John Dodsworth is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of buying protected birds and eggs, discovered at his home in Rodin Avenue, Whiteleas, South Shields.

The 49-year-old denies three counts of purchasing protected species.
Yesterday, Guy Shorrock, senior investigator for the RSPB, said some of the eggs were from "endangered species", while one animal was "the rarest bird of prey in Britain".

A police raid on his home two years ago found two long-eared owls, two barn owls, and a Montagu's harrier, all stuffed and mounted, the court heard.

Two honey buzzard eggs, two golden eagle eggs, and four Egyptian vulture eggs, were also discovered.

Mr Shorrock, who has investigated on behalf of the charity for 17 years, ran through the status of each of the birds and the eggs. When asked by Tom Moran, prosecuting, to describe the honey buzzard, Mr Shorrock said: "This is a rare breeding bird, a very secretive species with about 70 pairs left in Britain. It's very rare to see their eggs."

Commenting on the Egyptian vulture, he said: "It is not a species that breeds in this country. It is, however, a species on most conservation lists."

Meanwhile, the Montague's harrier, which was stuffed and mounted on a piece of wood, was described by Mr Shorrock as "the rarest bird of prey in Great Britain".

However, under cross examination by Peter Walsh, defending, Mr Shorrock admitted that in his original notes he hadn't documented any suspicion about the origins of the batches of eggs, adding: "At the time, I didn't make a note as I didn't have all the evidence about the eggs in front of me."

Earlier in the trial, Dodsworth's interest in wildlife was described as verging on an 'obsession'.

Dodsworth denies three counts of purchasing a protected specimen.

The trial continues.