Global warming is 'cooking' ASIA

Global Warming Is 'Cooking' Asia

In this parched part of the world, only tourists disbelieve humans are altering the climate.

Written by Peter ter Weeme, 11 Jun 2010, and published in 'The Vancouver Observer '

Putu, a local village guide in Keliki, Bali, stops to mop his brow and sighs, "It's hotter than I can remember." He takes another few steps and turns, "We're just not used to it. The seasons seem to be all mixed up."



It's another steamy day in Bali and difficult to see where exactly the rice paddies end and the sky begins. The horizon is merely a blurry line lost in the haze of heat. As he tramps along a muddy path in the rice field, Putu carries a cloth to wipe his glistening face and neck. He's used to the heat but today is too much for him to bear.

Yes, it's May, the so-called "dry season" in Bali, but it's anything but dry this year. Rain has fallen almost every day for the past three weeks. The island's climate has been organized around the rhythm of wet months and dry ones, but this year it's definitely topsy-turvy. Putu, 35, trudges along a muddy path in the rice field as he talks about how the weather has changed. He's no scientist but he is in tune with his environment. Nature, he concludes, is confused.

"When I was a kid, we used to head into the rice fields for the day without sun tan lotion. Now, we can barely stand the sun in the afternoon. After a couple of hours, we go inside for a break because our skin hurts so much," he says. His voice is steady but you can hear the fear. He talks about seedlings that die from the heat, about shortages of water and then flash floods that come from nowhere. Some of these patterns were always there but now they're magnified and grotesque, like the muscles of a bodybuilder on steroids.



And while he doesn't understand the intricacies of climate science, Putu's observations are backed up by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Jakarta. According to their climate scientists, global warming has triggered several anomalies, including rising sea levels and increased sea surface temperatures. It's led to unpredictable rainfall that bears no resemblance to normal patterns. All over Asia, the effects of climate change are being felt on the ground. After interviewing dozens locals in Vietnam, Laos, India, Bhutan and Indonesia, I've found no one who has refuted the fact that the climate is different than it was 20 short years ago. And none of them are disputing that humans are causing it. 



Over in India, Delhi has just finished its hottest April in 52 years. May has been a record-breaker too. Throughout Rajasthan, the state southwest of Delhi, water issues are at critical levels. It's not just a recent phenomenon either -- drought has ravaged the state for the past 10 years, withering crops, drying up wells and virtually roasting cattle before they are even butchered.

City of lakes, no more

One telling example of the drought is occurring in Udaipur, a beautiful, historical city that lies amongst centuries-old man-made lakes created by various maharajas. Udaipur has been called the City of Lakes. It's a misnomer now. 

If you've ever seen the movie Octopussy, you'll remember James Bond speeding across a gorgeous blue lake with a wedding cake palace in the background. That was Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Shockingly, the lake is now almost dry and has been for a few years. The rains don't come anymore, and under the searing sun and growing population, the demand for water is too great. 

Today, instead of an azure lake set against the arid Rajasthani mountains, you'll find a toxic concentration of green sludge and a faint ring around the shore to mark the former waterline. It looks like the residue left behind from after a good scrub in the bathtub. But it smells much worse.

Uday, a local guide, comments how the five lakes surrounding the city are all at record low levels. "The last big rain came in 2006, but now they grow vegetables on the lake bed with what moisture remains. We are all hopeful the rains will return. What tourists want to come to see this?" he laments as he gestures at the empty lakebed. His voice is heavy with resignation.



Meanwhile, in Laos, boat traffic on the Lower Mekong River was suspended three months ago due to a dramatic drop in the water level. It is below 1993 levels, which followed the most extreme regional drought on record.
This year's low water levels are the result of conditions in Northern Thailand and Laos, and are part of a wider regional drought being experienced upstream in Yunnan Province in China. The 2009 flood season was drier than normal, with wet season river levels in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, among some of the lowest on record in the last 100 years.

Drying up tourism

This lack of water is creating regional tensions around water management. It's also making life difficult for the subsistence farmers and fishers who rely on the water for their livelihood. Living on a knife-edge, just one bad season can generate devastating impacts and personal economic ruin. The people here don't have the luxury of savings to cushion the losses and their governments lack cash and capacity to provide relief.

Tourism has frequently been fingered as an economic saviour. However, it too is not immune to the vagaries of a changing climate. 

