Submitted by Lee Walker on
The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) team recently met with stakeholders for our annual project board meeting in which we reviewed recent activities and results, and agreed the work plan for the coming year.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Alastair Burn from Natural England, by Dr. Alan Buckle (Alan Buckle Consulting Ltd.) and Dr. Colin Prescott (University of Reading) who both represented the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU), and by Dr. Elizabeth Chadwick (Cardiff University Otter Project-CUOP) and Dr. Gabriela Peniche (Scottish Raptor Health Study, Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies). Natural England, CRRU and CEH co-fund the PBMS while the CUOP and Scottish Raptor Health Study are two of the WILDCOMS partners who collaborate closely with the PBMS.
At the meeting, it was agreed that the PBMS in 2017-18 will:
- continue to manage the collection infrastructure (liaison with citizen science collectors, website information etc) of the PBMS, collect raptor specimens and eggs collected under licence, carry out post mortem examinations on carcasses received, and archive tissue and egg samples
- continue to coordinate the WILDCOMS network http://www.wildcoms.org.uk/
- undertake analysis of second generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) residues in red kite (Milvus milvus) that died in 2016.
- undertake a meta-analysis of available residue data on current and recent exposure of red kites to SGARs that will inform and guide regulatory overview of the impacts of the newly implemented rodenticide stewardship scheme.
