UKC

Hi there, just to raise an issue about crags with nesting birds of prey.

As you can see from the topic title this Golden Eagle pair failed. Although it is not possible to identify what the cause was, it doesn't help that a party of climbers climbed a route close by at a critical period when the eggs are just about to hatch in May. We don't know why the climbers ignored a couple of signs on the walk in or if they had checked the UKClimbing page for Creag Ghlas which had the warning to avoid the crag during the breeding attempt. MCofS also had similar info on their page. The person who's profile was hidden and logged their climb has been contacted by Alan James by email but we haven't heard a response yet. Maybe they had a good reason! Others may have climbed on the crag but not logged on UKC during same period.

A party had also climbed the same route in March but from what I gather the eagles will have not laid their eggs at that point so didn't affect the breeding attempt which was observed to be in action over a period after that by the local raptor group.

I have been working closely with the raptor group, RSPB, MCofS and the Police Wildlife Crime Officer to try and ensure that information is put out there to help give the eagles a chance to breed and also allow climbers to start climbing on the crag at the earliest point once the eagles have either failed or chosen to nest elsewhere.

Also in talking to the Andrea Partridge the Access Officer for MCofS climbers have been very good at coming forward about bird of prey breeding attempts on crags where the info wasn't up to date so lets keep this up.

So my plea is can you out there please take a few minutes to check your local websites that provide information on the nesting situation at the crag that you are planning to climb on before you go. It might be on UKC, BMC or MCofS or some other site arranged with the local access/climbing group.

Just remember there are only about 440 breeding pairs of golden eagles in the UK so it is important to help them be successful in their breeding to maintain their population if not to increase it for the future as they have bigger problems to contend with in some areas and lets keep the climbing fraternity out of the news when it comes to bad news about eagles.

Similarly for other breeding birds of prey and other protected species.

Martin

In reply to Lone Rider:

If anyone happens to go to Creag Ghlas soon the local raptor group would an image of the nest and what is in it. If you get one please contact me and attach image.

Had plans to go there today but weather and other issues prevent an ascent of the route below the nest to check it.

Cheers

In reply to Lone Rider:

Thanks for posting, a reminder to us all to make sure we check before climbing wherever we are going.

In reply to Lone Rider:

Also if anyone is up the glen going to the crag please take the signs down as i won't be able to do it as heading to the flat lands of Suffolk and too busy before then this week.