"One of the cruise boats that plies the upper Mekong broke up on the rocks earlier this season," offers Myriam, a French hostess on a lower Mekong ship. "The captain hadn't realized just how shallow the river had become. Passengers had to be evacuated but fortunately there were no casualties." Immediately following the incident, all fast and slow boats on the river were suspended until further notice. More jobs were put in jeopardy.



These stories of climate change are but a drop in the proverbial bucket, and they have a sad irony to them. Our lifestyles, our privileged position, our arrogance has created climate change. Yet it's the poorest, least resilient people in developing countries that are bearing the most dramatic social, environmental and economic costs. 


Visitors in denial
In dozens of conversations about changes in that region's climate, the only suggestion that climate change is either imagined, trumped up or a hoax is voiced by European and American tourists. Whether it's a Dutch executive at Shell or Republican seniors who live on a golf course in Pennsylvania, they're enjoying Asian vacations made less threatening thanks to their comfortable blinders and convenient explanations. 

These travellers are resolute in their belief that this is all part of the planet's natural climate variability. Indeed, they suggest that the fact that we've never had such high concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere is mere fear-mongering and has no relevance. Are they ignorant or is it just easier to deny responsibility? After all, who wants to be reminded that the carbon footprint of their flight is far greater than that of an entire Asian village?



The future impacts of climate change globally remain uncertain, but each new piece of data confirms that it's not likely to be pretty. That prognosis is all too evident to many Asians already. Just ask them.

This article first appeared in the Vancouver Observer. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Peter ter Weeme is a 16-year veteran of the sustainability movement with expertise in sustainability issues, business strategy, and green marketing and communications. He has founded and grown two successful consultancies, including Junxion Strategy, and led the marketing and communications at Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada's national retail leader in social and environmental responsibility.

Pamela Gale Malhotra - Trustee, SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary Trust, Theralu Village & Post, South Kodagu, 571249, Karnataka, India

Flamingo dilemma

This afternoon, a pair of CHILEAN FLAMINGOES is present on Minsmere RSPB scrape in Suffolk (photographed above by Craig Holden). First glances appear to suggest both birds are unringed but my guess is - is that these birds are derived from the non-naturalised breeding and semi-resident population in The Netherlands and German border. When I last visited, this population numbered 43 individuals but I would be most grateful for an update on population from our Dutch counterparts.

As such, like some previous Chilean Flamingoes recorded in Britain, these fall into Category C vagrancy. A decision of whether or not to add species such as Australian Black Swan, Bar-headed Goose, Sacred Ibis and Chilean Flamingo to Category C of the UK400 Club/BBA British List is still pending

More cracking images of the Welsh MARMORA'S WARBLER

These tremendous shots of the Welsh MARMORA'S WARBLER were taken by Dave Hutton

Remarkable crash-landing of migrant EURASIAN HONEY BUZZARD in Central London

I am usually very sceptical of flyover Honey Buzzards in London, as so many photographs taken usually result in their reidentification as Common Buzzards. Consider my surprise then when David Bradnum emailed me this little snippet - a Eurasian Honey Buzzard stunned and sitting in a confined space bang in the centre of the Capital - see here http://t42bsg.blogspot.com/2010/05/if-youve-already-read-entry-below-about.html

Spring Migration coming to a close

The BLYTH'S REED WARBLER trapped and ringed on Fair Isle last week (photographed above - very top picture - by Penny Clarke - see more of Penny's images and some delightful extracts at her blog-site www.pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com) represented the first of the year in Britain, whilst the BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER so well pictured by Ian Boustead remains for the best part of a week on site. Ashley Stow photographed Blorenge on a cloudy day but was pleased to see the Wentowwd Forest IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF performing well.

With mid June rapidly approaching, the annual spring migration of birds is virtually over. Our star performer of the spring - the very confiding and sprightly first-summer male MARMORA'S WARBLER - continues to delight on its chosen moorland territory just south of Blorenge and NE of Blaenavon (Monmouthshire/Gwent border). It is still favouring the area visible from the lower car park at SO 270 109. Not that far away, the singing male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF is still to be seen in Wentwood Forest, at the edge of the clearing 125 yards south of the Cadira Beeches car park (ST 425 945).

The BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER (superbly photographed above) remains in Cleveland, again frequenting the flood at Port Clarence viewable from the fence just west of the A178, whilst in South Devon, the BLACK STORK is still roaming, flying over Jurston, near Fernworthy Reservoir, yesterda

An excellent record for London - a singing male first-summer COMMON ROSEFINCH - remains present for a second day today. The bird is singing quite frequently but is extremely elusive and difficult-to-see and is present at Tottenham Marsh, immediately west of the Lee River Navigation and Lockwood Reservoir. It is commuting between the scrub just south of the Stonebridge Lock car park and bushes beside the busy A1055 and is primarily seen in flight.

