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| Paul Haffield - did enthusiasm (and determination) get the better of ace bird Welsh photographer? |
IT could be a tricky road ahead for the career of a frontline bird photographer after he was convicted of causing disturbance to the only known nest in Wales of a pair of honey buzzards.
Paul Haffield (68), of Neath, has made a name for himself by finding and taking superb close-up shots of rare birds, particularly raptors.
Combined with his other ornithological research, he has forged a successful career working either for or alongside organisations such as the BBC, the National Trust, South Wales Peregrine Monitoring Group, the Red Kite Trust, local councils and Natural Resources Wales.
It is understood that it may have been while working for a high profile client that he overstepped the mark with the Welsh honey buzzards by placing a ladder close to the nest, then scaling it equipped with his photographic career.
Appearing before Swansea magistrates, Haffield, of Neath, was found guilty of breaching the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and fined £1,600 with costs.
Following the hearing, Pc Mark Powell said: "Officers from Natural Resources Wales have been working with police forces across Wales, and the National Wildlife Crime Unit to investigate and prosecute those responsible for committing wildlife and rural crime.
"This was a particularly upsetting case. The defendant was actively taking photographs of birds protected under Schedule 1 and offering them for sale.
"Climbing to nests causes extreme stress to adult birds resulting in eggs not being properly incubated.
"On the Honey Buzzard nest there were two eggs, and one failed to hatch.
"Given the rarity of the species, this is very disappointing."
Haffield denied the offence, but a police statement failed to make any reference to whether he was represented in court or whether he defended himself.
Nor has any information been given about the nature of his evidence. He has the right of appeal
The upshot of the conviction is that Haffield could find it harder to secure contracts in the future.
He may also find himself being shunned not just by some of his contacts in ornithology but also those in the broadcasting world for whom he has carried out assignments.
Haffield has his own bird-surveying and nest-finding blog, Fieldsahead, containing many excellent photographs and information about his work, plus photographs of him in company with TV celebrities. Will any of those celebrities now speak up on his behalf?
As of midday today, he had not updated the blog with his version of events.
The Wryneck says: Whatever the rights and wrongs of the honey buzzards case, Paul Haffield can surely consider himself most unlucky to have fallen prey to the long arm of the law. As we know all too well, numerous photographers and birders regularly overstep the mark or cut corners in seeking close-up views of rare birds, whether their quarry be located at the nest or elsewhere, at home or overseas. There are not that many saints in birding - and possibly none in the 'wild west' world of twitching. And what of the makers of nature shows on TV? Have they been all too happy to turn a blind eye to any misdemeanours - just so long as they got the all-important screen footage? There are doubtless lessons to be learned from this court case, but the pot should be in no haste to call the kettle black.
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| The photographer shares space in the BBC Springwatch studio with broadcaster Kate Humble |
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| Honey buzzard as depicted in John Gould's The Birds of Great Britain (1873) |
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| Arm-in-arm with fellow Welshman and broadcasting birder Iolo Williams |
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