Earlier today I blogged about how Invercauld Estate Manager Angus McNicol had been quoted in the press saying that the area where the poisoned golden eagle had been found on Invercauld Estate near Crathie was “not managed for driven grouse shooting” (see here).
Shurely shome mishtake?
I’d commented that this seemed an odd claim to make given the amount of strip muirburn (a classic indication of grouse moor management) in the area:
This evening, a comment has been posted on this blog from someone directly involved in the investigation, Ian Thomson from RSPB Scotland:
For anyone struggling to read the small print, it says:
‘For the avoidance of doubt, the eagle was found poisoned next to a mountain hare bait, in an area of strip muirburn within 200m of a line of grouse butts and a landrover track‘.
That’s that, then.
Thanks, Ian.
Raptor Persecution UK 
It would be interesting to find out which lethal mix the poor eagle died of and what was found in the mountain hare bait. The estate seems to have difficulty deciding exactly where they shoot and why they burn…
Well well well, what a surprise!!!! I wonder what the estate spokesman will come out with now? We probably misunderstood the difference between land used for sheep farming and land used for grouse shoots. Silly us!!!!
What world do they live in that they think they can say it “very sorry” we hate the idea it has happened, we must all help the police, but it wasn’t us and it wasn’t here!
Surely Mr McNicol wasn’t trying to muddy the waters over where the Golden Eagle was found by suggesting it was on tenanted farmland rather than on a driven grouse moor. Does he have an eye on licencing of driven grouse moors likely to happen in the next Holyrood session? If the period for which wildlife crimes was considered was backdated then this case at Invercauld could potentially be included. My view is that 1954 when the Protection of Birds Act was passed is far the most suitable date for considering past wildlife crimes.
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[Ed: Christopher, please stop making unsubstantiated claims on this site]
This piece of information would seem to undermine the credibility of Mr McNicols statement.
If as spokes person for the estate, he is not being open and honest about where the eagle was found, what else is the estate not being open and honest about?