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Birds of Prey

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Birds of Prey is the fifth episode of the sixth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired 31st January 2003.

Synopsis[]

The police investigate the apparent suicide of Julian Shepherd who drowned after driving his car into a nearby river. Shepherd along with several other local residents had invested money in Charles Edmonton's latest invention, a fuel-less transportation system. Edmonton, despite his advanced years, instilled a good deal of confidence in his investors but Shepherd was facing severe financial difficulties and urgently needed his investment to be returned. Troy meanwhile finds himself working with the comely PC Sarah Pearce who, as a wildlife liaison officer, is investigating the illegal sales of birds of prey and their eggs. The two cases come together when a birds' egg collector is found dead after a visit to the Edmonton estate. As the number of dead bodies begins to climb, Barnaby realizes that there is something far more sinister at play.

Plot, Part 1[]

In the night, birds are cawing and Julian Shepherd drives to the residence of Charles Edmonton, Casement Hall, with whom he has invested money. Julian creeps through the woods, climbs a stone wall and approaches the house.

Mallory Edmonton is discussing with George Hamilton that Julian is "making trouble. I don't want anything to go wrong." George says he will see to it. Mallory goes to visit her birds in a shed out back and brings them "treats."

Julian climbs the scaffolding outside the mansion and knocks on the window. Charles is playing with a toy train, but opens the window and lets Julian in. Julian pleads with Charles to give him his money that he invested with him, but Charles does not listen. Charles claims that there will be a "new future for the way we live." Julian says all he wants is his money back. Otherwise he will be bankrupt. Charles just talks about conspiracy theories and ignores Julian's demands. Julian returns home and tries to slit his wrists, but is unable to do it. He is taking a bath when he hears a noise...

The next day Miss Eleanor MacPherson is at the butcher's early seeking to buy pork sausage, but he doesn't have any. She takes the sausages he has and leaves in a hurry.

At the Barnaby home, Joyce is talking to Tom about a future vacation in Africa. But he is too busy, so she says, "I could go on my own. I might not come back!" says Joyce. Tom passes by Cully on a bike while getting ready to drive to work. Cully dumps brochures on his lap. "I didn't realize working for a travel agent was a conspiracy," says Tom.

At the MacPherson home, boarder (?) Eddie Darwin is at his window with his binoculars birdwatching. He views his illegal bird egg collection. Eleanor tells her sister, Jane MacPherson, that the butcher didn't have pork sausage. Jane looks worried.

At the police station, Barnaby gives Troy a book on birds. Troy thinks dealing with the bird crimes is a waste of time until he meets PC Pearce, Wildlife Liaison Officer. She is taking Troy on a stakeout investigating the illegal sales of birds of prey and their eggs. "Is that what you're wearing?" she says to Troy, who is wearing a suit. Troy has "some wellies."

Back at the MacPherson's, Darwin refuses to eat the sausages and tosses the plate of food on the floor, which breaks.

At the Edmontons, Mallory meets her sister outside. Her husband, Charles, was "high as a kite" most of the night. The sedatives her sister, Dr. Naomi Sinclair, prescribed aren't working. Naomi says she'll up the dose and Mallory tells her to "just get it right." Naomi says, "You might remember whose benefit this is for." Mallory goes to see her birds. Naomi asks if the birds ever get in the mood to peck someone's eyes out. Mallory says, "Only if I ask them to."

A man is fishing by the river and his line gets caught on something.

George brings Charles his medications. Charles mentions that there was a man in the house the other day who came through the window and he doesn't want any journalists getting ahold of "the story." Charles thinks he should be at a meeting and says the people he is meeting are investing millions. He ask if the conference room has been swept for bugs. George fobs him off, puts him down for a nap and locks his door. Mallory comes in to give Charles a kiss while he is asleep.

Plot, Part 2[]

MURDER 1: Meanwhile, a car is hoisted from a river. Barnaby drives up. PC Angel reports that there are "no tire marks and no sign of a skid. He didn't brake." The man is Julian Shepherd, a local. Maisie Cullen, who cleaned for him suspected he might do something like this- "kill himself."

Someone gives Charles a shot while he is asleep. Troy and Sarah drive by birdwatchers who are hoping to see the serins. Troy asks, "it's worth standing there all day on the off chance?" Troy steps out to open a gate and steps into the mud. Sarah says, "Time for the boots, Sarge?" She drives by and splashes him with mud.

Barnaby speaks to Julian's housekeeper. She says Julian was in trouble. His wife left, not seeing his children, the business, the house- He had a shop in Oxford until 2 years ago. It all came down to money. He made some bad decisions. Barnaby looks around Julian's house.

