Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

Welcome to the latest edition of Scottish Raptor . We hope you enjoy the variety of articles that it contains, and please do submit interesting short articles and any other topics and observations to me for subsequent issues.

Brian Etheridge, RMO

Highlights in this issue Scottish Raptor

SRMG & Scheme Update ... 2 White-tailed Eagle Update ... 5 Satellite tracking of Hobby … 9 The Golden Eagle – Jeff Watson … 10 Fox Predation of Hen Harriers … 13 In Search of Harriers – Donald Watson … 18 Eyes to the Skies … 19 Deliberate Human Disturbance … 21

Issue 9 Autumn

2010 Sparrowhawk Photo: Dick Jeeves Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group & Scheme Update

I am sure it will not have escaped your notice that unfortunately funding will become scarce over the next 2-3 years within the public sector, which could affect SNH’s ability to fund the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme and SRSGs expenses. Rest assured both myself and Des Thompson will be doing our utmost to secure future funding over this difficult period. One factor in our favour is the high political profile raptors and raptor related issues have at a Scottish Government level, and the fact that the SRMS is seen as an excellent approach to ensuring collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of sensitive data. However, there are aspects of work the Scheme would like to progress that may well have to be ‘parked’ to some extent in the short term, although we still hope to catch up with the annual reporting and get out more detailed analysis on the thousands of records now held by the Scheme (see below).

Information collected by SRSGs is key for development casework and Special Protection Area designation, and I would like to record my thanks to all those within RSGs who helped supply data to SNH for the assessment and selection of the 6 new Golden eagle SPAs, which were classified by the Minister on 28 October. I’m especially grateful because as I write this I’m involved with a PLI hearing into a proposed wind farm within the new Glen Etive & Glen Fyne SPA!

I’m also sure that many of you are following the progress of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill (WANE) through Scottish Government and have noted with interest the proposal of a new ‘vicarious liability offence’ (see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ News/Releases/2010/11/03110045 ) for estates with regard to persecution incidents. Again the Scheme data is useful here: if surveyors are recording carefully causes of Scottish Raptor failure on the spreadsheet returns, this gives the Scheme hard data to show the levels of persecution in different parts of the country, which can be shown to Government and the National Wildlife Crime Unit.

Finally, I would like to note here the need to get a better handle on some of our common raptors, which can be ideal starter species for potential new RSG members. Many of you will be aware of the recent large declines in kestrel noted in the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) results for Scotland. It would be extremely useful if we could get a better idea of any change in numbers and breeding success across Scotland for this and other widespread species.

SRMS data reviewing, trends and reporting work BTO Scotland (Staffan, Chris and Anne Cotton), Brian Etheridge and Helen Riley have been working on a project to clean the SRMS data for 2003-2008 and scope the production of trends (with a focus on SNH Natural Heritage Zones (NHZs) and national trends). Chris and Staffan updated the SRMG on this work at the SRMG meeting on 26 August and a draft report on the work will be circulated to the SRMG for comment in November. The report will include: ■ A summary of the trends that it should be possible to produce fr om the SRMS Issue 9 data available currently (with a fully worked example of trends for Peregrine). ■ Suggestions for enhancing the data held by the SRMS (e.g. acquisition of Autumn additional grid references and data that is currently only held in summary form). ■ Suggestions for enhancing the collection of information on breeding raptors (e.g. 2010 to improve coverage of widespread species and achieve the monitoring required to support the new SNH Biodiversity Surveillance Strategy). 2 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Some of the work for Peregrine was included in the 2007 Scheme report and I hope that, like me, you will be pleased to see some major progress being made on outputs from the scheme.

Annual Reporting The limited resources available for SRMS data work, the need to move towards reporting of trends, and the difficulty in securing resources for hard copy publication have meant that annual reporting has fallen well behind schedule, and we are all concerned about the negative impacts this is having, particularly on those who collect the data on which the Scheme is based (i.e. many of you!). Now that the information is largely in a cleaned form that can be analysed automatically, we aim to rapidly produce tables for the 2008 and 2009 annual reports (based on the tables in the 2007 and previous annual reports) and look to produce these two reports by the end of 2010. We are in discussion with SOC over the possibility of publishing these reports as a supplement to the journal Scottish Birds. Once the automation for this work is set up (taking into account the changed data formats with the introduction of the revised Excel spreadsheet in 2009), it will be a quick, easy and cost-effective task to produce the standard tables in a timely manner in future years, which will ensure publication of the annual reports straight after each breeding season.

