The controversy over the Scottish Birdfair venue (Hopetoun House) continues. If you’re new to this saga, click here and here for background.
Following the results of our research last year where we uncovered some interesting links between Hopetoun and Leadhills Estates (see here, here and here), it seems one of our blog readers has been sharing our results with the wider public, and by all accounts to good effect. In response, earlier this week RSPB Scotland sent the following letter to Birdfair exhibitors [thanks to the contributors who sent us copies of this letter] –
Dear Scottish Birdfair 2013 exhibitor,
We understand that some of you may have recently been contacted on social media channels about the 2013 Scottish Birdfair by a private individual who is concerned about our choice of venue at Hopetoun House. This individual, a Mr Ronnie Graham, believes that there is a link between the venue and Leadhills estate – alleged to be involved in illegal crime against birds of prey.
We wanted to write to reassure you that contrary to this individual’s assertions, holding the Scottish Birdfair at Hopetoun House on 11-12th May does not give cover to alleged and convicted lawbreakers, nor does it signal any lacking of our commitment to tackle wrongdoing against birds without fear or favour.
In essence the Hopetoun House site is owned by an independent charity-and has been for many years. The farms beyond the house and grounds, together with land in Dumfries known as Leadhills is owned by the Earl of Hopetoun. The Earl has apparently let the sporting on the Leadhills (ie the shooting) to a third party on quite a long lease. This sporting group manage the ground and employ the keepers. The Leadhills has been a wildlife crime blackspot – and the RSPB has been at the forefront of exposing this, and continues to press for action to tackle this criminality.
We do not doubt for a minute that Ronnie Graham has strongly held and genuine views – views we share. But we think he is misguided in his target – which should be the sporting tenant at Leadhills and the enforcement of the law by the responsible authorities. We have discussed this with him several times but he is not open to persuasion. His current activities could even jeopardise what will be the biggest Scottish gathering of bird and wildlife enthusiasts which we need to harness to pressure Scottish Government to take more action for raptors. The forces ranged against birds of prey are no doubt laughing as we squabble amongst ourselves.
RSPB Scotland has been at the vanguard of trying to stop such crimes over the past century, and we are committed to continuing our resolute opposition to the despicable perpetrators of raptor crime. The director of RSPB Scotland, Stuart Housden OBE, expresses exactly this sentiment in a recent blog here.
If you have any concerns about the event in light of any contact that you have received from a such third party on this, or any other, issue, please do not hesitate to contact us.
With kind regards, The Scottish Birdfair Team.
James Reynolds
Head of Media and Communications
RSPB Scotland
An interesting letter, although the author doesn’t seem to know where Leadhills is (it’s in South Lanarkshire, not Dumfries) and he also appears to have forgotten to include one significant (inconvenient?) detail: the letter says, “In essence, the Hopetoun House site is owned by an independent charity – and has been for many years“. Yes, but what teensy weensy yet crucial detail is missing from this statement? Could it be that the Earl of Hopetoun is the Deputy Chairman of that ‘independent’ charity (Hopetoun House Preservation Trust)? Look, it even says so on his Director’s biography on the Scottish Land and Estates page here. Isn’t it a bit disingenuous of RSPB to omit that detail?
We’ve been through the Hopetoun/Leadhills arguments many times before (see links above) and don’t intend to repeat them. We’ve laid out the evidence from our research and people can read it and make up their own minds about whether they think Hopetoun Estate is involved or not involved with the management of Leadhills Estate. The Earl is on record as saying Hopetoun Estate has ‘no role whatsoever’; we think differently and so it follows that we also think that the RSPB’s decision to hold the Scottish Birdfair at Hopetoun House is baffling, not least when you consider it’s the RSPB’s own Investigations Team who have spent years documenting dead birds and poisoned baits at Leadhills (see here); they’re probably as astonished as anyone about the venue choice.
The RSPB’s letter suggests that Ronnie Graham’s efforts are ‘misguided’. Rubbish! On the contrary, in our view it’s the RSPB decision-makers who have been misguided by choosing Hopetoun House as their Scottish Birdfair venue, not just once, but twice!
We’ll be blogging about Leadhills again in the not too distant future….prepare to be shocked, although you probably won’t be.
UPDATE 11th May 2013: Here is more information about the ‘independent’ charity to which the RSPB refer. It wouldn’t be our definition of ‘independent’.
Raptor Persecution UK 
It’s obviously got them rattled and deservedly so, unfortunately not enough to make them admit they’ve got it wrong and shouldn’t be going anywhere near the Hopetoun estates, unless that is it’s in pursuit of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. It will be interesting to see if they choose the same venue for next years Bird Fair.
