No words really...... the sad demise of the Staffordshire Red Footed Falcon.

John Watson · Status: Offline

No words really...... the sad demise of the Staffordshire Red Footed Falcon.

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

This is tragic, sad news.

I think it's important not to get carried away with who might have done it and which 'group' may have had motives to carry out such an attack, pending the investigation work.

It may not be 'in vogue' to point this out at the moment, but there are plenty of good pigeon fanciers, game keepers, estate owners and general country men and alienating them all does nothing for our cause. I know the they may be the minority but toward certain conservation objectives (much like our own RSPB Dove Stone & surrounding peat bog restoration!) they are worth their weight in gold.

-- Edited by JamieDunning on Sunday 29th of November 2015 11:22:50 PM

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

just giving page has been set up, and has already raised over £1000 towards the reward. Cant find a link but probably easy enough to find on google.

Mike Price · Status: Offline

Shotgun, left wing is shattered on the x-ray pictures (according to RSPB on Twitter).

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:

We'll probably never know Craig .... could just be some **** who just likes killing things taking pot-shots at owt that moves ..... still plenty of them knocking about !

Probably true Roger, although one possible silver lining might be that if it is the case than its just some idiot with an air gun, its possible that someone is more likely to 'dob em' for the £1000 reward than if it was someone involved in game shooting which, as demonstrated by the Hen Harrier issue, is a closed shop as far as info is concerned. If/when they catch them I can think of several things that I could do that would be much better than any penalty issued by the court - a stiff telling off and, if they're unlucky a few hours community service.

Mike Crawley · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:
could just be some **** who just likes killing things taking pot-shots at owt that moves ..... still plenty of them knocking about !

Having witnessed an absolute moron shoot and kill a Robin with an air gun "because he could" I fully agree with you Roger. We need to forget what we (as birders) think of as normal because some folk's so called logic is unbelievably warped.

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

We'll probably never know Craig .... could just be some **** who just likes killing things taking pot-shots at owt that moves ..... still plenty of them knocking about !

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:

Looking at the x-ray it seems to me more likely to be some moron with an air rifle.

Seems ridiculous in 2015 that although classed as fire-arms you still do not need a license to possess an air rifle.
Crossbows neither.

Roger.

Doe sthat suggest its more likely to be a Pigeon Fancier?

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Roger Baker 3 wrote:
Looking at the x-ray it seems to me more likely to be some moron with an air rifle.

Seems ridiculous in 2015 that although classed as fire-arms you still do not need a license to possess an air rifle.
Crossbows neither.

Roger.

Totally agree Roger. I did hear once of a gamekeeper using an air rifle to make a raptor death (bird at a nest actually cry ) look like some non-gamekeeper with an air rifle had done it, so if it's been done before, who knows........

But then again that is crediting the person that did this with a few brain cells and I'm sure we all agree that is highly unlikely cry cry

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

Looking at the x-ray it seems to me more likely to be some moron with an air rifle.

Seems ridiculous in 2015 that although classed as fire-arms you still do not need a license to possess an air rifle.
Crossbows neither.

Roger.

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

If these so called countrymen - you know the ones who reckon you know nothing about the countryside unless you carry a 12 gauge - have anything to do with this, which they must if its been shot, then it just goes to show their knowledge of the countryside, species and its identification is about the same as their ability to identify their a*** from their elbow. For crying out loud its primary diet is flaming insects and reptiles, not pheasants or partridges or even pigeons (of the racing variety). Totally totally sickened by it. I heard the RSPB are offering £1000 reward but someone somewhere suggested setting up a donations page to raise this even higher to try to encourage someone to come forward. I'm in.

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

I must admit that came to mind when I read the report about the shooting. Impossible to know of course, but a good reason to leave wild birds to the wild.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Awful news. It has already been said by one Staffs birder on Facebook that the bird being habituated to humans by the feeding of crickets to it for photographers to get closer shots could well have been a contributory to this, letting someone get closer to the bird than would normally have been possible. Lots of us on here disagreed with the practise at the time and if this is a factor (I don't know if it was, just passing on a comment) then that is a very sad state of affairs indeed disbelief

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

This is very sad news indeed!
This bird was so good I went again with Steve Burke. It delighted the many people who turned up to see it and it turned out to be a real character, sometimes putting on a show.
I was concerned however at the time when it emerged that 2 blokes in a van had taken an interest in the bird, but to shoot such a beautiful bird, and still a young one too, it is absolutely sickening and has made my blood boil!
A cowardly and despicable act!

Adam Jones · Status: Offline

Absolutely gutted by this. Sickening.

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

Red-Footed Falcon shot dead!

I can't think of anything printable to say about this really. Utterly, utterly depressing.