Bird watcher avoids court over mating ritual charge

A WILDLIFE photographer charged with interfering in the annual mating dance of a rare bird has avoided prosecution.

Laurence Reeve, 63, was arrested at a ‘lek’ site in Strathspey, where licensed surveyors were counting capercaillie.

A lek sees males gathering to display and fight for the right to mate with watching females.

Reeve was charged with allegedly disturbing the lek on April 22, an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

A Crown Office spokesman confirmed to the Mail that he was given a direct measure, which could mean a work order, fine, or warning.

The spokesman added: ‘The case was dealt with by way of an alternative to prosecution.’

Reeve is a contributor to the RSPB Highland Group, supplying images for its newsletters.

The Cairngorms Capercaillie Project conservation group says there are fewer than 1,000 of the birds left in the UK, almost all of them in the Cairngorms National Park.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, of RSPB Scotland, said: ‘This should be a salutary lesson. This iconic species is highly vulnerable to human disturbance.’