Ardnamurchan Eagles

[Gallus]

Ardnamurchan has one of the highest populations of Golden Eagles

[Nigel_R]

Ardnamurchan has one of the highest populations of Golden Eagles on the Scottish mainland with at least two of the nests within range of a scope from minor roads,White Tailed Sea Eagles now nest in the area with one nest site visible from a public road.Black Throated Divers nest on a local Loch with reasnoble access. Black Grouse can be found locally with a Lek site whithin 10 minutes walk from a public road. If any members plan to visit the Area please contact me I would be glad to assist with information on the area.

Hi Gallus

Am planning a trip to Ardnamurchan this April (late), would really appreciate the info in your post!

Regards

Nigel R

[PierreYves]

Ardnamurchan has one of the highest populations of Golden Eagles on the Scottish mainland with at least two of the nests within range of a scope from minor roads,White Tailed Sea Eagles now nest in the area with one nest site visible from a public road.Black Throated Divers nest on a local Loch with reasnoble access. Black Grouse can be found locally with a Lek site whithin 10 minutes walk from a public road. If any members plan to visit the Area please contact me I would be glad to assist with information on the area.

New member to the birdforum, but I plan to visit this region in July this year.

Will be happy to get some tips for eagles & divers ;)

Thanks & Regards.

Pierre-Yves, Belgium

[Colin]

Hi Gallus,
I know the area quite well, having read up on the nearby area to the west of Fort William and last year I did two trips up there and found some eagles around the Loch Shiel general area. I also did a bit of walking around there but I will take you up on your offer of some local information when I next visit which I hope will be this summer when my house buying/sale is complete which as you can guess is a very busy time.

[Lee Rogers]

Ardnamurchan has one of the highest populations of Golden Eagles on the Scottish mainland with at least two of the nests within range of a scope from minor roads,White Tailed Sea Eagles now nest in the area with one nest site visible from a public road.Black Throated Divers nest on a local Loch with reasnoble access. Black Grouse can be found locally with a Lek site whithin 10 minutes walk from a public road. If any members plan to visit the Area please contact me I would be glad to assist with information on the area.

Gallus,

I'd love that information please, I'll be visiting with my family in July/August and would love to be able to show the children eagles. I lived in Strontian in the early 80's when I was a younger man, but was not "into" birds at the time in a serious way, I know I must have missed soo much! Let me know where to go, thanks in advance.

Lee

[Gallus]

New member to the birdforum, but I plan to visit this region in July this year.

Will be happy to get some tips for eagles & divers ;)

Thanks & Regards.

Pierre-Yves, Belgium

Hi there,
Gallus is away for a week but I will pass on the message when he returns.

[mikemurphy]

Hi Gallus,

I will be staying at Fascadale, Ardnamurchan for a week at the end of May. It would be really useful if you would supply with specifics about the eagles, divers et alia.

Regards

Mike

[Gallus]

Hi Mike
Gallus is away this week. He will reply when he returns.

[chris baker]

Hi Gallus,
I'd really appreciate the info. I live in Pitlochry and could possibly make a day trip. My map can't be much good as Ardnamurchan isn't listed, is it near Fort William? Obliged for your time
Chris Baker

[jpoyner]

Ardnamurchan has one of the highest populations of Golden Eagles on the Scottish mainland with at least two of the nests within range of a scope from minor roads,White Tailed Sea Eagles now nest in the area with one nest site visible from a public road.Black Throated Divers nest on a local Loch with reasnoble access. Black Grouse can be found locally with a Lek site whithin 10 minutes walk from a public road. If any members plan to visit the Area please contact me I would be glad to assist with information on the area.

I would like to mention that it would be rather irresponsible to point out nest sites of schedule one rare breeding birds to anyone, even if they are visible from public roads. The Eagles can be viewed in flight quite easily in this area from good viewpoints.

JP

[mike coleman]

I would like to mention that it would be rather irresponsible to point out nest sites of schedule one rare breeding birds to anyone, even if they are visible from public roads. The Eagles can be viewed in flight quite easily in this area from good viewpoints.
JP

I agree, this is a highly sensitive area of the country.......and let's face it, eagles are far more impressive in flight than being a small brown speck on a rock in the distance.

[Dave Tanner]

I agree, this is a highly sensitive area of the country.......and let's face it, eagles are far more impressive in flight than being a small brown speck on a rock in the distance.

