John Dodd, the multi-millionaire owner of the controversial Glenogil Estate, has ‘quietly sold up’, according to an article in the Sunday Times.
The new owner is reported to be Baron Ferdinand von Baumbach, someone we know little about. Although we’re not sorry to see Dodd leave, it’s not so much who owns the estate that interests us, but rather whether (a) they intend to maintain it as a driven grouse moor and if so, (b) who will be advising on grouse moor ‘management’.
It’s been widely reported that Dodd took management advice from ‘grouse wizard’ Mark Osborne (e.g. see here) and indeed Glenogil is promoted on Osborne’s William Powell Sporting website as ‘one of the finest shooting estates in Scotland’ (see here), as well as on the William Powell Country website (here). It’s not just Osborne who rates this estate: last year The Field magazine included Glenogil in an article called ‘Britain’s 50 Great Shoots’ (see here) and in 2008 The Telegraph described it as a thriving grouse moor (see here).
However, for those of us with more of an interest in the area’s wildlife rather than with the artificially-high number of grouse that can be killed, you have to look elsewhere for information. A good place to start is the RSPB’s annual persecution reports. Below is a list of confirmed incidents recorded at Glenogil and ‘Nr Noranside’ from 2006-2010, sourced from these reports and also from Scottish Government data. Not one of these reported incidents has resulted in a criminal prosecution and Dodd has repeatedly and strenuously stated his staff are innocent. Dodd had his farming subsidy cut by £107,650 in 2008 when the Scottish Executive suspected that poisoned baits found on and near to the estate in 2006 were being used to target birds of prey (see here).
2006 March: poisoned rabbit bait (Carbofuran)
2006 April: poisoned buzzard (Alphachloralose)
2006 April: poisoned tawny owl (Alphachloralose)
2006 May: poisoned rabbit bait (Carbofuran)
2006 June: poisoned woodpigeon bait (Carbofuran)
2008 May: poisoned white-tailed eagle (Carbofuran, Isophenfos, Bendiocarb) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2008 May: poisoned buzzard (Bendiocarb) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2008 May: poisoned mountain hare bait (Carbofuran, Isophenfos, Bendiocarb) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2008 May: 32 x poisoned meat baits on fenceposts (Carbofuran, Isophenfos, Bendiocarb) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2008 Oct: poisoned meat bait (Carbofuran) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2009 March: poisoned buzzard (Carbofuran)
2009 March: poisoned buzzard (Carbofuran)
2009 August: poisoned white-tailed eagle (Carbofuran)
2010 May: poisoned red kite (Carbofuran) [‘Nr Noranside’]
2010 September: poisoned buzzard (Chloralose)
2010 October: poisoned buzzard (Carbofuran)
2010 October: poisoned pigeon bait (Carbofuran)
2010 October: poisoned pigeon bait (Carbofuran)
John Dodd was the co-founder of Artemis Investment Management Ltd., a company that has sponsored the GWCT’s Scottish Game Fair (see here).
The Sunday Times article can be read in two parts:
Raptor Persecution UK 
Looking through the list of offences is shocking (I think that will only be the tip of the iceberg) and serves to demonstrate how law enforcement/criminal justice system is simply no where near being up to the task of combating this crime.
Good to see a mention of RPS in newsprint. Keep up the good work.
Anyone have information on Baron Ferdinand von Baumbach. Google search drew a blank.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[Ed: sorry Stewart, but we don’t want to publish that. It might not be the same person]
Ok No problem I understand, had my doubts too. Will keep looking.
Maybe worth keeping an eye on Companies House records for Glenogil Estates Ltd.
e.g.
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//compdetails
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcprodorder?ft=1
Note – these links may not remain active for very long.
An invaluable source of info is Andy Wightman’s ‘Who Owns Scotland’ website. Well worth the (modest) subscription to find out who owns what and importantly, the location of the estate boundaries. He’s also a top bloke!
http://www.whoownsscotland.org.uk/
I’d rather less Raptors and more songbirds
Laurence, you have just offered the world a remarkably moronic statement. Well done!!!
Just to let everyone know [Ed: rest of comment deleted. Tim – we’ve VERY interested in this. Please could you email us in confidence to discuss? Need to understand your sources before we can publish here, but keen to follow up, for obvious reasons. Thanks. Email: raptorpersecutionscotland@hotmail.com ]
Can you advise if you received the email I sent you regarding this to the address you left above?
Hi Tim,
No, haven’t received anything.
Have you looked into the points I have raised with you regarding the Ray Estate and this man?