Sea Eagles Sore
Fourteen rare sea eagle chicks brought over from Norway are set to be released in Fife this week. The huge birds, with a mighty eight foot wingspan, comprise the third year of the East Coast Sea Eagle project, a concerted effort to help our largest bird of prey recolonise the whole of Scotland.
East Scotland Sea Eagles (ESSE) is a partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to reintroduce sea eagles to Eastern Scotland, building on successful reintroductions in the West Coast. This is the third year that chicks have been collected from nests in Norway, reared in specially constructed aviaries in Fife, and then released into the wild. The goal is to re-establish this magnificent raptor all over Scotland, as it once existed prior to extinction due to human persecution in Victorian times. 2008 was a record year for the species since it was first reintroduced to Scotland, with 44 pairs on the West coast producing 28 chicks.
30 birds have been released in the first two years of the project, and these juvenile sea eagles have been settling in and exploring Scotland as expected. In 2009 there have also been increasing sightings of young West coast birds on the East of the country, as sociable birds, they are attracted by the increasing number of sea eagles here. Two male Irish birds are also currently in Scotland, 1 near Durness and 1 near Comrie, both released in 2008 and just over a year old.
All the released birds are fitted with radio tags which enables us to follow their movements for five years until they start to settle on territories. You can keep up to date with the birds' movements on the project blog. http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/projects/eastscotlandeagles/blog.asp
Claire Smith, Sea Eagle Officer for RSPB Scotland said:
"Now that we're into the third year of the project, these amazing birds are becoming a more common sight around the Tay estuary, which some of the previous years birds have made their home. This shows that the prey and habitat in this area are perfect for these birds and I look forward to seeing this year's birds meet up with their older counterparts. The distinct populations around Scotland and Ireland are now starting to meet and mingle, which is a really good sign for the species going forward. The colours on the wing tags for this years birds are blue with white writing, and it's really helpful for me if people can report sightings by emailing me at eastscotlandseaeagles@rspb.org.uk"
Professor Colin Galbraith, SNH Director of Policy and Advice, said:
"The release of these young birds will help consolidate the number of sea eagles in the east of Scotland. Whilst the project still has some years to run, it is already obvious that sea eagles are becoming part of the landscape in the east of the country. It is really exciting to see this happening, and I encourage everyone, especially landowners and farmers to continue to play their part in the success of the project. It is a leading example of a conservation partnership bringing about the return of an iconic Scottish species."
Charlie Taylor, for Forestry Commission Scotland in Tay District, said: "This is a fantastic project for Scotland and I'm glad that we've been able to help revive the fortunes of these incredible birds."
Original Story from RSPB