Funding You will recall that when the SRSGs had to accept a lower grant from SNH than was requested for the period 2010/11-2012/13, the previously agreed £16,000 per annum for

Scottish Raptor analysis of scheme data by BTO to produce trends was reduced to a token £2,000 (which will be used as a contribution towards producing the basic reporting for 2008 and 2009 mentioned above). In order to produce a full set of trends from Scheme data for the first time (and a first trends report to showcase the SRMS and make our information widely available), further funding was required.

SNH has been able to secure some resources from the Trends and Indicators budget to take this work forward, and has asked BTO to lead on developing a proposal for this continuation of SRMS data work, in liaison with those who have

expertise in the some of the datasets not Photo: www.grayimages.co.uk currently held in full by the SRMS that should form part of the trends analysis (notably RSPB and Haworth Conservation). It is our hope that this work to produce Scheme trends, and scope Osprey Issue 9 the potential to produce a raptor indicator or indicators, will proceed this financial year, and Autumn that reliminary results will be available to present and discuss at the SRSG Conference at the end 2010 of February. 3 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

Raven Photo: John Harding

Data Issues Whilst its good to see some forward momentum on getting the Scheme data analysed and out to a wider audience, I am aware of a couple of apparent difficulties over data sharing with regard to two current projects. Scottish Raptor Firstly, the SPA Review Scientific Working Group’s review of peregrine data which is being managed by Andy Musgrove of BTO, for which an initial request to use Peregrine data from the Conservation Framework has gone out. I understand that not all groups have signed up for this. This request will not involve any additional work by RSG Members (it is just a request to use existing assembled data) and is of high conservation importance (in ensuring the SPA network remains fit for purpose).

Secondly, there is an SNH contract to Haworth Conservation relating assessment of Merlin distribution and numbers to try to identify key concentrations, much in the same way as was done to identify important golden eagle areas. To allow analysis to be done, grid references are needed and having discussed the situation with the contractors they are willing to abide by what ever agreement is necessary to allow them access to the grid references.

I do appreciate there are concerns about who handles sensitive data and what use is made of it but projects like those above are important in terms of Peregrine and Merlin conservation. I would be happy to discuss any issues over these reviews with Issue 9 any RSG member who has concerns, to reassure them about these projects and I would urge groups and individuals to please assist with these important projects. Autumn Andrew Stevenson 2010 Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group Chair November 2010 4 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme WHITE-TAILED EAGLE UPDATE

East Scotland Sea Eagles is five-year project returning white-tailed eagles to East Scotland. In a partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, the first 15 birds were released in Fife in August 2007.

For the third phase of the white-tailed eagle re-introduction in Scotland, chicks aged 5-8 weeks old are collected by members of the Norwegian Ornithological Society (a BirdLife partner) from an area stretching 200km from Bergen to Alesund, over 500km south of Bødo where the west coast population originates from. They are then kept in pairs and trios in captivity (matched by age and size) until old enough to fly in the middle of August.

Over the last four years 63 birds have been released, all of which are fitted with VHF radios with a five-year battery life and mortality switch, allowing us to follow their movements, locate dead birds and roost sites. However, sightings are still extremely valuable and fill gaps in our knowledge or alert us to birds moving out of an area. Wing tags were white in 2007, turquoise in 2009 and yellow in 2010; whilst 2008 birds had to be fitted with aluminium colour rings due to a change in legislation preventing wing tagging that year.

Following release, a ‘food dump’ stocked with venison, goat & rabbit, is maintained on the roof of the cages mimicking adults feeding fledglings in the wild. Most birds disperse away from the release wood by December. Initially, the eagles spread through Fife, sometimes reaching the Isle of May, whilst others spread onto the north of the Tay Estuary following the Tay and Earn west into Perthshire. Scottish Raptor A sea eagle chick on the Isle of Skye with satellite tag Photo: Ewan Weston

Issue 9 Autumn 2010 5 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

Dispersal and movements

In autumn each year a couple of birds follow the East coast finding geese at the Montrose basin and moving north to the Buchan coast. The 2008 cohort maintained a communal roost on the north of the Tay for over a year, being joined by 2009 birds and showing that the estuary has sufficient food to support them year round. Other roost sites have been at Loch Tay, Strathbraan, Tentsmuir, Loch Leven, Strath Allan, Strathardle and Loch of Lintrathen.

In late winter each year the sea eagles shift south-west into Central Scotland, appearing in areas like Flanders Moss, and Strath Allan, with birds often showing an interest in the Argaty red kite feeding station and falconry birds at Blair Drummond Safari park. The young birds have also been keeping English twitchers happy with a female at Bowness-on-Solway in February 2009 and a 2008 male travelling down to Blacktoft sands in Lincolnshire in April 2010, having a tussle with the lone golden eagle at Haweswater on its return North! It is also during late winter that the young sea eagles discover the west coast population, birds have visited Mull, Rum, Ardnamurchan and Skye.

