The origins of the South Strathclyde Raptor Study Group lie in the late 1960s/early 1970s when a small team of raptor enthusiasts started meeting under the enthusiastic leadership of the late Dick Roxburgh. Dick enjoyed upland Ayrshire and Galloway as a hill walker and became concerned with the plight of the Peregrine Falcon which at that time was suffering badly due to a combination of organochlorine pesticides, egg collecting, young being stolen and persecution by pigeon fanciers. The team, always small due to the necessity for confidentiality and trust, began to monitor the status of the Peregrine and other raptors and work to protect them.

In 1973 the RSPB employed a roving warden in the South West of Scotland and over the next five years Ian Hopkins followed by Richard Mearns patrolled the area working closely with the raptor enthusiasts, making a significant impact on the conservation of raptors. By the late 1970s the situation was improving but with easy access to this region of Scotland from the south there were still major problems with egg collectors and birds being taken for falconry.

A meeting of raptor workers was convened in 1983 and the South West Raptor Study Group was set up in line with others in Scotland, co-ordinated by the RSPB Species Protection Department in Edinburgh. Such was the success of the group that in 1991 it was strong enough to merit division into the South Strathclyde Raptor Study Group and the Dumfries and Galloway Raptor Study Group. The Strathclyde area was defined as west of the M74 and north of Dumfries and Galloway.

Some of the founder members are still heavily involved in the group - Charlie Park, Gordon Riddle, Ricky Gladwell, Geoff Shaw, Ian Miller, John Rhead and Ian Gibson. Such is the close relationship between the two groups that they share the same Peregrine co-ordinator - Chris Rollie while the other co-ordinators are Ricky Gladwell for Hen Harrier, Ian Todd, Sparrowhawk, Gordon Riddle, Kestrel and Bob Stakern, Merlin.

One of the most positive developments in recent years has been the liaison meetings with SNH, landowners and the RSG in relation to monitoring and protection of Hen Harriers on the Muirkirk and North Lowther Upland SPA. The survival of breeding harriers has improved considerably since the signing of a Joint Monitoring Protocol for the SPA.

Photographs: © Gordon Riddle

Contact: Gordon Riddle

 

Ayrshire Coast

Arran

Forestry scene in South Strathclyde