Scottish farmer looking to quit farm as sea eagles 'devastate' his flock with attacks

A farmer on the west coast of Scotland is considering moving elsewhere after years of documenting sea eagle attacks on his flock.

Rick Rennie, who farms in Argyll and Bute, claims the apex predator has taken hundreds of lambs in that time, sometimes half the young his flock produces.

The sea eagle’s wingspan can extend to eight feet

The 37-year-old said there was one bird in particular, a large female boasting a 9ft wingspan, that he is convinced recognises him.

Earlier this month, the fourth-generation farmer, who runs a 2,500-acre farm on rough hill land above Loch Fyne and the village of Minard, halfway between Inveraray and Lochgilphead, came across the female bird of prey feeding on a ewe.

An adult sea eagle eating a lamb on another farm in the north of Scotland taken by farmer John Fyall | John Fyall

“That particular female has swooped my dogs before,” Mr Rennie said.

“She has no fear. She is not fussed. We have the scaring kites out here and they do not bother her.”

It has been widely reported the sea eagles, which were reintroduced to the west coast in the 1970s, will prey on lambs.

Otherwise known as white-tailed eagles, they are the UK's largest birds of prey with wingspans of up to 8ft.

After they went extinct in the UK in the early 20th century, birds from Norway were released on Rum and in Wester Ross on the west coast from 1975 to 1985 and in Fife on the east coast from 2007 to 2012.

Their return has been fiercely debated in rural communities.

While the eagles’ return has been a success in terms of breeding numbers, and for attracting wildlife tourists to remote and rural parts of the Highlands and Islands, some farmers and crofters in these areas have long told of the raptors taking lambs.

The Scottish government said it has been trying to "find a way to balance the conservation of this protected species" with farming interests.

There have been funding schemes in place to help with the loss of lambs and damage caused, though some farmers have said it is nowhere near enough to cover costs.

An attack on a fully-grown ewe - weighing about 60kg - however, is so unusual, Mr Rennie’s story has made headlines.

The farmer said he was now at his wits’ end about how to protect his flock and that he feared the attacks intensifying could put him out of business. In the past year, despite establishing various practical protective measures, including keeping young males inside all winter, he recorded half the lambs were lost.

Farmers have previously talked about sea eagles feasting on their lambs and sometimes the odd adult sheep. They have spoken about their frustration over some conservationists saying there are very few cases of attacks, and that they usually happen to already sick and weak animals.

In the case of the ewe that Mr Rennie said he believed was attacked by a sea eagle, she was a healthy animal.

While the tenant farmer did not see the bird attack, the ewe had suffered the same kind of injuries he routinely sees on lambs. He explained the animal had been slashed open.

Aside from witnessing the damage to his livestock, the attacks are putting his future into question.

“It’s not just the money, it is the mental impact on us,” Mr Rennie told Scottish Farmer. “We don’t have enough stock for the hill. So technically, we are in breach of our tenancy.

“The reality is we will be out of business. We’ll probably need to leave the area. And my wife, she’s a teacher, she’ll be leaving too, so there will be a knock-on effect as well.”

Mr Rennie is one of multiple farmers who, over the years, have said while they experience sea eagle attacks on their livestock, they do not feel heard.

“Everyone thinks the numbers we cite are ridiculous,” he said. “But if you get four eagles killing one lamb each per day over 50 days, that is 200 lambs.”

Mr Rennie told Scottish Farmer that three more years would destroy his flock as he struggles to maintain numbers.

NatureScot, the Scottish Government agency responsible for supporting and controlling wildlife, has been a regular visitor at his farm Garvachy.

The agency did not dispute the problem the farm has with eagles. It has helped set up a diversionary feeding system, with stations near the farm with alternative food options.

Mr Rennie, however, said the predators were still going for the lambs.

In response to the farmer’s case, a NatureScot spokeswoman said: “We are working closely with Mr Rennie at Garvachy and are aware of the predation issues there.

“We have not yet successfully attracted the birds to the food provided. However, we will continue to collaborate with Mr Rennie to explore further practical options.”