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Slain birds of prey were discovered on land belonging to a Queen’s representative in Wales in what has been dubbed “the most significant wildlife poisoning case ever recorded” in Wales.



Eight buzzards, five red kites, two ravens and five pheasants – used as bait for the other birds – were discovered on the Glanusk estate.

The land belongs to the Legge-Bourke family. Shân Legge-Bourke is Lord Lieutenant of Powys and the mother of the nanny of Princes Harry and William, Tiggy.

There is no suggestion the family have done anything wrong.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the Glanusk estate said the incident was “nothing to do with the management team or the owners of the estate” and that they “followed and complied with and aided the investigation at all stages.”



The estate said the incident happened “on a forested area of the outer estate grounds and not within the Glanusk Park walls” and that “the owners and management of the Glanusk estate continue to observe the highest standards of animal welfare and general habitat wellbeing.”



A spokesman added: “This was an abhorrent incident at the time and deeply upsetting for the owners and trustees of the estate who were disappointed there was not enough evidence for the CPS to prosecute.”

(Image: Jaggery/Creative Commons)

The dead birds were found in 2013 but the incident has not been reported until now.

In October the year before four pheasants were discovered near the remains of a red kite. The kite could not be tested but the

pheasants were poisoned.



TV wildlife expert Iolo Williams was appalled by the incident. He said: “It is the second worst incident of bird of prey poisoning in the UK

in the last 40 years. It’s horrific, disgusting, absolutely disgusting. This is something that belongs in Victorian times.”



RSPB investigator Guy Shorrock said: “The inquiry started in Wales and revealed extensive use of poisoning on the Glanusk estate.



“We contacted the police and in fairness to them we had a good response. Frustratingly we did not have enough evidence to get any individual into court.”





Writing online Mr Shorrock said the RSPB “undertook some surveillance and recorded an individual visiting the field on a few occasions in what looked like very suspicious circumstances.”



Search warrants were executed at two addresses and an extensive field search was undertaken.



“At one address, in a dustbin at the rear of the premises, a plastic bag was found with what appeared to be vacuum cleaner contents and a pair of protective gloves,” Mr Shorrock said.



“Subsequent analysis confirmed the presence of a small trace of bendiocarb.”



That is a deadly poison used as an insecticide.



“It was the extensive field search that really came up with the most shocking discoveries,” Mr Shorrock said.



“Inside some vehicle tyres stacked by a pheasant pen a number of plastic feed bags were found which contained a number of raptor carcasses.



“In total, these held the corpses of seven buzzards and three red kites.”



Bendiocarb was present in all the birds.





“The circumstances strongly indicated that these poisoned birds had been collected and placed into plastic feed bags ready for disposal,” Mr Shorrock said.



“A search of the remaining land found a red kite, a common buzzard, two ravens and a pheasant carcass all of which tested positive for

bendiocarb.”



Mr Shorrock called the event “a truly dreadful catalogue of wildlife poisoning.”



He said: “We believe this is the most significant wildlife poisoning case ever recorded from Wales, and the second highest recovery of poisoned birds of prey in any UK investigation during the last 40 years,” he said.



A Dyfed-Powys Police spokeswoman said: “Dyfed-Powys Police take allegations of wildlife crime very seriously and investigates all

incidents reported to us.



“Following information received in 2012 and 2013, relating to the deaths of raptors in Powys, a full investigation was carried out in

partnership with the RSPB, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the wildlife management team in the Welsh Government.



“During the investigation a number of search warrants under the Wildlife and Countryside Act were executed and two people were

arrested in connection with the incidents.



“A file of evidence was subsequently submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service who advised that there was insufficient evidence

to proceed with a prosecution.”



The Welsh Government also confirmed what happened.



The Glanusk estate is where the Green Man festival is held. However, the estate said the festival venue "is within the park walls of Glanusk Estate and as such nowhere near the land where the incident took place".