‘Crowds will keep rare vulture safe’ as it flies into shooting hotspot

A BEARDED vulture spotted flying above the Peak District has settled in the country’s most prominent grouse shooting hotspot, the RSPB has warned, as it described the bird as “like a turkey spending Christmas at a butcher’s shop”.

Hundreds of nature enthusiasts have flocked to a remote moor in Derbyshire this week to catch a glimpse of the vulture, which has a wing span of up to 9ft and has only ever been seen in the UK once before.

But fears have emerged for the creature’s safety after the RSPB said it was currently roosting in a six mile gridsquare with the worst record in the UK, following its analysis of deliberate killings involving birds of prey. The charity, along with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said the crowds presented the vulture’s best protection against “raptor persecution”, with more birdwatchers expected to visit the wild uplands between Sheffield and Ladybower Reservoir this weekend.

Mark Thomas, the RSPB’s head of investigations, said: “For this magnificent bird to have turned up in such a dangerous location, a month before the start of the grouse shooting season, is like a turkey spending Christmas at a butcher’s shop. But we hope this number of watchful eyes on the bird will ensure its safety.”

Tim Birch, from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said there would be an “international outcry” if the bird was harmed but the massive interest was the best way to keep it safe. Mr Birch said: “People have been coming to see it from all over the country and it is very exciting to see such a huge and rare bird.”

The RSPB has compiled a list of incidents in the Peak District since lockdown started and says a particular concern for the vulture is over poison that may have been left for smaller raptors. The bearded vulture on Howden Moor is thought to range up to 350 miles a day from its rocky roost and is believed to fly as far as Cheshire and Stoke during its daily outings.

It is thought to have flown over the Channel at the end of June from central Europe, where there are between 600 and 1,000 pairs in an area stretching from Spain to Russia.