Since 2009 we have seen an increase in immature and west coast birds in central and Eastern Scotland. Three birds from the Irish release programme have also wandered over spending time at Braco, Orkney, Durness, the Lecht and Islay. It is anticipated that releases will continue for the next two years in an attempt to release 100 birds and we will be keeping a close eye on our 2007 birds to see where they chose to settle over the next couple of years.

Scottish Raptor A young sea eagle being released in East Scotland Photo: Dean Bricknell

Issue 9 Autumn 2010 6 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Scottish Raptor

Another young sea eagle being released in East Scotland Photo: Dean Bricknell

West Coast population

The west coast population continues to expand, with 51 territories occupied in 2010 (an increase on 46 in 2009) and some significant range expansion with new pairs on Skye, Lochalsh and south into the Argyll islands. At least 45 pairs attempted to breed, 33 of those hatched chicks and 32 of those pairs went on to fledge 45 chicks. There were 13 sets of twins, seven of which were on the Western Isles, the most Issue 9 productive area this year, with 1.25 chicks per territorial pair and 1.9 chicks per successful pair. This compares with 0.9 and 1.4 respectively for the whole Autumn population. Chicks continued to be fitted with oxidise aluminium colour rings on the left leg and five chicks were also fitted with GPS satellite transmitters as part of a 2010 collaborative project looking at white-tailed eagle dispersal. 7 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Scottish Raptor

Movements of a juvenile sea eagle over one year from satellite tagging data Map courtesy of Ewan Weston The five transmitters were distributed throughout the white-tailed eagle population, with two being fitted to chicks on Mull, two on Skye and one on Harris. This is part of an ongoing project and over the last two years seven other white-tailed eagle chicks have been fitted with GPS transmitters. Two chicks are being tracked from Mull in 2008, as is a chick from Skye and two chicks from the Western Isles in 2009. Unfortunately the two chicks fitted with transmitters on Mull in 2009 are no longer transmitting. These transmitters are enabling us to get an insight into the wanderings of these birds from the west Scotland population that would otherwise have been impossible.

Please report any sightings of sea eagles to: [email protected] You can keep up to date with the latest project news on the East Scotland Sea Eagles Issue 9 and Mull blogs at www.rspb.org.uk Autumn Claire Smith 2010 RSPB East Coast Sea Eagles Project 8 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme SATELLITE TRACKING A HIGHLAND HOBBY

Hobbies are rare visitors to Scotland and bred only sporadically during the last century. In 2001 a pair nested in Strathspey rearing 4 young and returned to the same location the following year and reared another three. In subsequent years, adult Hobbies were regularly seen in the general area but nesting was not again confirmed until this year when an active nest was located less than 100m from the original 2001 nest tree.

The site, an old crow nest, was in the upper crown of a 30m high Scots Pine, at the edge of a pine forest with nearby lochs in a riverine valley. The nest was climbed on 29 July when it was found to contain three vigorous and vocal young. They were lowered to the ground where they ringed and measured by Roy Dennis. The largest chick, a female (the ‘gobby’ one in the photo below!), was fitted with the latest lightweight 5g solar-powered satellite transmitters made by Microwave Telemetry and is believed to be the first Hobby to be satellite tracked in UK. The young Hobbies fledged on the 12 August and were last seen in the vicinity of the nest on 15 September. The tagged bird is currently (15 Nov) in central Sierra Leone and signals are now being received once a week. If the bird or the tag does not meet with any mishap, it is hoped transmissions will continue for at least another two years.

Details of this Hobby and other raptor species satellite tagged in 2010 can be found at http://www.raptortrack.org/

Brian Etheridge Scottish Raptor

Issue 9 Autumn 2010 9 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Scottish Raptor The task of revising The Golden Eagle on behalf of the late Jeff Watson was quite a

challenge. Jeff had left clear instructions for updating his monograph, which had

become the definitive account of this iconic bird since it was published in 1997. Sadly, he did not manage to make substantial progress on revising the text before his untimely death in September 2007. So the task of completing the book fell to a team of Jeff’s friends and colleagues, supported by his wife, Vanessa, and his sisters, Kate and Louise.

The first thing that became clear, rummaging through Jeff’s box of golden eagle papers, was that a large amount of new research had been carried out in the thirteen years since the first edition was published. Indeed, the golden eagle may well be one of the most-studied birds in the world!

