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Earlier this month, a number of animal-related items were found dumped at the side of the road in Lincolnshire. The bizarre haul included five birds of prey (three barn owls, a tawny owl and a red kite), magpies and what appears to be a leg of lamb.  

We would agree with the local wildlife officer DC Flint who described the discovery as “unusual”. It is in cases such as these that it is vital that accusations are not thrown around without evidence.  

In a follow-up BBC article, Howard Jones of the RSPB went further by insinuating that a gamekeeper might be to blame for the Lincolnshire incident. The BBC article states that: “The RSPB has described Lincolnshire as ‘a national hotspot’ for the persecution of birds of prey. Incidents are often linked to the birds being targeted to protect pheasants and partridges raised for organised shoots.”  

The article goes on: “He [Jones] said the motivation to kill birds of prey was driven by the fact they were viewed as a predator of game birds, but the sentences handed out were often too lenient to act as a deterrent.”  

This is far from the first time that the RSPB have pointed the finger of blame at gamekeepers when an ‘incident’ is reported. According to the RSPB, the terms of the charity’s Royal Charter “make it clear that we maintain a neutral position with regards to legitimate field sports. We’re rigorous in maintaining this neutrality. We’re a conservation organisation and become involved in shooting issues only where a scientifically proven conservation problem can be identified.”  

However, in reality the RSPB’s alleged neutrality on shooting appears to be in paper only; and as we all know, actions speak louder than words. Why would an organisation which is neutral towards shooting use any discovery of dead birds as a stick with which to beat the shooting community over the head. Why oppose the Southern reintroduction of the Hen Harrier, if not as an excuse to attack moorland management and grouse shooting?  

DC Flint has been quoted in another news report as saying that: “We do have a lot of bird of prey persecution. Generally they will be trapped, shot or poisoned”. He added, “But on this occasion, we don't know how they've come to their untimely end.”  

The NGO are in contact with DC Flint of Lincolnshire Police and are hoping to meet with him in the near future to discuss both this case and to highlight our concerns about the reporting surrounding this case.   

As we state on a regular basis, the NGO as an organisation will not stand for any form of wildlife crime. The NGO Constitution gives the NGO National Committee the right to expel any member whose conduct is not felt to be in the best interests of the Organisation.   

Our disciplinary procedure can be found here: https://www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk/policy/ngo-disciplinary-procedure