Visitors urged to report anything suspicious against birds of prey in the Peak District

The Derbyshire Ornithological Society is calling on visitors to watch out for anything suspicious involving birds such as buzzards, peregrines and sparrowhawks, following a surge in crimes during the lockdown period.

Dave Richardson, chairman of DOS, said “The Peak District is an area where any predatory birds that might be perceived to have an impact on gamebirds or their eggs disappear in suspicious circumstances or are found illegally killed on a regular basis.

"A surge of crimes against them has occurred during lockdown, when visitor numbers to the Peak District, and therefore the likelihood of criminal activity being witnessed, was lower than usual.”

Discoveries within the park this spring include a shot short-eared owl and a shot buzzard, a dead peregrine awaiting toxicology testing, eggs stolen from three peregrine nests and four raven chicks found dead after the adults disappeared.

Dave added: “The people of Derbyshire are blessed with the Peak District on their doorstep, but their enjoyment is marred by the continual illegal persecution of birds of prey.

"This is wrong and especially so in a national park, where iconic species should enjoy the greatest protection.”

Just outside of the park, two buzzards were shot near Ashbourne over land managed for pheasant shooting and a dead kestrel and buzzard were found

and confirmed poisoned near Glapwell, where several poisoned buzzards were found in 2016.

Dave said: “The populations of birds of prey, also known as raptors, in the UK have been suppressed for decades by illegal persecution on land managed for gamebirds.

“The RSPB describes the Peak District National Park as a ‘raptor persecution hotspot’, which is why the first Hen Harrier Day was held here in August 2014 to campaign about the persecution of this species on land managed for grouse shooting.”.

This year’s Hen Harrier Day was held online.

If you see anything suspicious, contact the police on 101 or call the RSPB’s confidential hotline on 0300 999 0101.