Return of an Icon - The South of Scotland Golden Eagle project
In my view there is no more awesome sight in the natural word of this island than a Golden Eagle in flight. There are larger raptors in the UK (the White Tailed or Sea Eagle), there are faster (The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on earth, and we have them locally in urban Gala as well as the crags of Grey Mares Tail) and there are more agile (think of the Goshawk, hunter in dense woodlands where one wrong move equals a slow and painful death) but in no animal in the UK, or perhaps the world, does everything fit perfectly as it does in a Golden Eagle.
Golden Eagle in flight. Image courtesy of John Wright
They have long been an icon of the Scottish Highlands and, with patience, sightings can be obtained - my dad and I had a memorable sighting at the top of Braeriach, 1,300m high in The Cairngorms, some years back. In the south however you had to be incredibly fortunate to see one as due to various factors, almost exclusively of man’s doing, the numbers dwindled to virtual wipeout – it is believed by the mid 2010’s as few as three were resident across this vast area. And across the Border they have completely disappeared, the last, lonely old male died near Haweswater in 2016. Thankfully this tale of woe has a happy ending, something we are all grasping for in these days of depressing news. In 2018 a relocation project was started (The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project) to take young Eagles from the buoyant Highland population and house them in The South, long a part of their natural range.
The project is due to run for 5 years so will I suspect finish next year. Crucially it is not a full-scale reintroduction which can be more controversial - there were Eagles here before, but the population was so small that it faced extinction had this project not begun. From a human point of view relocation sounds cruel, taking one of twins away from parents and moving hundreds of miles away, but this is a long-established conservation technique. We also must acknowledge that animals are not humans with complex emotions, and to the relocated eagle its sibling is just one more competitor in the struggle of life, even as Scotland’s apex natural predator. The relocated Eagles are moved aged between 6 and 8 weeks old by highly skilled professionals and housed in aviaries at a secret location in the Moffat Hills. They are then fed in the aviary for around 6 weeks before being allowed to leave, with movements closely monitored. Food is provided nearby, mimicking the carrion the birds are well known for feasting on. And their new life has begun!
Two juvenile Eagles in the Aviary. Image courtesy of John Wright
Time to fly! Image courtesy of John Wright
Through this project, and nature’s way, it is now believed that 33 Golden Eagles live across The Borders and Dumfries & Galloway. An incredible population which will grow and, as space fills up, you suspect they will find new homes in Northern England and even perhaps Wales. Haweswater may well get it’s Eagle back.
Moffat in Dumfriesshire has been designated Scotland’s first Golden Eagle town, another reason to love this wee spa toon, a daytrip favourite. The second Golden Eagle Festival will be held there between 16 and 18 September with some excellent speakers, wildlife displays, music and educational sessions. Worth a look if wildlife is your bag. A permanent exhibit has also been opened up at The Waterwheel café, near Selkirk. ‘The Eyrie’ has lots of detail about the project and tips on how to tell different raptors apart – crucial stuff if you want to look cool out on the hill!
The Eyrie at The Waterwheel Café. Image courtesy of Phil Wilkinson
So, have they made it over the hills to Tweeddale? Yes, and I have been fortunate enough to spot one. In June I saw a large bird cruising low to the ground in an isolated spot a couple of miles outside Innerleithen. No doubt about it – a female Golden Eagle. I have seen a suite of birds of prey over the years – Buzzards almost every day, Kestrels, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Hen Harrier, the beloved Osprey and even, once, a Goshawk, a bird I adore so much I carry one everywhere, tattooed on my right leg! But NOTHING prepares you for an Eagle sighting, truly breath-taking, the kings and queens of the skies who are back thriving in the south, hopefully for good.
Big thanks to Philip Munro, Community Outreach Officer on this project for his encouragement and the use of the images.
