Mull white-tails keep Isle of Wight project flying

Mull continues to help release white-tailed sea eagles into the English skies.

In 2019, chicks from the island were part of a fi rst consignment that winged its way under a NatureScot licence to be part of a reintroduction project on the Isle of Wight led by Forestry England and the Roy

Dennis Wildlife “Foundation to bring the birds back to the landscape down south.

Mull missed sending more chicks in 2020 but was able to help again this year, says Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Mull offi cer Dave Sexton.

A cohort of birds from Scotland were fl own down south in a plane to cut down their travelling time rather than facing a road journey.

White-tailed eagles, once widespread across England, are Britain’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5 metres.

Mr Sexton said: ‘It’s an honour and a privilege to be involved in the collection of sea eagle chicks for this wonderful project. Chicks from the Isle of Mull were part of the fi rst consignment in 2019 and were actually the fi rst two to be released into English skies.

‘We missed 2020 but we’ve been able to assist again this year with a further two chicks from Mull heading south and now fl ying free. Their siblings, back in their original nests on Mull, have also now fl edged successfully having had the lion’s share of food brought in by the adults. I’d especially like to thank the two Mull estates which have been so helpful with allowing eaglets from nests on their land to be donated to the project.

‘Just as Norway helped us with chicks from 1975 to 2012, it’s a sign of the great conservation success story of sea eagles in Scotland that we are now in a position to help other countries with their schemes. A fantastic result all round.’

A further 12 white-tailed

eagles have just been released on the Isle of Wight in the next stage of the reintroduction project which released six birds in 2019 then seven more last year. Evidence from similar reintroductions suggests the rate of survival to breeding age is around 40 per cent - 10 of the 13 previously released birds are It’s an honour doing well. The Isle of Wight and a privilege project plans to release to be involved in more than 60 of them over the collection of its fi ve years, establishing a starter population of six to sea eagle eight pairs, but they are not chicks for this expected to begin breeding wonderful until 2024 at the earliest. project. Fitted with satellite trackers to monitor them closely, one bird released in 2020 crossed the English Channel and has spent time in France, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark since earlier this year. Birds from Europe have also been spotted in the south of England, says the project. Bird enthusiasts and members of the public across England have been reporting sightings of the eagles via @seaeagleengland on social media or via the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation website.