The long-staying GREAT REED WARBLER continues to bellow out from its chosen clump of Phragmites at SK 453 416, in the NW lake at Straw Bridges NR, west of Ilkeston (Derbyshire), with the even longer territorial male WHITE-SPOTTED BLUETHROAT close to the Lyle Hide at Welney WWT (Norfolk). A male RED-BACKED SHRIKE appeared today at Buston Links, south of Alnmouth (Northumberland) following a male at Snettisham (Norfolk) over the weekend, whilst on the Isle of Wight, a male MARSH WARBLER continues to sing east of Newchurch cycle track in the reedbed just east of the plantation.

In Scotland, an adult COMMON CRANE is present for a third day in a bare field inland of Shell Bay at Drumeldrie, to the east of Lower Largo village (Fife) (at NO 453 022), with two Eurasian Spoonbills still present on the pools in front of the Starnafin centre at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire). At least 11 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES have returned to Scottish breeding sites including a male visible from the viewing platform at Loch na Muilne, Arnol, on Lewis (Outer Hebrides). A LONG-TAILED SKUA has paired up with an Arctic Skua at a moorland locality.

Eurasian Spoonbills today include a party of 8 on Jackson's Marsh, Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincs) and another at Cley NWT North Scrape (North Norfolk)

A female RED-FOOTED FALCON was an excellent local record at Exminster Marshes RSPB (South Devon) - present from 11-13 June.

No significant news from IRELAND has been received in recent days. On the AZORES, a pair of KILLDEER have apparently nested - the first breeding occurrence of this North American shorebird in the Western Palearctic (per Alan Vittery)

Endemic LUZON QUAIL rediscovered at market - but not saved from the pot

See http://www.aroundglobe.net/2009/02/extremely-rare-bird-foundthen-eaten.html

Further comments on HOUSE FINCHES at sea

As part of a large baseline survey of New Jersey's Atlantic Ocean waters out to 20 nautical miles, I was part of a two-year effort to map distribution and abundance of birds. In about 1100 hours of survey effort, we recorded House Finch (HOFI) just once, in fall 2009. This despite finding American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins on multiple occasions and recording some 30+ species of landbirds. Add this in to the rest of the time that I have spent at sea on birding trips in the western Atlantic, the sum of my experience with HOFI at sea is... just once.

Additionally, I do not find yellow-variant HOFIs to be all that rare. I suspect that the phenomenon may have a local aspect to it, but I have run across yellow male HOFIs nearly everywhere that I've spent any considerable time and where there were at least reasonable numbers of HOFIs, including California, Colorado, New Jersey, and New York. I suspect that the phenomenon is under-reported, as are many aspects of bird species with wide distributions and found in high abundance - they're "trash" birds and overlooked by many/most birders.

It seems exceedingly presumptuous to state that a particular yellow House Finch found in the UK is from a particular chunk of Florida, just because one or two people seem to believe that yellow birds are more prevalent there than in the rest of the regular range of the species. There are NO good data supporting that contention. Additionally, it would be unlikely for a rare variant to account for the first record from such a far-flung location, though I do understand that the UK has some experience with just that phenomenon (i.e., the oddball Varied Thrush)

(kindly contributed by Tony Leukering, Villas, New Jersey)

The variability of suburban MEXICAN HOUSE FINCHES in Orlando, FLORIDA

Paul Heuber very kindly provided me with this very valuable information from his home town in Florida, clearly illustrating the variation of Mexican House Finches occurring in this area.

Hi Lee,

Birding World magazine contacted me last month regarding a photo of a yellow variant House Finch that I had taken in my yard in January, 2008 and posted on my photo page. After they contacted me, I posted several color variants that can be seen at this link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/musicarver/4624433792/

This past winter, I had at least eight male birds here at my feeders. I say at least eight because they never all came to the feeders at once, always in smaller groups. Of those eight birds, I had the following color variants:

2+ of the typical red male. There may have been more but I never saw more than 2 at one time.
2+ of the salmon color shown in the link above. Again, there may have been more.
3 of the yellow variants. One with pale yellow on the forehead and no color on the breast, one a lemon yellow, and one a deeper orange-yellow.
1 bicolored male seen in the link above. I have seen and photographed at least one other bicolored male in September, 2008. Photograph attached and published above.

