STV NEWS ARTICLE

We have been having problems with low flying jets over our property especially in the evenings. The noise and vibrations of the jets in the dark caused the grouse to spook and fly upwards resulting in fatalities. We have lost a few birds over the months due to the jets, the most disheartening was losing my friendlest capercaillie hen .

We have written the RAF numerous times asking them to avoid our proporty but have had no joy, their reply has been the standard letter explaining the needs for lowing flying exercises etc. As we have said on numerous occasions we fully understand and appreciate that low flying excercises are important, but some of our grouse are rare and important to us and all we want is for the RAF to avoid our area. A journalist from our local TV news heard about our story and contacted us and our story was aired on an evening addition of our local news, the program also brought us attention from some local newspapers and articles on our story were published. We have had no further correspondence from the RAF since the articles and the jets are still flying over, we are continuing to email the RAF with our complaints and hopefully we can resolve this before we lose anymore of our birds.

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Below is a copy of one of the articles in the newspaper.

DAILY RECORD ARTICLE

RAF forced to divert planes over claims jets are killing rare birds

Apr 17 2009

The RAF are set to make a supersonic U-turn because of rare birds.

Breeder Alistair Mackie, who rears the endangered capercaillie grouse and eight other species, claims he is losing at least two birds a year because of military aircraft flying over his home.

Alistair, 47, said: "The problem is when the birds get spooked they fly straight up and hit the roof, breaking their necks.

"When you find one lying dead it's a sickening feeling. They are so rare, it's just heartbreaking." The breeder claims he has had five fatalities - two capercaillie and three black grouse - since October.

He wants pilots to avoid flying directly over his home, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

At first, the Ministry of Defence told him it would be too dangerous. But yesterday, a spokesman suggested a U-turn could be on the cards.

He confirmed that specialists were now in talks to discuss if Alistair's property "may warrant an avoidance".

Alistair, who has around 100 birds, said: "This area is zoned for low-flying and I understand it is vital for training. These birds are so rare, all I'm asking is they give my house a wide berth and go 500 yards to the side of it."

The capercaillie is the world's largest grouse but the population has dwindled to just over 2000.