Golden eagles soaring south back to English skies

After years of absence, golden eagles are beginning to venture back into England from the south of Scotland, leading to hopes they might nest. Among those crossing the border in 2025 was a young male called Talla.

Wildlife enthusiast Ian Glendinning has seen the UK’s second biggest bird of prey many times in the Scottish Highlands, but he never expected to encounter one in his home county of Northumberland.

“It was the end of March and I was driving in a remote corner of the national park with a couple of friends and the rear passenger suddenly shouted out ‘what on earth is that?’,” he says.

“I looked over to my right and about 30 metres away there he was, sitting on a rocky outcrop.

“Before I could get my phone out for a photo it glided away, but it was absolutely colossal, there was just no doubting what it was.

“I would defy anyone not to be impressed seeing such a huge bird at close range.”