As was the case with the first edition, in the second, Scottish studies provide the foundation for a treatment that also includes up-to-date information from work in North America, continental Europe and elsewhere. A key contribution from Scotland is the Conservation Framework for Golden Eagles. This caused quite a bit of controversy when it was published as an SNH commissioned report in 2008, presenting evidence for persecution as a key constraint on the golden eagle Issue 9 population in Scotland. The framework also provided insights into the impacts of heavy grazing on the productivity of eagle populations in the western highlands, Autumn and potential future concerns for golden eagles in these areas and the Western Isles if climate change results in wetter springs. 2010 10 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

Advances in remote-tracking technology have resulted in a proliferation of radio- tagging studies of golden eagles, many of which are described in the new edition. These are shedding light on the movements of juvenile eagles after they leave the natal territory and before they establish themselves in a breeding territory. In North America there have been a number of studies of migratory golden eagles. Some satellite-tagged juveniles raised in Alaska have travelled almost 5,000 km to wintering areas in the mid-western United States, close to the Rocky Mountains. By contrast, emerging results for young golden eagles tagged in Scotland, published for the first time, show maximum movements of only around 200 km from the natal nest during the first year of life.

There have also been advances in genetic analyses of eagles. In the first edition of his book, Jeff gave an authoritative account of the taxonomy of the genus Aquila , at that time containing the Golden Eagle and eight other species. Recently, a number of studies of the taxonomy of eagles, based on comparative analyses of DNA, have produced recommendations for changes to the Aquila genus, which now contains 14 species (according to the latest listing by the International Ornithological Congress). This presented some challenges with respect to the scope of the second edition, since in the first Jeff had supplemented the information on golden eagles with comparative studies on closely related species.

Genetic analyses have also provided new insights at the species level. A pioneering study of eastern imperial eagles in Kazahkstan has used DNA extracted from feathers for population studies. Results are fascinating, revealing, for example, that a winter roost site where a maximum of 21 birds was observed at one time, was actually used by more than 280 different individuals over a period of one month!

Scottish Raptor The author of the above study, Todd Katzner from West Virginia University, was one of the principal contributors to the second edition of the Golden Eagle. Other key contributors to the text were Alan Fielding, Paul Haworth, Mike McGrady, Carol McIntyre, Lorcan O’Toole, Des Thompson and Phil Whitfield. Keith Brockie provided a stunning new trio of paintings and studies for the cover, and the illustrations that he produced for the first edition look as fresh as ever in the second. A new addition to the second edition is a selection of colour photographs of eagles and eagle habitats around the world, including some Scottish landscapes from Jeff, and close- ups of eagles from Laurie Campbell and Michael MacGregor. If you look at Jeff’s landscape photos with eagles you will see the imprint of his father’s work!

I have been privileged to work with friends and colleagues on this book, and have enjoyed corresponding with scores more (who are named in the acknowledgements). I am left with a deep respect for Jeff’s work. The finished book can never be quite as he envisaged it, but we have tried to fulfil Jeff’s wish for “… someone to take the next edition … and find something slightly different, with the integrity and foundations from part one, which will make it useful for another decade. Then, maybe at a later date, someone will take it to another stage”.

Issue 9 Helen Riley

Autumn The Second edition was published by T & A D Poyser in August 2010 2010 £50.00 from NHBS NHBS - The Golden Eagle - Jeff Watson 11 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

Hen Harrier on nest Photo: Derek Belsey SCOTLAND’S RAPTOR RESEARCHERS TRIUMPH AT NATIONAL AWARDS

The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme last year won an award for best practice in environmental management. The Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) awards acknowledge work to the highest standard in ecology in the UK. The SRMS was against fierce completion from two other UK groups but their work won out in the end.

Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Minister for Environment, said: "Our birds of prey are Scottish Raptor part of our unique natural heritage. Research is vital if we are to help these magnificent creatures thrive and this award shows that Scotland’s work is leading the way here and further afield. I congratulate all those involved in this important conservation project for gaining recognition for their hard work.“

Professor Colin Galbraith, director of policy and advice at SNH, said: “We are very pleased to be part of the scheme which has won this prestigious award. Congratulations to all the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme volunteer specialists who spend thousands of days each year developing our knowledge of these iconic birds. With climate change and other changes potentially impacting on raptor populations we need accurate and timely information on which to base their conservation. We are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated group of volunteers in Scotland; indeed raptors here are perhaps the most closely monitored in the world. Scotland is leading the way in high quality research into raptors and this award acknowledges that fact.”