Last year, I observed at least one pinkish red male that I didn't photograph.

There were an approximately equal number of female birds here this winter. At this time, I only have two male birds and their families coming to the feeders, one red and one yellow.

When the birds come to my feeders, they almost exclusively eat black oil sunflower seed. The only other food I have observed them eating away from my feeders is loquat fruit in early spring.

It is my understanding that House Finches are a relatively new occurrence here in Central Florida. I first observed a House Finch here in my yard in November, 1999. My next record was not until October, 2004. They were sporadic visitors to my feeders until July, 2007. I have seen them here almost daily since then. I didn't keep records of the color variations over the years but my recollection is that there were more yellow than red birds early on. The unusual color variations (bicolored, peach, pink) started showing up more recently.

Paul Hueber
Altamonte Springs, Florida

http://www.flickr.com/photos/musicarver/

Another BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD evades the masses

With four additional birds to add to the list of birds recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2010, the total now increases to 361.

Two of these species are particularly frustrating for the high listers, with yet another male BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD going by the way in an unannounced garden (this time a backyard visitor to a Seaburn, County Durham, garden on 10 May) and an advertising male NORTH ATLANTIC LITTLE (BAROLI'S) SHEARWATER on the island of Lundy, North Devon, that can only be heard but not seen (present since Friday 4 June and still present today).

In addition, a singing first-summer male MARMORA'S WARBLER on a Welsh moor at Blorenge (SO 269 107), Monmouthshire/Gwent border, was totally unexpected (present since 3 June) and a GULL-BILLED TERN was seen briefly at Titchwell and Holme, North Norfolk, on 6 June.

Save your money - listen here ! The LITTLE SHEARWATER on Lundy

A recording of the Lundy NORTH ATLANTIC LITTLE SHEARWATER calling from an inaccesible part of the island can be heard here -

http://www.xeno-canto.org/europe/recording.php?XC=54722

MARMORA'S WARBLER continues to delight

Marmora's Warbler on territory (Chris Thomas)

The male NORTH ATLANTIC (MADEIRAN) LITTLE SHEARWATER advertised from its chosen cavern location on Lundy Island (North Devon) from midnight until 0115 hours last night but could not be seen. Overnight excursions via boat charters can be arranged, costing approximately £70 per person.

On the Monmouthshire/Gwent border, the first-summer male MARMORA'S WARBLER continues to build its nest in the isolated gorse bush by the road and advertise by song-flighting from its territory, up to 150 yards either side of the lower car park. The bird affords exceptional views and chooses prominent perches from where to sing - please view ONLY from the road or car park. DIRECTIONS: once in Blaenavon, continue north on the B 4246 for about one mile and then turn right on the minor road leading out on to the moor. It is best to park in the car park by the masts and walk the 700 yards east to the lower car park at SO 269 107.

Likewise, the long-staying male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF continues to sing from by the tall conifer 120 yards south of the Cadira Beeches car park in Wentwood Forest. Leave the A48 north and continue through village, past Wentwood Reservoir on the left to the car park after 350 yards.

A BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER continues for a second day at Port Clarence Floods (Cleveland), viewable from the fence west of the A178, whilst nearby, a male RED-BACKED SHRIKE is at Hendon Town Moor, just west of Sunderland West Dock (County Durham). A PECTORAL SANDPIPER also remains for a second day at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincs), showing intermittently from the 360 Hide.

Being the peak time for spring passage birds, male MARSH WARBLERS are in song at Druridge Pools NR (Northumberland) (in reeds in the SE corner close to the entrance to the Bill Oddie Hide) and just west of Long Melford (Suffolk) in Willows along the fence behind the former BBA factory at TL 847 461. Meanwhile, a male GOLDEN ORIOLE remains in the plantation at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincs).

There is no sign this morning of the summer-plumaged adult WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN that graced Belvide Reservoir (Staffs) all day yesterday and a Salop site the day before, nor of the drake BLUE-WINGED TEAL that visited Billy's Wash, Cley NWT Reserve (North Norfolk) yesterday evening..

Twitching the Lundy LITTLE SHEARWATER - behaviour

Once again, I need to stress that unwarranted disturbance to the seabird colony on Lundy Island will NOT be tolerated by the National Trust and the island wardens.

