Operation Easter for Mull’s Sea Eagles

This year’s Operation Easter starts on Friday (12th February). Police on Mull will announce the launch of the 2010 six week programme of round the clock surveillance-based activity to assist in the protection of white-tailed eagle nest sites across the island.

There will be a press photocall at the Loch Frisa bird hides on Mull at 11.00hrs on Friday, with members of the local Community Policing team and RSPB officers available for interview.

Mull Eagle Watch is a unique public viewing and nest protection partnership involving Strathclyde Police, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Mull & Iona Community Trust and the RSPB along with many local and visiting volunteers.

The presence of the sea eagles, with the golden eagles, brings significant wildlife tourism to Mull and has underpinned the island’s place in a series of BBC AutumnWatch and SpringWatch programmes, with other documentaries and wildlife-based reality tv adventures.

All of this has been and is highly promotional for the island.

The sea eagles, of course, chose Mull for themselves. Originally released on the Isle of Rum, some of the species made their way to Mull and are now a well established breeding colony.

Operation Easter annually returns the compliment by keeping strict and 24/7 vigilance against the sort of wildlife crime these magnificent and rare birds attract – particularly from illegal egg collectors at this time of the year..

Dave Sexton, RSPB Mull Officer and author of the double For Argyll award-winning blog (Best Wildlife Website 2008 and 2009) on the sea eagles, Eagles on Mull, says: ‘Our eagle season is ust getting undwerway…not that it’s ever stopped!’

The photograph above, of a white-tailed sea eagle in flight in the skies over Mull, is by copyright holder Iain Erskine.