I totally agree with Mike and JP, having just returned from and excellent week on Mull, Golden and White-tailed Eagle were fairly easy to see in flight with not much effort. Further freinds have just returned from the Ardnamurchan area and even though they are not birders they managed to see both birds without difficulty. If people want to be assured of seeing White-tailed Eagle then they should go to Mull and contact the local RSPB who run an excellent GUIDED view of White-tailed Eagle from a temporary hid.

Dave Tanner - Portmahomack

[markho]

I totally agree with the last couple of posts. You do not need to get near these nest sites to view the birds. I have just come back from 4 days on Skye. The RSPB have a representative on hand at the Aros centre in Portree, he can point you in the right direction to see Sea Eagles or Golden Eagles very easily with little or no effort.Walk out the centre sit in the bay area and wait. Sea Eagles above your head in no time. They are also planning sea trips to view the nest site at a safe distance as interest is so great , though I was told this may not happen until next year.

[Eagle]

I visited the Isle of Arran last September...to walk on the mountains.
We had brillant sights of Golden Eagles....in flight....what a wonderful sight.
They are truely masters of the air!
No need to be looking for nests...leave that to the experts in the areas to keep tabs on the population.

[joee1949]

I agree, this is a highly sensitive area of the country.......and let's face it, eagles are far more impressive in flight than being a small brown speck on a rock in the distance.


Gallus has actually deleted this info from his post, but even one of the people who complained about that quoted him and the info is visible again.

Why don't you guys ALL delete this from your posts or ADMIN could do that!

[mike coleman]

Gallus has actually deleted this info from his post, but even one of the people who complained about that quoted him and the info is visible again.

Why don't you guys ALL delete this from your posts or ADMIN could do that!

There's nothing left which is actually naming Schedule One / Red Data breeding sites per se, and there is nothing wrong with saying Ardnamurchan is a great area for wildlife, including some great species, which a lot of folk would love to see, even if those species are more easily or readily seen elsewhere. It is all true. The point is that it has to be done in a responsible manner, with the safety and welfare of the birds themselves at the forefront of everybody's minds.

[joee1949]

There's nothing left which is actually naming Schedule One / Red Data breeding sites per se, . . .


What about the posts of JPoyner, LeeRodgers, PierreYves, Nigel_R??? :h?:

[jpoyner]

What about the posts of JPoyner, LeeRodgers, PierreYves, Nigel_R??? :h?:

Don't see anything in my post, if you are referring to "Ardnamurchan" then perhaps I should point out that this is a rather large peninsuala of Western Scotland so is certainly not a specific site by any means. It is a well know fact that all these birds frequent this region.

JP

[Lee Rogers]

There's nothing left which is actually naming Schedule One / Red Data breeding sites per se, and there is nothing wrong with saying Ardnamurchan is a great area for wildlife, including some great species, which a lot of folk would love to see, even if those species are more easily or readily seen elsewhere. It is all true. The point is that it has to be done in a responsible manner, with the safety and welfare of the birds themselves at the forefront of everybody's minds.


Delete what? how about I say go to Scotland, see Eagles, Otters, Crossbills, Crested Tits, and Pine Martens....................but don't tell anyone!

Ardnamurchan is huge!

Lee

[Lee Rogers]

What about the posts of JPoyner, LeeRodgers, PierreYves, Nigel_R??? :h?:


ROGERS

[tom mckinney]

Lee,

Sorry about this, but what is your point? I don't quite understand.

Tom.

[Lee Rogers]

Lee,

Sorry about this, but what is your point? I don't quite understand.

Tom.

Tom,

The first point was about being asked to delete my post that quoted Gallus' post re: Arnamurchan and Eagles. I ask why should I delete it? And indeed why should any of us be asked to delete posts unless they're defamatory, inciteful, crass, or vulgar? Gallus' made the mistake of getting enthusiastic about the wonders of these beautiful isles on which we live, and got shot down for it. We're all asking in innocence about the best places to see this bird or that bird, and some people would prefer not to raise the public's level of awareness of certain species. If we keep things to ourselves they get forgotten, this shouldn't happen to the eagles or any bird, punters should be lining up to see them in their natural habitat, although this exposes them to threats from egg poachers etc...it also keeps them monitored daily, take Haweswater, Bassenthwaite, Loch Garten etc...it works. I tire of people who've had the pleasure telling me I can't.

