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Hi Debby lovely blog so good to know Heather doing well and really pleased Half Pint soon be fledging especially after his/her slow start,don't think we know sex yet do we.Yes for sure Dave would make sure none of us would sleep tonight but can't wait to have him back on board.Must be come in Dave your time is up your bloggers getting withdrawal symptoms but always think we are lucky his family allow us to have quite a bit of his time so tonight a special thank you to Mrs Sexton and children and I am sure all Mull wildlife agree.Sweep just gone to bed.Gary S do you know where Sooty was based.

Yes Debby too shocked for words what damage a few can do.We all know the effort a pair of birds put in to rear their young,such a waste when so many people can enjoy these birds.Convinced draconian measures needed to stop it.No estate owner would allow it to happen if estate confiscated and handed over to RSPB.Convinced slaughter will not stop until law is stronger worse still must be many never found.Ironically ticks etc do so much more damage than raptors,these people live in a macho mode of kill everything but if put in Afghanistan would probably be different.    

RE The Goldie

This is really awful, it seems to be getting worse, it is shocking, it should not be happening. I hope the people get caught and prisioned.

It is so sad, but good about Heather and Half Pint and other chick. Are you allowed to say where Half Pint is?

Thanks for  previous kind comments, Sooty/Sweep/A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet (??).  But to stay focussed on one subject:  I followed up Debby's stunned reaction to the latest poisoning and have written to Roseanna Cunningham, Scotland's Environment Minister. I told her I was copying it to my MP, to the interested Minister at Westminster (Huw Irranca-Davies) and to the MEP, Chris Davies, all three of whom have been supportive previously. Do any of you feel like doing the same? The more the better!  I also drew Roseanna's attention to her own website, where she gave her support for the reintroduction of sea eagles in a previous video and this week condemns the poisoning of the second eagle this summer. You may be interested to see  

www.scotland.gov.uk/.../Wildlife-Habitats  and also

www.scotland.gov.uk/.../30164440

Hope to help the eagles if only in this little way.

PS. To explain a liittle more. I too used to think, what good could one little voice do (or one little person of no importance) and so I spent my life thinking hard, but keeping quiet. But then I saw these magificent sea eagles unexpectedly at close quarters in Wester Ross and loved them, forever it seems. When I heard of White G's horrible death in Angus, it woke me out of what seemed a lifetime's mesmerically miasmal mist. I thought, if each of us does not stand up and be counted when we see barbarism or any other evil, do we really think the world will be a better place for our silence, however little a person we may be? It had me thinking about world wars and although, like Dave, one realises that the death of one bird seems trivial in the grand scale of things, is the 'persecution mentality' really any different, whatever the scale? So - I think now that we have to do what little we can on our small scale and hope that it may have a snowball effect into the larger 'world thought.' Forgive anything that may sound like pomposity in this. It isn't intended that way. I just feel deeply that all of us - every one of you - can help the eagles, and help the world to be a better place.

The Guardian yesterday revealed details about the grouse moor manager. See www.guardian.co.uk/.../conservation-scotland  It also had a beautiful photo of a golden eagle - on Mull. Think how far Breagha flew in one day from Fort William to Mull (over 60 miles). Remember how White G at a year old flew from Mull to Angus and was poisoned there, too. Look at the title of Debby's blog here - and just think about it.  Forgive me if you feel that this is NOT for this one little person to try to take further, whether here or in the world of politics, but PLEASE, ALL OF YOU, HELP TO STOP THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS FROM DYING SUCH GHASTLY DEATHS - DO WHAT YOU CAN.  EVERYONE! You CAN help. Please.  

If anyone had any doubts about the value of satellite tracking the death of Alma must surely make them think again. Let us hope that the data from the Tag may pinpoint the location of a carcase, assuming it was such, and thus add significantly to the evidence required to bring the offender(s) to justice.  I like Mex's idea of confiscating the Estate !!. That might concentrate a few minds.

Hello Debby-touring scotland in our motorhome, on Harris in the rain at the moment (Friday), rung up today to book a visit to the hide on Wednesday 5th Aug, look forward to seeing you in the morning. Will Dave be back then ?

Managing to get a signal on computer some days and was appalled to read today about Alma who Iv'e been checking on now and again, very sad.

Fantastic seeing the osprey family at LG and pleased Heather is doing well (quick learner/a girl what do you expect) and half-pint. Look forward to hearing in a few weeks how many male and female sea eagel chicks have flegged on Mull.

Visited the Aros centre near Portree on Skye and they only have 3 chicks on the island this year but more golden eagels, they were dissapointed about the sea eagel chicks as the weather had been bad again. As I came out of the centre a family with 2 of the chicks a boy, and girl had their nests in the cliffs on the headland opposite, as we got into our motor home two were seen flying above the headland, as soon as I got my binoculars out they went, exciting though. See u soon. Jillian.

Hi Mex good idea the more the better to write may seem a bit pathetic to you but would you help by putting addresses on this blog perhaps be the bit of help some of us would appreciate.Did you see Sooty's last comment on What A Clever Girl.Hope all bloggers write if Mex goes to the trouble to give us the information.Feel sure you will help Mex many thanks.You wouldn't think anyone could be so wicked to kill these lovely birds especially when you see people not all that interested in Eagles really thrilled when they get a good view of them.  

Yes, Mike, it was a great idea to confiscate estates - but I can't take credit for it. The idea was Sooty's. My contributions seem merely to be pestering people to sign petitions, when not pestering politicians (and accidentally adding alliteration?!). My teenaged son would have called it nagging. Perhaps someone could write to the Procurator Fiscal at Holyrood (Scotland's Public Prosecutor) and suggest changes in the penalties for the wilful poisoning of wildlife? Reasonable suggestions might be listened to, provided you don't call for the death penalty (don't forget that, whether you liked 'Braveheart' or not, the English really did hang, draw and quarter William Wallace). If anyone does write to the Procurator, let us know and I for one will write to back it up.

