Alma, a two year Golden Eagle succumbed to poisoning in Glenesk. Brechin Community Council vice-convener raised the issue at the meeting saying that it was fairly conclusive that the bird was poisoned in Glenesk. Community Councillor Agnes Lowdon added that she believes no one was targeting that bird since she is a free spirit but that they were for sure targeting a raptor. The indiscriminate use of poison is threatening to get rid of the population of Scotland’s natural bird.
In Kenya, with early arrivals already reported, we await the coming of the Lesser Kestrels dreading the likelihood that the Lesser Kestrel exhibiting speedy depopulation worldwide (up to 46% in breeding grounds abnd 25% in wintering groundsevery decade since 1971)is directly poisoned in my study site in Bunyala. I am therefore designing a study to this effect.
While the species conventional mode of feeding alienates it from direct poisoning by poachers, probable survival mechanisms may just be exposing it to the poisoning like other birds that feed on poison bait. Normally they will detect insects on close range in flight and feed on them on the wing, but in Bunyala, the small falconids are sometimes observed to perch on the ground and near bait. Scattered Furadan-laced insect bait may not pose great risk of consumption by the Kestrels but gathered bait sometimes left on sheets of paper may just be easy catch for the Lesser Kestrels.
Termites being mixed with Furadan. Sometimes these may be left out in the field where the Kestrels were seen to hunt.
These photos were taken in late April this year and on closer scrutiny left me fearful if the birds are not getting poisoned as well.
A Lesser Kestrel perched on the ground where scattered bait had been laid out
Another Lesser Kestrel flying down to pick an insect in a transect where I was observing for bird poisoning
More Common Kestrels than Lesser Kestrels were seen to perch higher; nearer and strategic to ambush insects in flight?outcompeting the Lessers that were forced to scavenge sometimes?therefore feeding on poison bait?It has been observed sthat ome birds have higher lethal doses such as Egrets or even resistance and may not necessarily die on the site but elsewhere further possibly at their roost;might be the case with the kestrels.
A mixed flock of the kestrels going to roost. The insect like forms against the orange sunset background are the individual birds.
Just a note of concern is that the Golden Eagle is regionally extinct in Ireland, neighbouring Scotland while the globally threathened Lesser Kestrel is known to face pesticide poisoning as one of its threats in its range both directly but also through causing reduction in its prey availability.
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