Mallory is working with her birds when Barnaby drives up. He tells her is inquiring about Julian Shepherd. Apparently he phoned the Edmontons several times. Barnaby asks to speak to Charles Edmonton and Mallory lies and says he is away. She knows nothing about what Julian would want to talk to Charles about. Mallory refers Barnaby to Major Hamilton. Barnaby tells her bird is beautiful. Mallory says "Beautiful is not a big enough word. It's like saying the sea is wet."

In the hide, Troy tries to identify birds with his binoculars. He and Sarah observe Eddie Darwin negotiating to trade birds eggs with Sean Moorcroft. Sarah takes photos of them. Some eggs fetch thousands of pounds. Collectors don't care what species they wipe out in the process. Sarah points out a heron to Troy- his first. "Not bad for your first hour's twitching." Troy misses seeing the bird.

Barnaby arrives at the Hamiltons. His wife, Eileen Hamilton, is outside gardening. Hamilton is inside the house arguing with investors, Hilary Carlton and Vernon Surtees. Hamilton lies and tells the them that Charles Edmonton is in the states. He's been putting the pieces together before the launch of his invention. Hamilton's office is decorated in African art. Hamilton claims he saw Julian Shepherd yesterday morning. He had invested money in Charle's projects. He stood to make a great deal out of it. But Julian needed to get his money out. Barnaby asks what the project was. Hamilton says, "Basically, it was a fuel-free transport system. That was the revolutionary part, the invention. Only Charles Edmonton knew the details."

Eddie Darwin is negotiating with Sean Moorcroft about his eggs. "I've got two more to spare. I thought three peregrine eggs and I could go to £300." Sean laughs and says, "You know what it takes to get an osprey egg? The nesting sites are all secret. They're watched night and day." Darwin says once he gets an Osprey egg he will have completed his collection, which has taken him 20 years. Sean says he will deliver and holds up an egg. Sean says, "This woman up at the hall...Mrs Edmonton? She's breeding, you told me, right? Peregrines, merlins, goshawks." Sean tells Darwin he has a buyer for some fertile eggs and if he gets some, the osprey egg will be his.

Pathologist, Dr. George Bullard tells Barnaby that Julian Shepherd drowned. Barnaby says, "It looks like he drove straight into the river. No sign of him losing control. The car wasn't even travelling at any speed. What about drink?" Bullard says, "No." Barnaby says, "So suicide could be right." Bullard says there was some lunge at the roots of his hair- conditioner. Barnaby asks when he washed his hair. "There's something rather odd about a man who washes his hair just before killing himself."

Moorcroft drops Darwin off and asks if they have a deal. Sean says, "We're working together on this. If you screw up, if you put me in it... ..your head could end up under the wheels of my jeep." Sean squishes an egg in front of Eddie.

Plot, Part 3[]

The MacPherson sisters are making dinner. Eddie says, "I'll have a glass of wine with it. I'll have some red. And get something decent for a change. You can flush the last lot down the sink. It might clear the drains. And run me a bath nearly to the top. (He yells) Turn that bloody music off now! I can't stand it." Eleanor rushes to run the bath and Jane turns off the radio.

Troy comes in to the police station in his muddy trousers and shoes. Barnaby says he hopes he isn't going to claim a new suit on his expenses. Troy says, "there is a lot more to wildlife crime than you think." Barnaby says, "Any chance of you bringing a little less of it back into the office with you tomorrow?"

Eddie Darwin has dinner and carries his teacup and saucer into the kitchen where the MacPherson's are eating their dinner. He demands money from the sisters. "I'm a little short of cash this evening, and I need to go out." Jane says, "We haven't been to the post office today, Mr Darwin." Darwin says, "Oh, that sounds like a fib to me, Jane. You shouldn't, you know? She shouldn't fib, should she? (He gets into her purse and takes out money.) No point hiding things from me. I know when it's pension day." Jane starts to cry.

Barnaby and Joyce are looking at brochures about Africa. Barnaby says he's already been to Africa- he's seen Major Hamilton's house and he still lives in Africa. "And it's not at all like your brochures here. It's less of your luxury lodges, more your Heart Of Darkness."

MURDER 2: That night, Eddie Darwin sneaks into the bird enclosure. The birds immediately start shrieking and he grabs them some food from the freezer. He then goes to examine the eggs. The birds start screeching again and Eddie looks for more to feed them and discovers the frozen body of Charles Edmonton in the freezer. Darwin throws down the basket and leaves the freezer door open. He starts running away. A car comes out of the dark and comes after him. Eddie is thrown and falls to the ground. The car goes into a ditch and gets stuck.

MURDER 3:

Eddie manages to make his way home, despite his injuries. Eleanor hears him come in and is about to get his hot milk. Eddie tells the sisters he had an accident and not to call the doctor. He says he is alright, nothing broken- he just needs to rest. He goes slowly upstairs to bed. Jane says perhaps they should help him but Eleanor says they had better leave him and see how he is in the morning. Eleanor suggests that they go have cocoa and Jane turns on the radio.

