Alan Stewart

Man jailed for torturing kitten to death and abusing partner in Alloa Lewis Aitken abused his partner over four months before killing a kitten in front of her at her home in Alloa.

What a horrible individual. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Little ringed plovers, Perthshire. Bird of the day - pairs of the same bird.

What a beauty!

Farage: epic grifter

Herons resting in a ploughed field.

Absolutely.

Senior cops say laws on hunting with hounds are ‘not fit for purpose’ THE law on hunting with hounds is “not fit for purpose,” senior police officers have told MPs, with “loophole after loophole” continuing to frustrate the prosecution of illegal hunts.Chief Superintend...

Not just fox hunting of course, legislation needs to properly ban stag hunting and hunting hares with dog packs. morningstaronline.co.uk/article/seni...

If this is one family then whooper swans seem to have had a good breeding season in Iceland this year. There were more elsewhere on this Perthshire loch, with a high proportion of cygnets.

‘Eyes on the Skies’ – new campaign to raise awareness of raptor persecution in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Following the recent collapse of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Bird of Prey Partnership (due to its failure to tackle crimes against birds of prey), and the news that since 2015, 29 Hen Harrier…

An excellent new initiative led by a local community that is sick to the back teeth of illegal raptor persecution inside this National Park.

Bravo, @friendsofthedales.bsky.social

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/08/e...

What they won't show you on the 'National Trail Hunting Day' on October 10th..

Broxted: Dogs ban for two south Essex men after hare coursing investigation They were arrested by officers from Uttlesford Neighbourhood Policing Team and our Rural Engagement Team following reports from the public

Good investigation and excellent conviction. Always good when the tools of criminals are removed from them. www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/n...

Two not quite identical brown hares stand to attention. Interesting to spot the subtle differences.

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

29 ‘missing’ Hen Harriers & nearly 40 birds of prey poisoned, trapped or shot in Yorkshire Dales National Park since 2015 Media attention has been drawn to the Yorkshire Dales National Park this week, following the RSPB’s press release on the suspicious disappearance of a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier named &#821…

29 'missing' Hen Harriers & nearly 40 birds of prey poisoned, trapped or shot in Yorkshire Dales National Park since 2015.

Not so much a National Park - more of a National Disgrace.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #Ornithology #Yorkshire

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/04/2...

Hardly any Hen Harrier nesting attempts on English grouse moors for second year running Natural England has finally got around to publishing the data for the 2025 Hen Harrier breeding season, which demonstrate very clear differences between areas managed for conservation and those man…

Natural England confirms ongoing & relentless illegal persecution is reason why Hen Harriers are still rare in England.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #Ornithology

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/02/h...

🙏 💚

New consultation on Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs): your opportunity to tell the HSE how damaging these are to raptors & other wildlife In November last year, conservation campaign group Wild Justice published a report (Collateral Damage) highlighting shockingly high levels of rodenticides (rat poisons) found in Buzzards and Red Ki…

This consultation is an opportunity to put pressure on the HSE to restrict the use of these dangerous toxins. Consultation closes Tues 30 Sept 2025 - please take part!

#RaptorResearch #Ornithology

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/28/n...

Trial of 87-year-old man accused of 11 offences relating to raptor persecution is put on hold as defence applies for Judicial Review of judge’s ruling The trial of an 87-year-old man, accused of multiple offences linked to alleged raptor persecution, has been put on hold after his defence lawyer told the court he intends to apply for Judicial Rev…

This is an interesting move.

NB: Comments are turned off as criminal proceedings are live ⚖️

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #UKBirding

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/26/t...

More detail on court ruling accepting admissibility of RSPB’s covert surveillance in prosecution of gamekeeper accused of conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier Earlier this month a judge ruled that covert video surveillance obtained by the RSPB is admissible evidence in the prosecution of gamekeeper Racster Dingwall, who has been charged in relation to th…

More info on why the court judged the RSPB's covert video evidence to be admissible in this important case ⚖️

NB: Comments turned off as legal proceedings are live.

#RaptorResearch #Ornithology #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/25/m...

Sarah, the sheriff has deferred sentence for a social work report. A custodial sentence remains an option and will depend on the content of the SWD report.

Man caught encouraging dog into badger sett by local land owner A GIFFORD man was caught encouraging his dog to enter a live badger sett after a private land owner set up a wildlife camera.

Man convicted after being reported to the police for encouraging his dog to enter badger setts. www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/2548352...

Seven sentenced for rural farm thefts worth millions Equipment with a value of up to £10m were taken from farms in Shropshire and Wales.

Rural thieves sentenced www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Men accused of hare coursing in Cambridgeshire attend court Over two days in January, fields were churned up and gates were broken by 4x4 vehicles. Those who appeared at court were among 25 people charged with offences related to the violent disorder.

www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-n... The first of the 25 people charged with mass hare coursing and disorder appear in court

New post on wildlifedetective.wordpress.com Book review - The Highland Cow and the Horse of the Woods by Roy Dennis

On my walk this morning beside a Perthshire river I watched an otter for 20 mins which kept diving, presumably hunting for fish, though never saw it eating one. Hard to photograph as only on the surface for seconds before diving again.

Four men convicted over Lincolnshire hare coursing The men were fined and banned from returning to the county with dogs or equipment for 15 years.

More penalties like this for hare coursing would make a real difference. The only factor missing was a disqualification from driving for the driver for using the vehicle in the commission of crime. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

British Farmland Bird of Prey Initiative The British Farmland Bird of Prey Initiative is a new project set up by Nigel Middleton and Twiggy Bigwood, offering expert support for landowners and conservation groups across England who want to…

Great new project providing expert support for farmers & landowners across England who want to host birds of prey. Services include habitat & wildlife surveys, nest box installation & monitoring, Barn Owl planning mitigation & more!

#RaptorResearch

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/08/27/b...

Ban bottom trawling in 'protected' zones Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas.

Lend your voice to support for moves to ban “bottom trawling” – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas....

theecologist.org/2025/aug/19/...

Businessman terrorised seal pups with large wooden stick at Scots harbour Richard Montgomery used an eight foot fence post to 'prod and push' the vulnerable animals back into the sea, leaving one of the youngsters 'screeching'.

Interesting charge for man who forced seals into the sea. www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottis...

I went out this morning again. It was wheat rather than barley. I've spent all my days on farms since the time of binders and stooks. Can't believe that I got the crop wrong!