Man admits to stealing 200 wild bird eggs

A 63-year-old man has admitted taking almost 200 wild bird eggs, including those belonging to endangered species.

Terence Potter, from Huddersfield, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 17 February charged with two counts of possessing an article capable of being used to take birds eggs, three counts of possession of a wild bird's eggs and three counts of taking wild bird eggs.

Terence Potter took three Eurasian Curlew eggs from the wild (Paul Bennett).

The charges brought against Mr Potter, of Cumberworth Lane, Upper Cumberworth, date back to April 2020 with allegations that he took 179 Black-headed Gull eggs, four European Golden Plover eggs and three Eurasian Curlew eggs.

In Holmfirth, in April 2020, Potter was found to be in possession of a number of items that helped in his removal of those eggs including syringes, binoculars, egg blowing equipment, thermal imaging binoculars and an incubator as well as handwritten data cards.

Potter will be sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on April 23.