The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme members are the Scottish Raptor Study Groups, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, the Royal Society for the Issue 9 Protection of Birds, Scotland, and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. Autumn 2010 12 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

RED FOX PREDATION OF HEN HARRIER NESTS

Hen Harriers have now been studied on Skye for 10 years and the average nest failure rate is 50% for north and south Skye. However, looking exclusively at the current study area in north Skye since 2005, it is even higher at 63%. Failure at the egg stage is generally low, and the main problem is failure with young, especially when the young are 2+ weeks old. This is what is regarded as the vulnerable stage when the female will share the hunting role and leave the proximity of the nest. In addition the nest becomes smelly with prey remains and droppings, odours which will be readily picked up by ground predators. Older chicks can also be noisy and squeal for food. Ground nesting Hen Harriers will always be susceptible to avian predators but losses to Red Fox were always considered to be a factor although incriminating evidence such as chewed feathers were not always available (see photo below).

Under the Biodiversity Grant Scheme, a successful application was made to SNH for nest site cameras in respect of an action “which improves, protects and manages native species and habitats”. The Hen Harrier is a species of principal importance on the Scottish list and is also included in the UKBAP list of priority species. Financial support for the project was also provided by Atmos Consulting and Haworth Conservation Ltd. A total of four nest site cameras were purchased from the RSPB Technical Department along with monitor, batteries, and charger. Scottish Raptor

Issue 9 Autumn 2010 Chewed Hen Harrier feathers near a nest, an obvious sign of fox predation 13 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

The camera itself is extremely small, composed principally of a lens and a surrounding array of LEDs to provide night-time illumination. The camera’s small size makes it suitable for a wide range of applications and causes minimum impact at the nest. A photograph of the camera installed at ‘Red Burn 1’ is shown below:-

The image is relayed via cable from the camera to a Data Recording Unit (“MemoCam®”), which is housed in a waterproof box, which can be conveniently located at a distance from the nest, or buried in a small hole. The system is powered with a 12V battery, connected via cable to the Data Recording Unit. Under normal conditions, a fully charged battery should give at least six days’ usage. Software contained in the MemoCam® Data Recording Unit analyses the image captured by the camera. If a change occurs in a portion of the field of view, a series of images is stored on a memory card inserted in the Data Recording Unit. The user can modify many aspects of the image- capture process dependant on the

Scottish Raptor application (e.g. the number of images which are stored after a triggering event).

Camera installed at a Hen harrier nest The necessary SNH photographic licence was obtained and during the course of the 2009 breeding season all four cameras were deployed as follows:- Site 1. Nest camera installed on 29.5.09 on nest with 6 eggs. From images obtained nest was deserted by 6.6.09 It is not thought that the camera caused desertion. Images showed female was leaving eggs for lengthy periods during the day and it is suspected the male of the pair may not have been provisioning her. Site 2. Nest camera installed on 29.5.09 on nest with 5 eggs. All eggs hatched though a single young (runt) lost during latter stages. Fledged 4 young. Site 3. Nest camera installed on 4.6.09 when there were 3 newly hatched young and two eggs (see below). This site successfully fledged 5 young. Site 4. Nest camera installed on 4.6.09 when the nest had 5 eggs. All 5 eggs hatched and the young were ringed on 28.6.09 Images from the camera Issue 9 confirmed that this nest was predated by a fox at 2315 hours on 8.7.09. At this time it was thought that two young had possibly fledged. However, as the Autumn predation took place during darkness it is suspected that all young were killed. A possible fledgling found dead near the nest was found on autopsy to have 2010 puncture wounds caused by a canine. Otherwise all the other young disappeared and little evidence of predation remained. 14 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

The main objective of the camera installation was to verify the problem of fox predation and in this respect the first year of the project produced a positive result at one site. With little other evidence left at the scene it would have been extremely difficult to establish that such a well advanced brood with possibly two fledged young, and others on the point of fledging, would not have been successful. This predation shows the vulnerability of this ground nesting species into the fledging period but also poses a challenge to fieldworkers in respect of the appropriate recording of fledging success. Three newly hatched Hen Harriers and 2 eggs Scottish Raptor

Timed image of a fox intrusion

This is the first year of a 4 year project using cameras and already it has provided some confirmation that fox predation of nest sites is a problem and in 2009, this accounted for 33% of nests which had reached the chick stage. The cameras appear to have been accepted by the birds and the additional visits to nest sites to change batteries does not appear to have increased the vulnerability to predation. It is Issue 9 intended to sustain the 2009 approach in 2010 when any additional data will support a way forward in terms of the implementation of preventive measures. Autumn 2010 Bob McMillan Images by Bob McMillan and Harry Bell 15 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

A EUROPEAN RAPTOR MONITORING NETWORK

EURAPMON is a research networking programme funded by the European Science Foundation. It aims to establish a Europe-wide network of people involved in raptor monitoring – involving those who monitor for raptors (to determine numbers, distribution, population status and trends) and those who monitor with raptors (studying environmental contaminants such as pesticides).

