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We have all grown up to regard the beautiful Hen Harrier as a bird of the uplands, of remote moorland, maybe even as a 'northern' species. But these are not its only habitats, indeed these are merely the places where it has managed to hang on, as this wonderful bird was once found all over the UK, hunting over scrub, grassland and farmland even in the south of England. It was widespread and common and even in today's much modified landscape scientists have estimated that there could be more than three hundred pairs nesting in England alone. But this year there are just three... and last year there were only two. So why is that?
Its simply because they are being illegally killed by gamekeepers.
This insidious practice has been going on since the 1800's and has all but exterminated the Hen Harrier as an English breeding species. And despite that legal protection and our continued endeavours to educate and work in creative partnerships with the shooting fraternity it sadly continues and in some areas has even increased in prevalence. Well, enough is enough, it's time to start shooting back and so I'm very pleased to be supporting 'Hen Harrier Day' and Mark Avery's event on the 10th of August and his petition to ban driven grouse shooting.
We and our children have the right to see a Hen Harrier drifting over English fields so...
Please sign the petition
Please come and join us on our peaceful demonstration on the 10th of August in Derbyshire.
All we are asking is for the law to be respected, upheld and enforced, all we want is the end to persecution and for birds of prey to be a presence in our countryside and our lives. |
