SIR, – Re the speculation of the disappearing birds of prey, eagles and harriers etc in the Monadhliath mountain range. I wonder what the truth is and believe, as in the past, it will prove to be lies?
I notice the RSPB is saying nothing about all the sea eagles, six in one place together seen in the Badenoch/Upper Dulnain river area – are they not monitored? They certainly should be, if only to give crofters and farmers some idea of the extra predation their stock will be under. 
In the late 60s /early 70s, the RSPB claimed there was only one pair of eagles left between the top of Drumochter, The Corrieyairack and the Slochd Summit. A new gamekeeper came to an estate neighbouring Badenoch and within a year claimed to have killed 49 eagles. The RSPB investigated and found six dead eagles buried in scree and, because of the one pair of eagles claim, decided not to prosecute and Douglas Weir, Lord Weir’s son, and our local bird man left the RSPB in protest.
One thing is certain, estates have done more for the Highlands than the RSPB or any other conservation groups will ever do. This talk about low wages in the past was better than no wages, which is what it would have been without those estates.
Meanwhile, below Leault here at Kincraig, a tarred part of the new A9 road has unbelievably collapsed, and new permanent fences, gateless in many places, are incomparable to the excellent fences they are replacing and nodding in the wind!
Hearing on television that Chris Packham believes that deer and sheep are the cause of the tick explosion over the last few years proves what an ignorant country man he is. In this area of the Highlands, I worked most of my long life on sheep and deer grazed ground and never saw a tick until Scottish Natural Heritage started clearing ground of all grazing animals. These sort of tactics have caused the hills unbelievable problems with huge, rank ungrazed areas ideal for tick. When we get rid of those people and get back to country people, with matches, in control – that will help greatly.
DW Ross
Leault
Kincraig