Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-07-07


The distribution of birds of prey in
the Highlands at the present day fur
nishes striking object-lesson in the
effects of protection on any given
species, says writer in Country Life.
In the middle OF last century. when
game preservation as a source of in
come began to be considered an asset
OF the country, there were few sports
men who realized how easily and
quickly any non-migratory bird could
be exterminated. At that period
birds OF prey were unquestionably too
numerous, and game could scarcely
nave been expected to flourish under
such conditions. Our forfathers, per-
maps better sportsmen than their de-
scendants, skilled in all manner of
woodcraft and content with small
| bags obtained by their own unaided
| efforts, were more tolerant and for
bearing towards the birds and beasts
OF prey than we have since proved
ourselves to be. The rising value of
| sport, however, marked the com.
mencement of relentless warfare
against all marauders other than man
himself, warfare which has contin-
ued TO the present day and threatens
to exterminate many of our most in
teresting species, which, once van
ished, can never be replaced. The
position of many of our birds of prey
is matter of the greatest concern
to ornlthologists and sportsmen alike
Tor there are few sportsmen who
would knowingly eXterminate q spe-
| cleS whose members are already so
| Few as to cause no concern to game
| preserves. The harm done by the few
pairs of eagles. peregrines and buzz
yards which still survive is not worth
consideration, and the fact that most
OF their prey is obtained in the deer
| forests renders their presence desir-
| able. rather than otherwise, in many
| OF the latter.
OF the British eagles, two species
have already vanished, or almost van
ished. Experience shows that we
cannot hope for migrants to take their
place. The sea eagle is now but rare
ly seen on our coasts, and the fishing
eagle, the graceful osprey, is no Ion
ger familiar feature of our inland
| lochs. On some lone islet or surf
| beaten rock an odd pair may survive,
but for most of us they are but men,
cries of the past, and never again
may we watch them as in days gone
| by. The golden eagle is the only one
remaining to us. For him alone of his
race protection came not in vain. The
preservation Of this grand species is
the only bright spot in the history Of
! the British eagles In some districts
the king Of birds is actually increas-
| ing; almost everywhere he holds his
| own. This is due entirely to the
| action taken by pToprietors to protect
! the eyries. and to the courteous for
! bearance shown towards the birds by
| the great majority of shooting tenants
! -fOrbearance which is. unfortunately.
\ not accorded to them in the south
! where the appearance of any large
| bird OF prey seems TO be regarded as
the signal for its destruction. The
! buzzard. in appearance closely re-
/ sembling the golden eagle when on
! the wing, though easily distinguished
by its smaller size. has I'm the past SUI
fered for the sins of it's bolder neigh
| bsrs for Of all birds OF prey this is
/ the least harmful to game: mice.
voles and carrion form it's diet. and Il
Is probably quite incapable OF striking
! down any game-bird on the wing IN
] less the latter is weakly or wounded.
! In flight slow and heavy and by ma.
/ ture coward common sense will
/ show us that the character of this
/ species quite bellies its predatory ap-
/ peaTance. Yet in spite Of these facts.
which have been proved times with
/ out number keepers continue to shoot
/ these harmless birds on their migra-
| ton in autumn, the period when the
young birds, driven away by their
/ parents. are seeking fresh quarters
| If proprietors would include buzzards
/ in their orders for the protection OF
1 eagles something might be gained or
/ all our birds Of prey, the buzzard is.
. at the present moment, most in need
! of protection.
/ Two qSAer species claim our atten-
tidn-the kestrel and the merlin, both