The calling male LITTLE SHEARWATER has chosen a site which is totally inaccessible - on a sheer cliff over 100 feet high - and has arrived on site in total darkness between midnight and 0100 hours. It was first heard on Friday (Chris Townend and his partner) and again on Sunday evening and was perfectly audible from the steep track that leads up from the quay to the main stay of the island.

So, in a nutshell, anyone visiting Lundy Island can at best only hope to hear this very rare seabird. The wardens have repeated their request for a total ban on use of TAPE-LURING and TORCHING, both from on the island and from any chartered boats moored offshore. Nicola will be monitoring any offshore activities carefully, as it has been reported that four chartered vessels are departing Clovelly for an overnight vigil this evening. Please, please adhere to these instructions - the National Trust and a team of RSPB volunteers have worked wonders with the local Manx Shearwater population here, eradicating the local Rat population and ensuring that the Manx colony has increased by almost 10-fold in recent years. It is imperative that twitchers do not act irresponsibly in this instance.

The bird will be perfectly audible from the designated footpath from the quay, provided the weather overnight is favourable. There will be NO attempts made to capture the bird, primarily because of the precarious position that the bird has chosen to call from

The Killing Fields of Kuwait

I have written much recently on the disgraceful killing of migrant birds in Kuwait and have complained at the highest level in the country about the wanton destruction. Howard King, who has spent long periods in the country, has also put together this article, accompanied by photographs of the carnage. This killing MUST stop if there is to be any hope of the populations of our precious migrant species recovering (LGRE).

See http://www.hawar-islands.com/blog/20_stub.php

MADEIRAN LITTLE SHEARWATER on Lundy Island, NORTH DEVON

A male NORTH ATLANTIC (MADEIRAN) LITTLE SHEARWATER (baroli) was heard during darkness last night advertising from a chosen potential nest-burrow on the slope not far from the landing quay on Lundy Island in North Devon. The bird was audible 200 yards NW of the quay, close to the cave and NT sign.

This is only the second-ever 'singing male' recorded in Britain and follows a male that returned to Skomer Island (Pembrokeshire) from 26 June to 10 July 1981 and 21 June to 25 July 1982 (British Birds 78: 532 and 79: 28-33, plates 35-36) whilst a female was heard on Skomer on 3 May 1983 (P C James).

The advertising call of 'baroli' is somewhat reminiscent of an Oystercatcher and very different to the night sounds made by Manx Shearwaters.

Very limited accommodation is available on the island. The National Trust wardens have asked that no torches should be used to distract the bird and have indicated that they shall be present keeping a watchful eye over proceedings. As shearwaters choose the darkest nights to advertise their presence, the possibility of seeing the bird is virtually nil.

Another garden WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - this one in SUFFOLK

All of yesterday (Sunday 6 June), the majority of Suffolk's keenest birders were able to savour the delights of a beautiful singing male WHITE-THROATED SPARROW present in a back garden near Woodbridge. The bird, a typical white rather than tan-striped male, was frequently visiting the lawn beneath the birdtable, whilst singing out of view in a thick hedgerow. Up to 30 local birders got the invite but because of the frailty of the house occupants (the couple both in their 90's), it was decided that it was in the best interests to keep the news 'in-house' as to say. The bird has not been seen today.

The Welsh MARMORA'S WARBLER

Chris Thomas obtained these amazing images of the male MARMORA'S WARBLER in Wales, the bird still being present and showing very well today. See more of Chris' work on his website at http://www.ceeege.com/Birds/Birds_News_201005a.php

BLACK STORK on Unst, SHETLAND

The adult BLACK STORK that has been ranging widely over Northern Scotland in recent weeks and has now pitched up on Unst on Shetland is bearing a white ring inscribed ''50P9''. This bird was ringed in the nest in HUNGARY on 26 June 2007 and last registered there on 17 September 2008. In early spring 2009, it was in The Netherlands from 29-31 March.

MEGA - MARMORA'S WARBLER in GWENT

Early June is notoriously good for mega vagrants and so far, it is meeting expectations. This morning, a singing male MARMORA'S WARBLER (Sylvia sarda) was discovered in GWENT, 1.5 miles NE of Blaenavon and just south of Blorenge and about 700 yards ENE of the radio masts at SO 270 109. The bird is a first-summer male and appears to have a territory.

DIRECTIONS: From Blaenavon, take the B4246 north for a mile and turn right. Please view from the car park or road and do not wander out on to the moor where birds are breeding. Also, please refrain from tape-luring this particular vagrant, as such activity could unsettle it prematurely.

