The Golden Opportunity.

Oh no, here he goes again, fed up with not getting in the birding he'd like to so goes into a rant about raptor persecution....well if needs be. 

Golden Eagle

Apparently there is a once-in-a-lifetime 'Golden Opportunity' to tackle the illegal killing of birds of prey and the Coalition and Welsh Governments must not waste it. Well, this is the message from the RSPB as it publishes its annual wildlife figures which will show another full year of shooting, trapping, and poisoning. 

With enough English uplands to support 300 pairs of Hen Harriers, it is beyond belief that just one pair bred in this year of 2012, and no....I've not just made a typing error, just one pair, this species is on the brink of extinction as a breeding bird in England and you'd be kidding yourself to think the cause is anything other than illegal killing.  

Pole Trap

I find it hard to believe anyone would set up a trap like the one above to kill any animal for any reason, but then I have to believe this otherwise I'm obviously an out of touch idiot. This is just one tool in the mighty armoury of these people. There....I just maintained some diplomacy and called them 'people'.

So the RSPB believe this is a 'Golden Opportunity' not to be missed with a review of wildlife protection legislation currently being consulted. Apparently the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, and a re-organisation of the police service, plus the creation of a National Crime Agency will all provide further opportunities to prioritise wildlife crime....bloody hell, this is looking good!

But on the 'downhill' again....its been over a hundred years since the poisoning of wild birds was outlawed in the UK, but the slaughter of birds of prey - like the Golden Eagle pictured above - along with Red Kites, Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards and more, is still rife and those who want rid of these birds and other wildlife are in plentiful number, and continue to enjoy the apparent freedom to do so. 

I'm shutting up now, and make no further personal comments on all this.

So as not to overdo it, just two brilliant photographs to end with this time....a bird and the moth.

Short-eared Owl Christian Thompson 

A superb shot of the Short-eared Owl which Christian stumbled upon in the Peak District recently. Owls are his passion especially when he gets the opportunity to photograph them like this one. Take a close look at what this bird is perched on....looks like the circumference of no more than a five pence piece....Thanks Christian.

Beautiful Marbled Ian Kimber 

And the brilliant moth, the Beautiful Marbled. The 'best looking' - if not the rarest - of the three migrant Marbled's which arrived in south-east England during a late summer/early autumn heat wave, the rare one being the Shining Marbled, and the other being Small Marbled....Thanks Ian. 

And by the way....if its stunning macro photography you're looking for Here it is

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!....tomorrow again hopefully.