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A walker in East Lothian has spoken up after catching three teenagers targeting crows' nests in Lochend Woods near Dunbar.

May is a crucial time for nesting crows - one of the most intelligent species of birds. Nest construction begins in early March and continues until June.

It takes 1-2 weeks for a male crow to finish a nest after which the female will lay a clutch of 2-6 eggs. She will then spend 20 days incubating the eggs, and 4 weeks taking care of the nestlings after they hatch.

In a post on Facebook , local man Scott McNeish said:

"Just caught three teenagers trying to knock crows out their nests in lochend woods using slingshots."

Commenters were horrified.

One person said 'how disgusting', while another said 'what horrible people!'

Although crows aren't a protected species under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, the essential basis of Scotland's wild bird legislation is that all wild birds, their nests and their eggs are protected by law .

The news comes shortly after vandals trashed bird hides at Levenhall Links bird reserve, near Musselburgh, which have been damaged in a series of incidents. Rubbish and smashed bottles have also been strewn around the area.

RSPB Scotland has an Investigations section, based at their headquarters in Edinburgh, who assist the police and other statutory agencies with investigating offences involving wild birds.

If you see anything suspicious or believe wild birds are being targeted in your area, you can report it by calling 101.

Edinburgh Live have reached out to East Lothian Police and RSPB Scotland for comment.

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