Secondly my name is spelt Rogers

that's all

Lee

[joee1949]

I would like to mention that it would be rather irresponsible to point out nest sites of schedule one rare breeding birds to anyone, even if they are visible from public roads. The Eagles can be viewed in flight quite easily in this area from good viewpoints.

JP


I didn't start this fellows.

jpoyner critisized Gallus about posting this information and quoted him, thereby copying the information.

Gallus deleted this information while all the others left it in.

I was just pointing that out and suggesting that if this is sensitive information then ALL should take it out.

[mike coleman]

I'm sure everybody is on the same side here, and nobody is saying don't do this, don't do that........everybody is welcome to Ardnamurchan to look at what they please, there is plenty there and the whole area is beautiful........the problems arise when specific nest sites are given away, which is fine if English Nature, Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, SNH, the Forestry Commission or whoever are there to keep an eye on things, but nobody can watch every eagle/osprey/peregrine nest all the time........therefore, by all means tell folk about good eagle/raptor watching areas, which are the natural environments for these birds, and let folk enjoy them living their lives in their natural environments.........just don't give nest sites away, there are enough eggers about as it is, and on a forum like this, it would be irresponsible to spread that unnecessary information, and risk the loss of not only eggs, but the future of these mighty birds at certain sites.

[joee1949]

Secondly my name is spelt Rogers

that's all

Lee

A typo, Lee, sorry about that, I believe it happens to all of us ;)

spelt should be spelled

[tom mckinney]

Tom,

The first point was about being asked to delete my post

Lee,

I wasn't having a go, I just wanted to make sure I understood what you were saying. Now I do.

I agree that all most people are ever doing is asking in innocence and just want to enjoy the birds of Britain. However, people MUST wake up to the fact that eggers are out there - and yes, they are probably on BF. I think it is believed that around 400 serious eggers are active in the UK - they have seriously hampered efforts to re-establish White-tailed Eagle and were almost certainly responsible for the hastened departure of the last few Red-backed Shrikes.

It's all well and good saying that publicising sites is a way of keeping the sites monitored, but eggers know this trick only too well. Next year, having precise details, they return before the sites are again publicised and raid the nest. That's not just speculation, but a fact.

When the RSPB or other groups publicise a site it is done with wardening prior to the birds laying eggs and until the young are fledged and safe from persecution. Even then they are not guaranteed full protection - the Weeting Stone Curlews were raided this year.

Lee, just remember that the birds must always come first and our enjoyment of them a very, very distant second.

Tom.

[Lee Rogers]

A typo, Lee, sorry about that, I believe it happens to all of us ;)

spelt should be spelled


D'oh!

[Lee Rogers]

Tom,

I know you weren't having a go, and that most people are just eager to share what they've enjoyed. The eggers etc..are like the peadophiles preying on youngsters on chat rooms and the like, legislation will eventually catch up, the authorities will eventually take a stronger stance and though the criminal individuals never go away everything is being done to prevent them executing thier crimes. But just as you can't lock kids away (though mine come close sometimes) you can't hide what we've got. Ardnamurchan is huge and a dedicated egger will spend their lives driving round till they find what they're looking for it's hard to prevent it!

I'll go this summer and look out for eagles on my holiday and I'm sure whether there or on Mull I'll hopefully see what I'm looking for. I'm not out for a tick or anything I just want to see how majestic they are, and it's easy for those that have enjoyed the privilege to state that the bird comes first.

We all acknowledge the bird comes first, and wouldn't jeopardise their future, but what are we to do? Pretend we haven't seen it, haven't enjoyed it, not share it?

Lee

[tom mckinney]

We all acknowledge the bird comes first, and wouldn't jeopardise their future, but what are we to do? Pretend we haven't seen it, haven't enjoyed it, not share it?


That's what I'd do. And infact I do. Without boasting, I know loads of sites for rare breeding birds, as do many keen birders. It's just in the birds best interest to keep it quiet.

Why the necessity to share it? Enjoy it yourself!

[Michael Frankis]

spelt should be spelled
No, it should be grown, harvested, made into flour, baked into bread, and eaten ;)

[jimmyjames]

Hello. I am in Scotland right now! woo! and I can tell you that there are no eagles here whatsoever unless they are small wet and fall from the sky - there are plenty of those