If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

That's interesting, because the TV report I saw 2 nights ago was suggesting that this was a Europe-wide problem of great concern to the farming communities and I wondered if this was being orchestrated by an anti re-wilding group using this medium to "blow it out of proportion" ?
There have been some cases where farm animals were killed/eaten by wolves. Those cases have been few and far between though. Nonetheless, local governments in Belgium are subsidizing the placement of protective fencing around farms designed to keep wolves out. I'm not sure how it is elsewhere in Europe.

Whether or not it's a substantial enough problem will depend on who you ask. My personal opinion (for what it's worth) is that it's being blown out of proportion quite a bit and there's a lot of fearmongering going on. Social media and certain sensationalist mainstream media are playing a big role in this (no surprises there).
 
Last edited:
Great series of photos. I hope to be lucky shortly to see this incredible animal with my eyes.
Thanks Marco, I see you are based in Pavia, and I wondered where you are hoping to see these birds, as I believe the Italian population is mostly based in Sicily and more recently in Sardinia, where a reintroduction programme has been carried out since 2018 --apparently a total of 33 up to and including 2022, when 7 (2 from Sardinia + 5 from Spain ) were released. Wherever it is you see them, you will be very impressed, they are truly wonderful birds !
 
Thanks Marco, I see you are based in Pavia, and I wondered where you are hoping to see these birds, as I believe the Italian population is mostly based in Sicily and more recently in Sardinia, where a reintroduction programme has been carried out since 2018 --apparently a total of 33 up to and including 2022, when 7 (2 from Sardinia + 5 from Spain ) were released. Wherever it is you see them, you will be very impressed, they are truly wonderful birds !
David, as you have seen, I'm in the north of Italy, and a Partridge-eating eagle is not present.
I honestly didn't know that it had also been reintroduced in Sardinia, many of my friends went to Spain to photograph it, so I never thought of looking for it in Italy.
Maybe in Spain, it's easier to photograph; it's a hypothesis, of course.
Thanks for the info; I'll try to find out better.

Years ago, I was in Sardinia to photograph the fishing osprey (Pandion haliaetus), another fantastic bird.
Next time I will also search for the eagle.

 
David, as you have seen, I'm in the north of Italy, and a Partridge-eating eagle is not present.
I honestly didn't know that it had also been reintroduced in Sardinia, many of my friends went to Spain to photograph it, so I never thought of looking for it in Italy.
Maybe in Spain, it's easier to photograph; it's a hypothesis, of course.
Thanks for the info; I'll try to find out better.

Years ago, I was in Sardinia to photograph the fishing osprey (Pandion haliaetus), another fantastic bird.
Next time I will also search for the eagle.

Certainly Spain still has the highest resident numbers and I used the Skua Nature group (whose headquarters are in Italy) but went to their Alpasin reserve at Adamuz in Andalucia to get these shots, I can give you more details if you wish -- Last years releases in Sardinia were in the Planargia area if that's any help.
 
Certainly Spain still has the highest resident numbers and I used the Skua Nature group (whose headquarters are in Italy) but went to their Alpasin reserve at Adamuz in Andalucia to get these shots, I can give you more details if you wish -- Last years releases in Sardinia were in the Planargia area if that's any help.
I have some friends that are biologists and are not so happy with the method used by Skua Nature.
I went inside a fixed hide of Skua several years ago. It is not my way of photographing but my opinion;
I have nothing against those who turn to them, and your photos are great, so nothing to say about your choice.

For the osprey, I went near Cabras, but I was with one of my friends photographing from a small car (a Panda) used as a hide.
A small black car on sunny days, a very hot experience. 😅

Your country is fantastic too; you have a lot of animals and a unique landscape.