14th April 2009

8th April 2009

20/12/2008 to date
WANTED: PEREGRINE WATCH VOLUNTEERS. 

Many of us regard the Beeston pair as THE Cheshire peregrines and is one of less than a handful of traditionally productive nests in the County. 

The species is a slow reproducer with seldom more than four successful fledglings and usually less than half that on average. 

The lost of these young birds is tragic for the birds and for raptors generally in the county. Most of you will have seen the press items recently regarding various types of attack on this magnificent species and now our birds have become part of those statistics. 

The raiding of this nest in 1992 led to the formation of the Beeston Peregrine Watch in 1993 which proved highly successful. 

It would therefore be appropriate to reconvene the watch for 2009. 

We need to start getting our act together now. If you are willing to give 4 hrs each week from mid April to July let me know and I will get things moving.

Please pass this on to friends and members of your organisations.

Look forward to hearing from you. 

kind regards to all 

Bernard W. Wright

Tel  +44 (0) 1829 782243  

e-mail: knoydart@globalnet.co.uk

 letter to Stephen O’Brien MP

Bernard  Wright   MBE

Tel  +44 (0) 1829 782243   e-mail: knoydart@globalnet.co.uk

Dear Mr O'Brien                                                                  Saturday, 28 June 2008

I was appalled recently to learn of the robbery of three peregrine falcon chicks from the well-known nest site at Beeston Castle. According to police reports, a team of six men climbed down the cliff armed with ropes and rucksacks and made off with the young peregrines. The incident has been widely reported in both local and national newspapers, radio and TV.

People locally are shocked by this incident. Peregrines began nesting at the site, managed by English Heritage, in the late 1980's and quickly became a familiar and magnificent spectacle for visitors to enjoy. In spite of their success nationally, the peregrine remains a very rare breeding bird in Cheshire with only five pairs breeding annually in the county. Consequently, the loss of an entire brood of young birds is very serious.

The enforcement authorities believe the chicks were  stolen to supply birds for the illegal trade in live falcons. This is particularly worrying given recent announcements by the Biodiversity Minister, Joan Ruddock, to the effect that she is considering removing the peregrine from Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This is the list of species that must be registered with Defra if kept in captivity. Most stolen wild birds are laundered into the commercial market for captive birds by being passed off as ‘captive bred’. Registration has been essential in locating and identifying birds for DNA testing to allow the enforcement authorities to check captive breeding claims. According to the RSPB, criminal convictions for these crimes decreased dramatically after DNA evidence was first introduced in 1992 resulting in many commercial falcon dealers being convicted, and some imprisoned.  The RSPB are adamant this it is only because of the registration records that the authorities were able to trace
the suspect birds for DNA testing. Peregrine  nest robberies have declined steadily since DNA testing was introduced.

This is the first time the Beeston Castle site has been robbed since 1992. Following that incident, a nest watch scheme was set up involving local volunteers and the police, which allowed the birds to nest in peace. After running successfully for twelve years the scheme was eventually disbanded because of the reduced threat due to the high profile of the nest site both locally and via the BBC. The birds continued to nest successfully. As a result of this year's robbery, we  are now in the process of having to reconvene a new nest watch scheme to provide the peregrines with protection again.

It is very worrying that the Beeston nest has been robbed again so soon after the minister's announcement that she intends to remove the requirement to register captive peregrines. Is this a foretaste of things to come? It would be wholly unacceptable if, as a result of the government's actions, many of your constituents had to give up their spare time to volunteer for nest protection duties when this seems to have been a problem that the bird registration scheme and DNA testing had largely overcome. You may consider it coincidence that this theft occurred so soon after the government indicated its failing support for this legislation.

I would be very grateful if you would express concerns to the Minister over her intention to remove peregrine from Schedule 4 and ask her to reconsider her actions in the light of the worrying developments at Beeston Castle.

Yours sincerely 

Bernard  Wright   MBE