I like the RSPB, and admire a lot of the work they do, but often despair at them. They’re a huge organisation, and to come out and have a go at an individual is a huge mistake. At the very least, by trying to discredit him, its giving comfort and succour to the enemy.
I attended the fair last year and there are very few in this whole country that have gone through the massacre of birds of prey like I had to put up with as a RSPB warden. There are no easy answers to the problem especially as money seems to be the key problem. How do you manage the uplands and make it pay for ‘Everybody’ not just the estate owner. I have my ideas and they have theirs. There is no common ground other than banning driven ‘Red Grouse’. ‘Walked up’ shooting will pay but look at the Red Grouse roads cris crossing the uplands of Britain destroying the wilderness areas. Who is going to pay for them to be put back to upland habitat. Then there is the drainage. May be not as bad as the forestry but still causing major run off. Grazing is an issue, burning. It goes on and on. It is clear no government wants to tackle the issue. So we are left with [sadly] a small group of independent people who love birds of prey trying to educate the public and the government. Yes the keepers are laughing all the way to the bank!
So given the contention – don’t the RSPB have any other sites they could use in Scotland to host the bird fair? I tried to canvass the views of their CE and understand why this location is seen as “best” but sadly I didn’t get a response and am probably also seen as a misguided member/volunteer they could do without for questioning what clearly mustn’t be questioned.
I’m a life-long fan of the RSPB and bow to the hard graft that their people and volunteers undertake, most especially in trying to deal with wildlife crime. I sense though, that all is not well with the organisation which seems to have lost it’s way of late and lost some connection with the many long-standing members and volunteers that have shared a passion to protect birds and their habitat for so long.
Like our current politicians, arrogance can only lead to a degree of downfall and just as there are other parties to vote for, there are also other NGOs worthy of support that may have a closer alignment to their membership.
” Its all about balance” ………………..correct bank BALANCE!
Shame on you RSPB, your handling of this whole issue is clumsy and hypocritical. It smacks of a bad decision having been made and stubborn senior management failing to concede and change to location.
Your shameful public attempt to personally attack someone who has raised a genuine issue is disgraceful.
We have all just witnessed that publicly labeling someone a ‘fruitcake’ can sometimes cause you a bloody nose…….!
Turning it on its head….why Hopetoun House? They spend a lot of time in the letter trying to say “its alright”… But there are much better venues- in towns or in the country- with better access to people……..so why? What is the motive?
I would just like to express my sincere thanks to Raptor Persecution Scotland and all their followers who have commented on the unbelievable choice of venue that the RSPB have decided upon for their Scottish Birdfair.
It seems quite incredible that a bird protection charity who were recently campaigning for £400k to save the hen harrier would choose the back garden of a grousemoor owner to hold this event.
Of course this is no ordinary grousemoor, this is one of the most persecuted moors in Scotland with countless incidents relating to dead birds of prey and poison dating back for many years.
I feel its quite divisive of the RSPB in their statement to stallholders to attempt to paint me as a “fruitcake” and to crudely drive a wedge between me and potential exhibitors suggesting that I am actually harming the conservation of raptors by daring to question their decision to hold this Birdfair at Hopetoun House.
The truth of the matter is that the connection between Leadhills grousemoor and Hopetoun House is undeniable and the RSPB have ridden rough shod over the feelings and concerns of raptor workers, their members and other interested parties all over Scotland and further afield some of whom are actually their own employees.
Please think very carefully before you decide to attend this event and don’t suffer in silence. Let the RSPB know why you have decided not to go, let them know that this is an outrageous decision and make sure they know that this scandalous choice of venue will not be tolerated.
Remember this is not just a matter for RSPB and its members. RSPB receive an enormous amount of public money each year via SNH (£1.2m in 2011-2012) in many ways we are all members and are all entitled to have our opinion heard.
Ronnie Graham
Well put, Ronnie.
Hi Ronnie,
With the raptor persecution issue still in the public eye at the moment, I have a suggestion for raptor workers and RSPB. There are numerous excellent bird books out there in the market, but I’m sure there is room for a ‘Where to watch dead birds in Scotland’ type book (broken down by regional area). This helpful book could direct members of the public to where to find illegally killed birds and report them to the authorities. Of course the presence of a dead bird does not imply guilt, simply hot spot areas for criminality over the years. I know the maps produced annually for raptor persecution, but these simply provide dots on large scale maps. What could be better than a detailed map of an area, showing where the corpses have been found on say a grouse moor? Furthermore, I believe a good case could be made for public funding of such landmark publication. The book could be launched at an annual high profile birding event next year with MSPs etc. Perhaps you might have a suggestion where such a launch might take place Ronnie?