The Very Rev Hunter Farquharson, who breeds and shows birds as a hobby, returned to his cottage to find his prize-winning goose Beatrice dead, and a white-tailed sea eagle perched on a fence post nearby.
The giant raptor, with a wingspan of up to 8ft, was one of 16 released recently in the east of Scotland as part of a controversial reintroduction programme.
Mr Farquharson, Provost of St Ninian’s Cathedral in Perth, said he was "horrified" to find the goose, worth about £300, "ripped to shreds".
He went inside to phone the RSPB, a partner in the reintroduction project, but then heard a "terrible noise" as the eagle chased his champion gander Bertie.When he tried to intervene the raptor jumped on his back, tearing his shirt, leaving a 4in wound below his shoulder and cutting his head.
Mr Farquharson said: "It was very, very frightening. The geese have been traumatised by it. They have not laid since. And I'm traumatised too. I'm 6ft 5in, but it was such a shock."
When the young eagle tried to fly away it bumped into a shed and he managed to trap it by throwing wire netting over it while it was on the grass.
RSPB staff then came to his cottage in Abernethy, Perrthshire, and took the sea eagle away before releasing it to the wild again.
It was the second time Mr Farquharson's birds had been attacked by young sea eagles. Two years ago four of his bantams were killed.
He now believes they should not be reintroduced to Scotland, particularly in a populated part of the country.
Dozens of birds have been released in previous years from Wester Ross in the north west Highlands, but the RSPB is now feeding Norwegian chicks in enclosures in Fife, an hour's drive from Edinburgh, before releasing them in the east of the country. The bird involved was freed ten days ago.
"This part of the world is far too populated to be releasing sea eagles," said Mr Farquharson. "I have nothing against sea eagles at all. They are magnificent birds but around here there are far too many people and domestic animals.
"If this had been a dog that attacked livestock or a person, the dog would have been destroyed.
"But the RSPB has been quick to point out that these eagles are protected and that to harm them may result in a custodial sentence."
A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said the incident on Friday was regrettable and it would be visiting Mr Farquharson again to ensure his birds were safe.
He added: "In our experience sea eagles will only defend themselves and attack humans if they feel cornered and threatened. The sea eagles just introduced are young and naive birds.
"There are a tiny number of incidents of this sort every now and again, but these birds will soon disperse as they grow in confidence and wish to explore the wider countryside.
"It is worth noting that when this first happened with Mr Farquharson in 2008 we visited his property and afterwards paid for the installation of heavy nylon netting affixed to fence posts driven into the ground so that the poultry pen and all Mr Farquharson's birds were safe from predation.
"When we visited again on Friday it was apparent that, for whatever reason, these measures were no longer present.
"It is of course unfortunate that the bird scratched Mr Farquharson, but we believe it was simply trying to escape and resist capture."
Sea eagles were persecuted to extinction in the early 20th century and the first attempt to bring back the species began with a release project on Rum in 1975.
The scheme has previously been criticised by farmers and crofters in the west Highlands who claim they have lost hundreds of lambs to the sea eagles. There are now more than 50 breeding pairs, mostly in the north of Scotland.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8718155/Sea-eagle-attacks-reverend-and-his-flock....of-geese.html
RSPB staff then came to his cottage in Abernethy, Perrthshire, and took the sea eagle away before releasing it to the wild again.
It was the second time Mr Farquharson's birds had been attacked by young sea eagles. Two years ago four of his bantams were killed.
He now believes they should not be reintroduced to Scotland, particularly in a populated part of the country.
Dozens of birds have been released in previous years from Wester Ross in the north west Highlands, but the RSPB is now feeding Norwegian chicks in enclosures in Fife, an hour's drive from Edinburgh, before releasing them in the east of the country. The bird involved was freed ten days ago.
"This part of the world is far too populated to be releasing sea eagles," said Mr Farquharson. "I have nothing against sea eagles at all. They are magnificent birds but around here there are far too many people and domestic animals.
"If this had been a dog that attacked livestock or a person, the dog would have been destroyed.
"But the RSPB has been quick to point out that these eagles are protected and that to harm them may result in a custodial sentence."
A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said the incident on Friday was regrettable and it would be visiting Mr Farquharson again to ensure his birds were safe.
He added: "In our experience sea eagles will only defend themselves and attack humans if they feel cornered and threatened. The sea eagles just introduced are young and naive birds.
"There are a tiny number of incidents of this sort every now and again, but these birds will soon disperse as they grow in confidence and wish to explore the wider countryside.
"It is worth noting that when this first happened with Mr Farquharson in 2008 we visited his property and afterwards paid for the installation of heavy nylon netting affixed to fence posts driven into the ground so that the poultry pen and all Mr Farquharson's birds were safe from predation.
"When we visited again on Friday it was apparent that, for whatever reason, these measures were no longer present.
"It is of course unfortunate that the bird scratched Mr Farquharson, but we believe it was simply trying to escape and resist capture."
Sea eagles were persecuted to extinction in the early 20th century and the first attempt to bring back the species began with a release project on Rum in 1975.
The scheme has previously been criticised by farmers and crofters in the west Highlands who claim they have lost hundreds of lambs to the sea eagles. There are now more than 50 breeding pairs, mostly in the north of Scotland.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8718155/Sea-eagle-attacks-reverend-and-his-flock....of-geese.html
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