UKC

Apparently the male eagle is sky dancing and trying to entice a mate. Shame that the other eagles are away in Scotland.
Apparently the RSPB won't condone the release of a female eagle in Haweswater.
Why not? How sad.

In reply to Dave the Rave:
Yesterday we met somebody who rescues injured birds of prey. He told us with strong resentment that the RSPB rehoused the nesting eagle owls at Whitendale in the Bowland Forest because they had been preying on the grouse. His bitterness was due to the fact that, as he claimed, the RSPB killed the chicks when rehousing the eagle owls. I don't know if this is true or not.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

let's hope they fly southish http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-33920065

In reply to Mountain Llama:
That would be nice. Bet the old fella is lonely. Why can't they be released in the lakes?
3 years ago at Buttermere, I'm certain I saw an eagle over the lake. Way too big for a buzzard.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

Mmmm. It's probably the R in RSPB that caused the problems? Not being cynical

In reply to Dave the Rave:

It isn't that simple. The released eagle would likely return to wherever it was taken from. There;'s also no guarantee that they'd pair up. Like us they like a choice. All releases are done with multiple birds.

In reply to Dave Perry:


Oh.
Why hasn't the male bird fled north?

In reply to Dave the Rave:



I would guess (but might be wrong) it's a territory thing.

It is a shame that no other Eagles exist in England and the density is that low in South West Scotland that enough birds don't exist to repopulate. How much of this is human related i.e. illegal persecution and how much of it is a habitat thing I don't know.

I hope the proposed release in to South West Scotland goes ahead and some of these birds find their way to England before it's too late. It will be a sad day if or when Eagles become extinct in England (again). We have reintroduced and strengthened populations of Ospreys, Kites, Great Bustards etc etc etc in England so why not Golden Eagles?

On another note did they ever tag any of the chicks raised in the Lakes? (like they do with Ospreys) If they did are there any records showing where those chicks ended up? Did they go on to raise chicks themselves? Does anyone know?

In reply to Dave the Rave:

I spoke to someone at the RSPB about this. For a female golden eagle to be attracted to nest with the lone male, he'd have to demonstrate that there's enough food for them to raise chicks and apparently there's not anymore. So any females coming down from Scotland (where there is enough prey) would likely just return.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


What time of year was it? Could be an osprey, either from the nest on Bassenthwaite or a migrating one.

In reply to RyanOsborne:

It was in February. Looked like a golden eagle to me. Never Seen an osprey but have seen plenty of eagles and buzzards.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Could well be then. Did you try to ID it at the time? I'm not sure what the range of the GE at Haweswater is, but if food is scarce in the Lakes then I suppose it might extend its range.

Apparently there's also the very occasional white tailed eagle passing through, but they're pretty easy to identify even from silhouette from the big rectangular wing shape.

In reply to RyanOsborne:

99/c certain this was a GE.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Why hasn't the male fled north?

He's found a territory in the lakes. So he won't. It bit bird brained perhaps but thats the way it is.

Incidently some thirty or more years ago a species of albatross - I forget which, and only breed in the southern hemisphere lived in the shetlands for many years spending every spring nest building etc., It would have been nothing for the bird to have flown south. But it didn't unless thats why it eventually disappeared.

In reply to Dave Perry:


Since they've been tolerated their for many years, I do wonder why a wandering eagle hasn't turned up?

Interesting. I wasn't aware that they ventured north.

In reply to RyanOsborne:


So they're means testing immigrants before allowing them to bring a spouse into the country? Are they worried about foreign birds scrounging handouts, or about them taking perches away from those wot belong here?