The emphasis is on raising the profile of raptors as sentinels of environmental change. Integrating the work of those who monitor raptor populations with those who monitor environmental issues such as pollutants aims to increase awareness among field surveyors of the value of and potential for analysis of samples taken in the field, as well as the appropriate contacts for different kinds of samples (eggs, carcasses, feathers etc.). This should in turn provide benefits for scientists who monitor environmental change, in terms of access to a wider base of source material.

The overall aim of EURAPMON is to strengthen the contribution of research and monitoring for and with raptors in Europe to the delivery of biodiversity, environmental and human health benefits, including the maintenance and recovery of raptor populations and their habitats, and reduced threats to ecosystem and human health. Scottish Raptor The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme was represented at the inaugural EURAPMON workshop held at Scopello, Sicily, in early October 2010. There were over 50 delegates from 25 countries, a mixture of ornithologists, ecologists, conservation biologists and eco-toxicologists from universities, museums, research institutes and non-governmental organisations across Europe and beyond.

Over the next five years, EURAPMON seeks to: 1. Establish a Europe-wide network for monitoring for and with raptors; 2. Establish consensus on: a. Europe-wide priorities for monitoring for and with raptors; and b. The needs of key users (policy makers, environmental managers); 3. Spread best practice and build capacities in Europe for harmonised monitoring for and with raptors; 4. Build a web-based database with information on European raptor population trends and pressures (contaminants and others e.g. wind farms, climate change) on raptors; and 5. Produce outputs to meet the needs of users at the European and EU scales (e.g. for reporting under the EC Birds Directive and the Issue 9 Memorandum of Understanding on Raptors recently established under the Convention on Migratory Species). Autumn Delegates were ensconced in the visitor centre of the beautiful Zingaro Nature 2010 Reserve (a twenty minute walk from the nearest road and overlooking the Tyrrhenian sea). The focus of the meeting was very much on networking and 16 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme providing a forum for discussion so that delegates could contribute to and take ownership of the EURAPMON programme. All participants were involved in workshop sessions on programme planning under a number of different themes, including setting best practice and capacity building (getting more people and resources involved).

Local community representatives were delighted to play host to an international meeting and provided an abundance of Sicilian hospitality. At break-times there was the opportunity to sample delicious local food outside in the Mediterranean sunshine, while keeping an eye out for the local pair of Bonelli’s eagles. On the final day, delegates were escorted to a press conference in a local castle by community leaders and a crowd of local school children delighted to be let out of their Saturday morning classes to cheer and wave flags of all the different countries represented at EURAPMON.

It was clear from discussions that the SRSGs and the SRMS are held in high regard at a European level. For example, under the theme of best practice, the SRMS book: Raptors: a field guide for surveys and monitoring is seen as exemplary; EURAPMON would like to see this kind of guidance extended to cover all European raptor species!

The objectives of EURAPMON are ambitious and the scale of achievements will depend on securing additional resources (time and/or funding) from participant organisations and individuals. Key priorities, following the inaugural meeting, will be decided by the EURAPMON Steering group. These are likely to include establishing an inventory of existing raptor monitoring activities in Europe (probably using a questionnaire), and gathering together existing protocols for raptor monitoring

Scottish Raptor (including field surveys, collecting, storing and analysing samples for contaminants, analysis of data and reporting) and making these available on the internet. But already much progress has been made towards the wider aim of building relationships between raptor researchers across Europe – which will perhaps be the overarching achievement of the EURAPMON programme.

More information on EURAPMON can be found at http://www.esf.org/index.php?id=6979 .