Although the majority of Marmora's Warblers are sedentary and remain within their breeding range all year, a population winters in North Africa (from Algeria to Libya) and migrates north in spring to the Mediterranean Basin. Vagrants have reached Spain, Gibraltar, mainland France, mainland Italy and even Greece and this latest Welsh male is the FIFTH to reach Britain (the previous records involving singing males at Midhope Moor, South Yorkshire, from 15 May to 24 July 1982, Spurn Point, East Yorkshire, on 8-9 June 1992 and at St Abb's Head, Borders, from 23-27 May 1993 and what was probably the same individual at Scolt Head Island, Norfolk, from 12-18 May 2001 and at Sizewell Power Station bushes, Suffolk, on 29 May 2001).

Aside from these British records, the only other records in northern Europe are of vagrants in Belgium from 3-12 May 1997 and in Denmark on 12 June 2005.

Also today, a dark morph BOOTED EAGLE flew SE over the Gipping Valley over warehouses in Stowmarket (Suffolk) from 1235-1238 hours (John Walshe) and was then intercepted as it flew low SSE over the same valley at Baylham Pits at 1259 hours (Lee Woods). At this latter site, it was being chased by an army of corvids and was being hounded by noisy Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The same bird had initially been seen over Pipps Ford GP, Needham Market, briefly early morning on 13 May (Phil Whittaker) and had previously been reported in Essex.

As far north as one can go in Britain, the wandering BLACK STORK has now reached Unst (Shetland) where this evening it is feeding along the shoreline at Burrafirth and showing well. Shetland also yielded an adult drake SURF SCOTER today - in Weisdale Voe

RED-FOOTED FALCONS today included the first-summer male near Over at Ouse Fen (Cambs) and another for its fourth day along Denge Marsh Road (Kent).

The Cley Trumpeter Finch was NOT seen today, nor was the male Red-backed Shrike, but in the Fenland, the long-staying singing male WHITE-SPOTTED BLUETHROAT is still present by Lyle Hide at Welney WWT.

Spurn Point (East Yorks) produced both GOLDEN ORIOLE and female RED-BACKED SHRIKE today, whilst in Derbyshire, the singing male GREAT REED WARBLER remains at Straw Bridges Ponds, Ilkeston.

More Wildlife Crime in Scotland

RSPB assisting with investigation into allegations
of wildlife crimes in the Moy area

Investigations staff at RSPB Scotland this morning assisted Northern Constabulary Police and other multi agency partners in the search of an estate in the Moy area following up allegations of serious wildlife crime.

Working with the SSPCA, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Wildlife Crime Unit and Scottish Government's Rural Payments Inspectorate, the intelligence-led operation focused on searching outbuildings, vehicles and a large area of open ground.

The operation focused on the illegal poisoning of protected birds of prey after a number of dead birds were recovered in the vicinity in recent weeks, as well as a grouse carcass which tested positive for illegal poison. One of the recovered red kites had been satellite tagged and adopted by a local school who were monitoring its progress on-line. Suspicions arose after the signal from the bird stopped moving.

Police recovered a number of further items of evidence in the operation today, which have now been taken away for forensic examination. RSPB will continue to assist the police upon request.

Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said: "Serious crimes against our most spectacular birds and wildlife are utterly deplorable, and do major harm to our reputation as a country that values and cares for its wildlife and natural environment.

"There is a growing body of compelling evidence which abundantly demonstrates the scale and impact that illegal poisoning is having on the populations of iconic birds of prey such as the red kite and golden eagle. The perpetrators of these crimes must be pursued with the full vigour of the law.

"We are extremely thankful to the efforts of the Northern Constabulary, Scottish Government and all other partner agencies whose diligent work makes it possible to thoroughly investigate allegations of this nature."
ENDS.
For more information, images and to arrange interviews please contact RSPB Scotland's Head of Media James Reynolds on 01313116500 or 07725065186.

Species List now rises to 357 for year

The total number of species recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2010 has now risen to 357, with the addition of six new species in the past two weeks -:

1) SQUACCO HERON (very confiding individual in Cornwall);

2) WHITE-TAILED PLOVER (2-day bird at Seaforth NR, Merseyside);

3) RED-THROATED PIPIT (two records, both in the Northern Isles);

4) THRUSH NIGHTINGALE (singing male at Walsey Hills, Cley, Norfolk);

5) Marsh Warbler (several singing males now arriving);

6) WHITE-COLLARED FLYCATCHER (first-summer male on Lewis, Outer Hebrides)