Bird of prey found hanged on Cumbrian allotment

[Donna]

A wildlife officer for Cumbria police has said they are looking for a key witness after a falcon was found hanging in an allotment.

The bird of prey, believed to be either a peregrine falcon or a buzzard, was found on a plot of land near to Kilbride Place, Frizington, on Sunday morning.

Officers believe the bird may have been killed in suspicious circumstances.

PC John Shaw, Cumbria police’s wildlife crime officer, said: “We believe it is either a peregrine falcon or a buzzard. It was found hanging from a fence in the allotment. We have not established a cause of death at the moment. We know someone placed the bird on the fence. We are trying to get that witness to come forward and tell us under what circumstances the bird was found dead.

“It’s quite a problem for birds in the west of the county. We want to get the message across that we will seriously investigate it. It was possibly shot dead. It’s difficult to tell until we do an X-ray. If we are talking about small pellets it is difficult to see them unless X-rayed.

“We really want to talk to any witnesses who might be able to help with the circumstances. They can speak in confidence with me.

“Unfortunately Cumbria has quite a lot of bird persecutions. We get birds that are shot, poisoned and trapped illegally. When it comes to birds of prey most of the incidents are deliberate. Birds of prey are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. They are vulnerable to persecution.�

Anyone found to have killed the birds can face a hefty fine and up to six months in prison.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC John Shaw on 0845 3300247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Hang the ------

[Bobbie Ireland]

Doesn't this just break your heart?? Here we are, awaiting every word and image that comes from "our" falcons, and somewhere else, this happens. How do "people like us" get the message across to "people like them"?

B.

[Bird Crazy]

first 

second where is Cumbria?

third  Oh Bobbie I am afraid they aren't human, oh they look human and they blend in with the rest of us, but something is missing in their psyche

[Bobbie Ireland]

first 

second where is Cumbria?

third  Oh Bobbie I am afraid they aren't human, oh they look human and they blend in with the rest of us, but something is missing in their psyche

BC, Cumbria is in north-western England, south of the Scottish border.

And yes, something is very sadly missing from their souls... perhaps it is the soul itself.

B.

[carly]

Doesn't this just break your heart?? Here we are, awaiting every word and image that comes from "our" falcons, and somewhere else, this happens. How do "people like us" get the message across to "people like them"?

B.

Sadly you don't.  You can't reason with people that have no ability to think critically or to think for themselves.  Like Bobbie says 'something is missing in their psyche', they only see in black and white, no shades of grey for these people.