Helen Riley Red Kite Photo:Jill Packenham

Issue 9 Autumn 2010 17 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

In Search of Harriers

by Donald Watson, Langford Press, Peterborough 2010 (£38,UK)

At last we have the long awaited final contribution from the late Donald Watson, one of the 20th century’s most evocative natural history writers and internationally renowned wildlife artist who inspired a generation of bird painters and illustrators. An accomplished ornithologist from an early age, he became a world authority on the hen harrier, which he studied in Galloway for over forty years. This book follows Donald’s work on hen harriers and is illustrated beautifully with a number of his finest Scottish Raptor painting of these wonderful birds. His earliest attempts to capture their power and graceful agility on moorland breeding grounds in 1959 are followed by classic depictions of food-passing pairs, nestling broods in heather and haunting communal roosts in the gloaming in his beloved Galloway. Other harriers too are covered, as are a number of other birds, from wheatears to whooper swans, while geographical variation is provided through trips to France, the Balearics and Benbecula, all illustrated expertly in his trademark birds in landscape style. The faithfully reproduced paintings are not only stunningly beautiful, but so cleverly and accurately capture the essence of the birds and landscapes they depict. Brilliant as they are though, the pictures are only half the story. They are accompanied by a compellingly evocative commentary that moves effortlessly from autobiographical notes, through artistic tips and insights, to perceptive and detailed observations on the biology and behaviour of his various bird subjects and habitats. Donald Watson was among the very best of wildlife writers and his deceptively easy and relaxing style is a master class in the genre. Here in his last book he presents new information and comment on his studies of hen harriers with a disarming directness that demands the cessation of the absurd persecution that these wonderful birds suffer on many grouse moors. If there is a minor criticism, it is that some of the bigger paintings are split over two pages, but this doesn’t detract from their intrinsic beauty and quality. If there is a Issue 9 disappointment, it is that this is the last we can hear from a master craftsman whose love and passion for hen harriers and their haunts reaches out to us from every page Autumn of this lovely book. 2010 Chris Rollie 18 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Eyes to the Skies

Raising Red Kite awareness in the north of Scotland.

Eyes to the Skies is an innovating and engaging project aiming to raise awareness for the population of red kites in the Highlands involving RSPB Scotland, Brahan Estate, local schools and communities with support from several national and local organisations. In celebration of the red kite there will be a range of red kite themed activities in the Inverness, Easter Ross and Cairngorms National Park areas up to March 2011, as well as the development of Tollie Red Kites, a feeding and viewing facility on the Brahan Estate near Dingwall. Scottish Raptor

Another big strand of the project is education and as well as visiting schools to conduct red kite themed assemblies and talks, a total of 15 local schools will have adopted a young satellite tagged red kite over the duration of the project. The movements of these juvenile birds can be followed on a special website www.eyestotheskies.org.uk . This project will also be special from a research point of view. Satellite tags will give us unique glimpses into the first wanderings of a juvenile red kite including patterns of dispersal and locations of communal winter roosts, in doing so providing some interesting new insights as these young birds develop from a chick to a fully fledged adult. So far, our most exploratory red kite Issue 9 has been Phoenix, a male that paid a return visit to the north west coast of Ireland in late October generating plenty of interest along the way. Autumn Claire Buchanan 2010 Red Kite Community Officer RSPB Scotland, North Regional Office 19 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme International project against illegal use of poisoned baits in Spain, Greece and Portugal

The widespread illegal use of poisoned baits for hunting or predator and vermin control, particularly in rural areas, can impact negatively on endangered species. The European Commission LIFE + program has set up a project which will aim to evaluate and spread the effectiveness of innovative actions against illegal use of poisoned baits. Eight areas in Spain, Greece and Portugal have been chosen as pilots for the project as it was considered that the incidence of illegal poisoning was more common in Mediterranean countries. Endangered raptor species affected by the use of poisoned baits in these areas include the Bearded Vulture, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle and the Cinereous and Egyptian Vultures as well as wolf, bear and Iberian Lynx.

Fundación Gypaetus will lead this international project which will be co-financed to the tune of €5.6 million by the European Commission, the Andalusian Environment Ministry, the Câmara Municipal de Idanha-a-Nova (Portugal) and the Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change.

Further information about this project can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.d spPage&n_proj_id=3828&docType=pdf and also (in Spanish) on the Fundación Gypaetus website FUNDACIÓN GYPAETUS Scottish Raptor Peregrine 2002 National Survey Manuscript

This manuscript has been accepted for publication and is in press in the journal Bird Study . We apologise for the delays in getting this manuscript published that occurred as a result of staff changes at the BTO and the need for updating the survey results following findings from the Peregrine Conservation Framework research. We are very grateful to all those who provided helpful comments on drafts of the paper, and of course to all of you who undertook fieldwork for the survey all those years ago! We need to start thinking about the next survey soon! Issue 9 Chris Wernham Autumn

2010 Peregrine chick Photo: Howard Paton 20 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Peregrine Conservation Framework update

We have been unable to progress the Peregrine Conservation Framework report as quickly as we would have liked because of pressures on our time from other SRMS work (we only have a small team at BTO Scotland). We also recognised that information on geographical variation in the productivity of Peregrines from the two national surveys was somewhat limited, and were awaiting the outcome of the current work on the SRSM annual monitoring information (which will be very helpful) to further inform the conclusions in the draft framework report. It is our hope that Staffan will be able to return to the Conservation Framework report, address the comments provided by the SRMG and Ian Newton, and draft a manuscript on the work in the first half of 2011. We will keep you posted…..

