Bird charity’s fury at bid to move ospreys’ nest for T in the Park
A WILDLIFE charity has hit out at the organisers of Scotland’s biggest music festival, accusing them of using ‘unethical’ force to disturb birds of prey.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland is ‘frustrated and angry’ over efforts to make ospreys move to another nest before T in the Park is staged at Strathallan Estate, Perthshire.
It emerged last week that DF Concerts was using a 60ft cherrypicker, balloons and flags to discourage them from returning.
The nest, close to the 1,000-acre estate, has been home to ospreys for years, but its proximity to the proposed main stage means organisers need the birds to relocate. If the birds return to their home, then critics claim the festival will not be able to go ahead.
Perth and Kinross council have yet to grant DF Concerts permission to hold T in the Park at Strathallan in July, after it was forced to move from its previous site at Balado, Kinross.
Confirmed acts include The Libertines and Kasabian, with 75,000 music fans set to attend.
Now RSPB Scotland has threatened to involve police if they feel that festival bosses are disturbing the protected birds.
The spokesman said: ‘We regard the current activities as unethical and unacceptable. Everyone’s priority must be to allow the birds to return unhindered and nest where they want.
‘It is then the responsibility of the organisers to ensure there is no disturbance to the birds.
‘ The mitigation plans f or osprey described in the original application, as advised by RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (removing the old nest), have not been delivered. We feel the current situation amounts to a breach of trust.
‘We are frustrated and angry that the whole process has been extremely last minute. RSPB Scotland will not hesitate to report a disturbance to the police if we believe it has occurred.’
A spokesman for anti-festival campaigners Strathallan T Action Group said i t was delighted RSPB Scotland has taken a strong position.
He added: ‘We urge Scottish Natural Heritage to reconsider also. They are setting a dangerous precedent for anyone who would benefit from moving a protected raptors’ nest.’
A spokesman for DF Concerts said: ‘We have not, and would never attempt to, disturb the ospreys. The approach we’ve taken i s designed to gently encourage the birds to fly to a new, specially-built nest a very short distance away.
‘This approach would not be used at all if the landowner concerned would allow access to remove the old nest.’