Visit to Mull’s sea eagles marks International Year of Biodiversity

In an appropriate visit to Argyll, posssessor of the UK’s richest biodiversity, Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham, marked 2010 International Year of Biodiversity with a visit today to Mull.

She came to see the hugely successful white tailed sea eagles, awe-inspiring birds that chose this island for themselves, migrating from their original reintroduction base on Rum, 25 years ago and now amounting to 10 pairs on Mull.

Across Scotland, 36 chicks have successfully fledged from 46 pairs of white-tailed eagles.

Since the huge raptors made Mull their home, they have become the focus of a significant local community of specialists and enthusiasts dedicated to their protection and conservation.

They have also become a key magnet for a serious wildlife tourism industry, centred on the public viewing project at Loch Frisa Eagle Hide run by Mull Eagle Watch. These gods of the skies are said to bring 6,000 visitors and £2 million per annum to the island.

Mull Eagle Watch is a partnership of Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPB Scotland, Mull & Iona Community Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage and Strathclyde Police.

Half of the income raised by the eagle viewing hide goes straight back into the community to help local good causes. During the visit today, Ms Cunningham handed over £10,000 to the community, the latest tranche of income from the partnership.

The viewing hide is on Forestry Commission Scotland’s land at Loch Frisa.  Bookings have been increasing year on year and local wildlife tourism businesses found on the island say the eagles are the top species people want to see.

Stuart Maidment, the Commission’s forester on Mull says: ‘Scotland’s national forests and woodlands are a safe haven for many amazing creatures but none as magnificent as the white-tailed sea eagle. With a wing span of over 8 foot, once you’ve seen one you won’t ever forget it.

‘The Commission is keen to help support rural develop of this nature and we are very pleased that the viewing hide is becoming increasingly popular and that local businesses are also benefiting’.

Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer is well known to For Argyll audiences as the writer of the fabulous blog website, Eagles on Mull, which has just won the Best Wildlife Website in the For Argyll Awards 2009 – its second successive win in this award.

Dave, who works regularly with the BBC SpringWatch and AutumnWatch programmes, all but resident on Mull, has been an adviser on many Scottish wildlife documentaries and has recently been working with Bill Bailey’s Birdwatching Bonanza in the Mull-based episode. (This is airing on BBC at 8.00pm on 28th January.)

Dave says: ‘White-tailed eagles have been nesting successfully in Scotland now for 25 years. They are part of the landscape and can bring significant economic benefits to rural communities – some £2 million a year comes to Mull from visitors coming to see them.

‘It’s wonderful that through the Eagle Fund the eagles are also giving back to local good causes. It’s an example that could be followed across Scotland and the UK’.

The Mull Eagle Watch partnership has led Argyll to another first in Scotland.

The unforgettable photograph at the top is by copyright holder Iain Erskine and may not be reproduced without permission.

It shows a sea eagle chick in its nest, screaming its head off. It had just been ringed and is clearly outraged at the impertinence.