Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team have been in touch to say they’ve had reports of a Hobby being shot and unfortunately not surviving its injuries.
This is believed to have happened between 14th-15th August (last Friday – Saturday) at Essex Wildlife Trust’s Blue House Farm Nature Reserve at North Fambridge.
The incident number is #42/127418 and is being investigated by PCs Andy Long & Jed Raven from Essex Police.
Please call 101 and quote the reference number if you have any information that could help.
[Photo of the shot Hobby via Essex Police].
Raptor Persecution UK 
Hopefully the culprit will be found. A HOBBY FFS!!!!
Yes, what next. One has to wonder what sort of people populate the social circles such a vile individual is part of.
These maniacal gun nuts will soon be swatting bees and butterflies to pass the time between feathered targets.
This is what I was worried about during the height of the lockdown certain people being emboldened to expand the area of their criminal activity into areas they wouldn’t usually go including nature reserves. How much of this has already happened on nature reserves, country parks etc? It ‘s not specified what it was shot with, but probably an airgun – clearly there are still far, far, far too many fuckwits feeling they are entitled to shoot at anything they want. We need a big, public drive to get the message across this isn’t acceptable and the public need to report anybody acting irresponsibly even with airguns, I’d bet that usually they aren’t, possibly almost never. This should have happened decades ago and we’re still waiting for it. Personally I’d also like to see more CCTV coverage outside of urban areas I feel my personal freedom is far more affected by fly tippers, vandals and pratts with guns than it is by someone from the council or police watching screens or reviewing footage. CCTV coverage of at the entrance/exit points to the reserve (if practical) could well have deterred the shooter or at least identified them.
I absolutely agree with all your comments Les . Every day we read of some atrocity or other pertaining to these beautiful birds , we do need a massive and highly public drive to bring this persecution to the notice of the general public .
When I grew up idiots with airguns shooting at and sometimes who they wanted were two to the penny, they were sort of accepted/tolerated. If they are a bit less prevalent or conspicuous now that’s certainly not because of a determined drive politically, but for other reasons including I suspect Xboxes or PS4s being more convenient for kicks than having to get off your arse and move your legs. It’s looking as if it’s not just the legal carnage on grouse moors and pheasant shoots that’s hurting our wildlife it’s a more casual and if anything even more pointless killing practically everywhere else too. The number of swans maimed and killed in public parks when there were fewer people about because of the lockdown speaks volumes. Mind you if shooting massive bags of birds can be legitimate it doesn’t exactly send a message that living things should be valued.
What evidence is there to lead to the assumption that it has been shot.
[Ed: Information from the vet who examined the bird]