Tuesday 22 December 2015

The Raptors Return To Fenland

Red Kites Are Appearing Too

In the Fens, many birds of prey are beginning to re-appear after an absence of some decades. Much of it was blamed on pesticides. Farmers would use these products on the rodents, (mice and rats.) A consequence of this was that Red Kites, Common Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks etc would kill these rodents that were already dying from poison. In turn the raptor would become poisoned too. 

There seems to have been a concentrated effort to re-introduce the raptors in area of eastern England. It has been successful, but I think there various wildlife and nature concerns are looking at ways to increase efforts.

Also, farmers are not using the same type of pest control toxins. In many parts they are putting up owl boxes and so forth to attract birds of prey. Slowly, but surely this is having a positive effect. The buzzard population has increased tremendously and the number of barn owls is up too.

The marsh areas are attracting Marsh Harriers too, as I have photographed upon this blog. I've seen many Red Kites too. Well... it is probably the same two on several occasions. One is often just outside Marrch town in the fields where the A47 runs towards Westry and the Whittlesey turn off. The other, I have seen along the A16 between Crowlands and Spalding in Lincolnshire. 

I'm off to Spalding today. Maybe I'll get lucky and see something along the way.


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