Staffan Roos and Chris Wernham

Information on deliberate disturbance of raptors from the SRMS

Part of the work that we have been doing to clean the SRMS dataset and start producing trends has involved using information available in all relevant specific columns of the recording spreadsheet, and manual checking of the "Notes" columns, to assign a final breeding outcome code for each Peregrine record in the SRMS data set. The aim of these codes is to allow outcomes to be defined as specifically and objectively as possible. This means that all the information the

Scottish Raptor SRMS holds on deliberate human interference is now coded in a way that allows it to be extracted and summarised quickly and effectively and different codes can be merged to categorise records into (for example) the RSPB standard persecution coding system if required for reporting purposes.

We have assigned an objective breeding outcome code for all 3931 Peregrine nest site-year combinations in the SRMS dataset 2003-2008. For several years now the SRMG has wanted information on deliberate human disturbance collected by the SRMS to be reported at least annually to organisations that need this information (e.g. RSPB, NWCU and PAW). Now that the SRMS dataset has been cleaned and objective outcome codes assigned, it is a simple task to summarise this information on an annual basis (see the table next page for Peregrine).

The next step needs to be mobilising this information for the good of raptor conservation, which will involve merging it with that from other sources and checking for duplicates and gaps in the information provided. At last the SRMS is in a position to use its information set effectively.

The objective breeding outcome codes are also essential for extracting appropriate samples of annual records for calculating breeding parameters (e.g. proportions of Issue 9 pairs that fledge young, or hatch young, or lay eggs) and for looking more generally at causes of failure (and changes in these through time) for individual raptor Autumn species, work which is of course also of importance for raptor conservation. 2010 Staffan Roos, Anne Cotton, Brian Etheridge and Chris Wernham 21 Scottish Raptor The Newsletter of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

No. of No. of % nesting successful successful attempts or assumed Number of failed attempts with successful known outcome Unknown Known Suspected Other NHZ cause intentional anthropo- known anthropogenic genic causes North Caithness and Orkney 13 11 84.62* 1 0 0 1 Coll, Tiree and the Western Isles 44 38 86.36 6 0 0 0

North West Seaboard 5 5 100.00* 0 0 0 0

The Peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland 13 9 69.23* 4 0 0 0

Western Seaboard 9 9 100.00* 0 0 0 0 Northern Highlands 26 24 92.31 1 0 1 0

North East Coastal Plain 67 40 59.70 26 1 0 0

Central Highlands 12 9 75.00* 3 0 0 0

Cairngorm Massif 162 110 67.90 44 0 4 4

North East Glens 71 55 77.46 13 0 1 2 East Lochaber 5 2 40.00* 2 0 0 1

Argyll West and Islands 65 50 76.92 12 0 0 3

Loch Lomond, The Trossachs and Breadalbane 121 97 80.17 24 0 0 0

Eastern Lowlands 282 211 74.82 48 1 5 17 West Central Belt 156 120 76.92 18 4 6 8

Wigtown Machairs and Outer Solway Coast 94 78 82.98 7 0 5 4

Western Southern Uplands and Inner Solway 215 130 60.47 31 8 24 22

Border Hills 179 117 65.36 28 10 19 5 Moray Firth 28 24 85.71 3 0 0 1

Total 1567 1139 271 24 65 68 Summary of information on deliberate human disturbance of Peregrines collected by the SRMS 2003-2008, by Natural Heritage Zones of Scotland (* NHZ’s with less than 20 breeding attempts) Scottish Raptor

More fluffies! – Kestrel brood on a Coatbridge high rise Photo: Jackie Gilliland

Articles on any issue relating to birds of prey or ravens in Scotland are sought for inclusion in the next issue of “Scottish Raptor” from members of the Scottish Raptor Study Groups and SRMG. Pen and ink sketches and digital photos are particularly welcome. The deadline for inclusion in the next issue is 15 February 2011 . Please Issue 9 send all correspondence to the Raptor Monitoring Officer: Brian Etheridge, RSPB, Etive House, Beechwood Park, Inverness, IV2 3BW. (Telephone 01463 228805 direct Autumn line or 01463 715000 office; E-mail [email protected] ). Please ensure that envelopes are marked “PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL” if they contain sensitive 2010 information. Design & typesetting by Anne Cotton, BTO Scotland