Eagle owls in Lancashire
There's been a storm-in-a-teacup over this story recently

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6698873.stm

It has now made national news, and people who've previously had no interest in wildlife are suddenly up-in-arms against these birds. Unfortunately, the pro-hunting lobby will also benefit from this negative press. I'd also point out that when the BBC aired a program on the Yorkshire breeding pair last year, one of the owls was shot dead within a week of that media attention.

My opinion is that it may be a non-native species but the rest of Europe seems to get on just fine with eagle owls. When other concerned parties claim they're worried about the effect on other local indiginous wildlife, then I'd point them to the fact that there are over 10 million cats in the UK having a much more detremental efffect.

I think I'll go up to view them this week, I used to walk in that area quite often anyway. Spectacular birds! I watched one regularly last year when I lived in Inverness. Here a pic of one I took in the city centre, sitting high above the oblivious shoppers (and not attacking their dogs!).
















Good luck to them I say.