Feathers fly over raptor controls

摘要

When Natural England gave permission for a gamekeeper to destroy four buzzard nests within the vicinity of his shoot, in order to reduce predation rates on young pheasants - known as poults - it was undoubtedly aware of the furore that would follow. And it came. RSPB director of conservation Martin Harper said in a blog that he was "angered" by the decision, describing it as wrong on three counts: because the licence had been issued to protect commercial interests; because there had been no public scrutiny; and because the RSPBonly found out - through Freedom of Information requests - after the nests had been destroyed.