Rangers finally reveal answer behind Mull sea eagle mystery

The history and formal identification of a male sea eagle named Star from the North West Mull Community Eagle Watch has finally been revealed after four years of detective work by rangers on the island.

Seasonal ranger Cian Burke-Brown of the Mull and Iona Community Trust has succeeded in clinching the tell-tale photographic proof to identify exactly where Star was hatched and fledged.

Ever since a new, unknown male sea eagle paired up with the resident female named Hope in 2014, conservationists on Mull have been trying to work out who he was. It is thought the newcomer killed Hope’s original mate in a territorial dispute as he sought to take over the nesting area.

Her original male, known as Yellow E, had wing tags and his identity was known. He hatched on Mull in 2006 and was paired with Hope for nearly five years.

However, following their last breeding attempt together, he was found dead. A post-mortem examination revealed talon wounds suggesting a fight with another eagle. Shortly afterwards, Hope was seen paired with the new unknown male.

He had a leg ring coloured blue over silver which identified him as a chick which had fledged somewhere in Scotland in 2010 but after that the trail went cold as no one was able to read the letters on the ring.

Now, photographs have shown the letters as C9 over 33, which proves Star was hatched at a nest site on Morvern and, after four years of exploring Scotland as an immature sea eagle, he returned home and then across the Sound of Mull to pair up with Hope.

They have successfully raised five chicks between them in recent years and this year have fledged a further two chicks.

Dave Sexton, RSPB Mull officer, said: ‘Cian did a fantastic job getting these shots and was determined to solve the mystery of where Star originated from.

‘Thousands of visitors from all over the world have watched Star and Hope and their two chicks this year as part of the award-winning Mull Eagle Watch fivestar experience. The hide will be open until mid October as the eagle family will remain nearby offering fantastic views.’

The chicks were named as Ulva, to celebrate the recent community buy-out of the nearby island by North West Mull Community Woodland Company Ltd, and Misak, honouring a Colombian tribe’s visit to see the eagles earlier this summer.

Mull Eagle Watch is a partnership between the Mull and Iona Community Trust, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forest Enterprise Scotland and Police Scotland. Trips can be booked by VisitScotland on 01680 812556.