SOOTY AND BERTIE - I REPLIED TO YOU ON DEBBY'S PREVIOUS BLOG.

CONTACTS AS REQUESTED:

Roseanna Cunningham (Minister for the Environment)

The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh EH99 1SP  

OR EMAIL HER BY NAME AT:  scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.UK

The Procurator Fiscal

Crown Office

25 Chambers Street

Edinburgh EH1 1LA

OR EMAIL:   ps/COPFS@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Huw Irranca-Davies, Minister (is very much against poisoning and is very helpful),

Defra

Nobel House

17 Smith Square

London SW1P 3JR

Emails can be sent via the Defra Helpline: helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Chris Davies MEP (campaigns against poisons)  

87A Castle Street,

Stockport SK3 9AR

E-mail: chris.davies@europarl.europa.eu

Your own MPs can be emailed; see www.parliament.uk/.../mp.cfm

or write to them at

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

MPs may be glad to help at the moment, so unpopular are they with the public (provided of course that your own MP is not in favour of killing raptors)

ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY TO TRY ONE? OR TWO - OR ALL PERHAPS?

NB THE PROCURATOE FISCAL EMAIL DOES NOT WORK!! YOU HAVE TO USE www.copfs.gov.uk/.../0000140.pdf

The Procurator Fiscal does not get off so lightly! I got round the incorrect email address that their website gives out.  COPFS@scotland.gsi.gov.uk  should work OK.  Enuf!

Sorry folks - that was my final attempt  at the Procurator's email address. It bounced back to me again a little while later. Does anyone out there know the correct version? If not, it will have to be snail-mail....

Thank you Mex and apologies to Sooty.

Debby - so many things to comment on.  First and foremost - wonderful to hear the news of Half Pint, his sibling, Frisa and Heather and thank you sooo  much for not leaving us dangling - I love Dave's reports but if two of you were at it, I wouldn't sleep a wink.

Alma, I too have been following her story and returning home yesterday after a couple of days down south, it physically hurt to read the story.  What a wicked world that we live in where greed rules; how Roy Dennis feels, you just can't begin to imagine.

Which brings me to Sooty's comment to Mex about supplying us with addresses for us all to help by writing - armed with that information I will certainly write.

Regarding Alma, how many more times do we have to hear these dreadful stories, it makes it even more personal when it is a bird we have been following. I cannot imagine how Roy must be feeling.

Writing to our MP's etc is the least we can all do.

On a lighter note, thanks very much Debby for your news about Heather, how lovely to see her sitting side by side with mum.

Hope little Half Pint and sibling fledges safe and sound.

Sorry if I have inundated you all with the requested information - particularly Debby (and Dave) whose blog this is. But it is the birds and their welfare that is the issue here, so I hope you will forgive the overload from me. I do believe that if anyone can do anything to help them it is 'Us.' Who else is there who can help, but 'you and I' - whether it is the Daves and Debbys of this world, or the little person writing this - and the one reading it? Sincerely.

Many thanks Mex will definitely write but own M P a bit of a waste probably pro estate owners etc.Wondered if you see on my blog about Time Team Norman Cross dig.  

Sorry Mex didn't catch your last reply on Debby's previous blog until too late.

Thanks as always Debby, great to hear about Half Pint and his sibling:) Great blow and I can see Dave will have to wrestle the keyboard away from you on his return

Thanks Mex for all the contact info. I have sent e mails off in all directions so here's hopeing something is done. As you say, more meaningful punishments would be a GREAT start.

Sooty, I am sorry but you are far too clever for me. I have NO clue who you are:)

Thanks (on behalf of the eagles, if I may say so) to everyone who writes to the politicians, etc. They should be in a mood to listen to the public now, if ever.  We CAN'T just hide our heads in the sand, or wring our hands, say 'Beautiful birds. Evil people' - and let them both go hang. We have to do SOMETHING. Waking people up from the mesmerism whether it is of apathy, negativity, cynicism, or even wrong thinking and wicked behaviour, is the difficult part, but we have to try. SOOTY - v. interesting re Norman Cross and schooldays. GARY S - look back to Debby's previous blog 'What a Clever Girl' and see who Mex said the seagles were sending kind regards to and then you will have not only the Clue but also the solution. Mind you, the RSPB had already changed Sooty's name once that week already, but let's not confuse things further. (Do you know ISIHAC and Mornington Crescent? We too are in danger of 'a wild goose chase' !!!)

Mex I don't think you need to be sorry as I requested the information so if any blame must be me and hopefully using this blog in this way will do some good against horrific cruelty.Got three letters to post in morning so thanks for addresses

Gary have you considered I could be Bertie who thinks he is tracking me but I really following him.The answer is really in your question,or is it the clue is in the answer.Anyway Sooty and Sweep think it is great you have sent off e mails,well done.You have confused Sooty also as I thought L O L meant lots of love,Sweep contradicted Sooty and said L O L meant laugh out loud,Think you are having a laugh.  

Debby - more questions, more clues, but only one answer: do I presume that you are a free spirit (wild, even) and does the sun affect you seasonally or is it just your innate colouring??????? And there I was, missing you! But if your answer is I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, then neither has anyone else, including me..........

Reply: Bingo!

Now we have probably got everyone here confused (not to mention someone elsewhere very, very cross with me, if you check, Debby). Apologies to anyone at all who may be finding my contributions annoying.