Second batch of Sea eagle chicks to be released in Eastern Scotland
June 2008. The latest batch of sea eagle chicks have arrived from Norway, the second batch of the 5 year East Scotland Sea Eagles (ESSE) reintroduction project. The birds have been taken to specially built aviaries at a secret location in Fife.
ESSE is a partnership between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland to reintroduce sea eagles to Eastern Scotland, after the species disappeared from the UK in Victorian times due to human persecution. Following successful reintroductions to the West coast of Scotland since the 1970's, the hope now is that this project can help restore sea eagles to their former range in the east. With an eight feet (2.4 metres) wing-span these birds are also known by the nickname ‘the flying barn door' and are even bigger than golden eagles.
Environment Minister Michael Russell said: "The sea eagle is truly a magnificent bird and is one of the cornerstones of Scotland's species reintroduction program. As well as enhancing Scotland's biodiversity, the eagles on Mull have proven to be a significant tourist attraction. Like everyone else, I also hope to hear of them breeding in the next
few years. I am confident that we will soon look back and find it strange that we ever did without these incredible birds."
Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland sea eagle project officer said: "There's no better sight than seeing these giants of the sky soaring overhead. Last year's chicks had a really great year, with over 700 sightings by the public all over Eastern Scotland, and one even made it over to Skye and Mull. People are really proud when they see them and I'm sure that as the project moves on, these spectacular birds will become an increasingly common sight all over Scotland just as they should be. I'm excited to see where the next lot go and when they first encounter last year's!
2007 - 15 birds released
15 birds were released in 2007, which was the first year of ESSE. Of these 11 are left - 7 males and 4 females. Two were electrocuted, one disappeared in the Angus Glens and one died of unknown causes.
ESSE is a partnership between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland to reintroduce sea eagles to Eastern Scotland, after the species disappeared from the UK in Victorian times due to human persecution. Following successful reintroductions to the West coast of Scotland since the 1970's, the hope now is that this project can help restore sea eagles to their former range in the east. With an eight feet (2.4 metres) wing-span these birds are also known by the nickname ‘the flying barn door' and are even bigger than golden eagles.
Environment Minister Michael Russell said: "The sea eagle is truly a magnificent bird and is one of the cornerstones of Scotland's species reintroduction program. As well as enhancing Scotland's biodiversity, the eagles on Mull have proven to be a significant tourist attraction. Like everyone else, I also hope to hear of them breeding in the next
Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland sea eagle project officer said: "There's no better sight than seeing these giants of the sky soaring overhead. Last year's chicks had a really great year, with over 700 sightings by the public all over Eastern Scotland, and one even made it over to Skye and Mull. People are really proud when they see them and I'm sure that as the project moves on, these spectacular birds will become an increasingly common sight all over Scotland just as they should be. I'm excited to see where the next lot go and when they first encounter last year's!
2007 - 15 birds released
15 birds were released in 2007, which was the first year of ESSE. Of these 11 are left - 7 males and 4 females. Two were electrocuted, one disappeared in the Angus Glens and one died of unknown causes.
Sightings
They've been doing what immature sea eagles do - explore. Often hanging around in pairs, they've spent the last year exploring the coast, straths, glens and firths. They have been eating carrion, rabbits, geese, gulls, heron & a swan. Most recent confirmed locations are: 2 birds in Fife, 1 in Lothian, 2 at Loch Tay, 1 on Mull, 1 on Skye, 1 near loch of Lowes, 1 near Blair Gowrie, 2 west of Perth. It helps greatly if the public report sightings of Sea eagles in the East by emailing eastscotlandseaeagles@rspb.org.uk
200 Sea eagles in Scotland
There are around 200 sea eagles in Scotland, including approximately 42 breeding pairs. However, their range is still generally confined to the West Coast.
ESSE is the third phase of the Scottish sea eagle re-introduction which began on Rum (owned by the Nature Conservancy Council, now Scottish Natural Heritage) in 1975. Over the next ten years to 1985, a total of 82 eaglets (39 males and 43 females) were imported, under special licence, from nests in northern Norway where the sea eagle population was still expanding. The first wild bred chicks since extinction were born on Mull in 1985. The second phase saw a further 58 birds released in Wester Ross between 1993 and 1998.
