person reporting was very specific about where the bird had been killed and even named the individual who had been responsible. Though a dead bird has not been recovered, what backs up the information were the regular sightings of the bird in the area up to the approximate date of the report of it having been killed. The bird had been radio-tagged and at the time it disappeared off the radar. The bird, with distinctive white wing tags was regularly spotted in north-east Angus, especially between Kirriemuir and Montrose. One farmer was so pleased about a sighting - and the fact he managed to get a close-up photograph of the bird - he sent the photograph to me as proof that we really had White-tailed Eagles back in his area." Though Tayside Police did not name the estate involved, it is understood that it is an estate where the gamekeepers have a considerable reputation for the indiscriminate destruction of wildlife - it is hoped that the authorities will give it the attention it clearly merits! Unfortunately this is the third casualty from the 15 birds in the first batch of the East Scotland release. A number of newspapers are carrying this story including the Scotsman http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1891292007. The Scotsman carries a quote from Alex Hogg of the SGA who "doubted gamekeepers were involved, as Eagles caused no problems on Grouse moors - he added "I thought this would lead to trouble. As soon as one of these birds is found dead, the finger gets pointed at a shooting estate." Perhaps before Mr Hogg tries to defend the indefensible he should have a discreet word with Tayside Police who would no doubt try and assist his understanding of the matter. It is also understood that a fourth Sea Eagle from this reintroduction has been found dead in another part of Scotland but details are being withheld until the full results of a post mortem are made available.

The RRF 2009 annual conference will be held overseas for the first time, to reflect the global interests of its membership. Hosted by the Scottish Raptor Groups, this event will be held at the exclusive Atholl Palace Hotel at Pitlochry in Highland Perthshire, with a full programme of scientific presentations, workshops and seminars. Social events include the hire of the nearby Blair Castle for an evening ceilidh and fieldtrips which include the spectacular west coast of Mull for otters and eagles. The conference website can be found at http://rrfconferencescotland2009.org. Delegate numbers are limited to 300 so early booking is advisable. Registration will open on the website in December 2007 and priority will be given to RRF and SRSG members. For further details or to add your name to the mailing list for further announcements, please contact local organising committee chair Ruth Tingay at with Scotland Conference 2009 as the subject header.