Bird egg collector sentenced after disturbing nests in Peak District

[Donna]

A "PROLIFIC" bird egg collector was today sentenced after he was found guilty of owning equipment used in his illegal hobby.

Aaron Kisiel, 39, of Hanley Avenue, Bramcote, was twice spotted disturbing nests in the Peak District by birdwatchers.

At Nottingham Magistrates' Court today he was sentenced to 84 days, suspended for 12 months.

In August, he was convicted of three charges of possessing equipment used to take wild birds eggs protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

His trial heard members of Derbyshire Ornithological Society  said they saw Kisiel scrambling up a quarry bank in Youlgrave, Derbyshire, close to a former peregrine falcon nest used by ravens on April 19 last year.

Also in April last year, Kisiel was seen by other birdwatchers watching a nest used by a merlin, a breed of small falcon.

Police and RSPB officers searched Kisiel's home on May 20 last year and found 35 wild birds' eggs.

Kisiel pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing birds' eggs last November.

The charges he disputed during his trial, which was heard on various dates this year, related to the possession of items capable of being used to take birds' eggs on April 19, 2009.

They included binoculars, a rucksack and a car.

[Bobbie Ireland]

More about this on the RSPB site.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-262094

Can't say I'm impressed by the suspended sentence...