George arrives home while his wife, Eileen looks out the window at him. When he comes in, Eileen asks, "Is it alright?" George says, "All right" isn't quite the phrase that first springs to mind, but... ..it's under control." Eileen says, "Well, that's all that matters, really. We haven't done all this for nothing." George says, "So it's "we" now?" Eileen gets up and kisses him on the cheek. "It's always been "we", George. Always."

The next day packages are dropped off at investors' houses. Troy and Sarah prepare to go back on the wildlife crime watch, with Troy wearing more appropriate clothing. Sadly, Barnaby has to break them up- dead bodies supersede birds.

The MacPherson sisters haven't disturbed Dawkins yet. Jane brings in flowers for him, but Eleanor discourages her. Troy and Barnaby arrive at Shepherd's house to see the box delivered to Shepherd. Barnaby investigates the bathroom. The housekeeper didn't clean it, but someone used bleach to clean it. Troy opens the package which contains a scooter from Edmonton Industries. Turns out that was what the investors had invested in. (Kick scooters have been handmade in industrial urban areas in Europe and the United States since the 1920s or earlier).

Eleanor goes up to check on Eddie. He is dead. Downstairs, Jane says, "He is dead, then? I suppose we ought to ask Dr. Robertshaw to come and see him now."

In the pub, the detectives discuss the Julian Shepherd case. Troy says, "There are reasons why he might have killed himself. He was depressed. He had family troubles, money troubles - the usual old stuff." Barnaby replies, "I see your encounter with nature, red in tooth and claw, hasn't made you more sensitive to the human condition, Troy. But in this case I don't believe that the usual old stuff will do. Either there was something we don't know about that pushed him over the edge... Or someone killed him. I need to know more."

Dr. James Robertshaw approaches Troy and Barnaby to tell them about Eddie Dawkins' death. He shows the detectives the body, which has extensive bruising and he thinks the cause of death will be internal bleeding. Barnaby says he wants a post-mortem and a key for the room. His name is Edward Darwin, Clerk to the Council. Troy says he knows him as he was with a man Sarah had him under surveillance. Troy looks in a drawer and finds the egg collection. Troy says, "The Egg Man."

Eleanor tells detectives, "We knew he wasn't feeling very well. I did knock on his door and ask if there was anything he wanted. He said there wasn't." He was in his room since yesterday evening and didn't come out at all. "We didn't think there was anything very odd about that. He was a very private person." Jane comes in with tea. Troy helps her with the tray. Jane says, "I thought you might like something to eat. Just put it down here. I'll pour and you can help yourselves. I know you don't eat properly when you're working. Mr Darwin..." Eleanor interupts her and says, "He was a very private man, Chief Inspector. No-one ever came here." Barnaby asks if the name Moorcroft means anything to them. Jane says, "Cucumber? Some ham?" Troy says, "He would have been interested in birds' eggs, as well, like Mr Darwin. Jane says, "Well, Mr Darwin was very knowledgeable about birds. And he was very proud of his eggs." Eleanor interjects, "But he didn't like us to talk about that. He said his collection was very valuable." Barnaby says, "I'm afraid it was also very illegal." Barnaby asks the sisters not to disturb anything in Mr Darwin's room. Jane says, "Will you be taking him with you?" Eleanor smiles and says, "I think we would prefer that."

Charles Edmondson lays dead in his mansion while his widow sits writing at the desk. "It may do no harm to make some attempt to behave more like the grieving widow," says her sister Naomi Sinclair. Mallory says, "I've done my grieving, Naomi. Alzheimer's took Charles' spirit away from his body a long time before he died. And what was left had very little to do with the man that I married." Naomi says, "Except financially." Mallory says, "I don't know why you've always had a problem with the fact I didn't only marry Charles for his money. And you stand to do very nicely out of it, too, so don't overdo the snide remarks." The undertakers arrive to take the body. Mallory asks to have the funeral done tomorrow.

Plot, Part 4[]

Troy speaks to Sarah about going after Sean Moorcroft. Troy and one uniform go around the back and the others knock on the front door. When Sean sees coppers, he runs out the back door and Troy tackles him.

At the Hamilton abode, Eileen looks through the window and listens to George talking to Hilary and Vernon. They are furious that Edmonton is bankrupt and they got scooters sent to them. Hamilton pretends to know nothing.

Sean tells Troy and Sarah that he had a drink with Darwin and that is all. Troy says he found blood in Sean's car. Sean has a record for assault and trading in bird's eggs and wild birds. Troy shows Sean a peregrine feather which was found in the pocket of Eddie Darwin who was hit by a car.

Mallory is outside with her birds. Hamilton calls her and says "It's all done. The last one went through. You're home and dry."

Troy tells Barnaby that the deal between Sean and Eddie was Darwin would steal fertile eggs. Moorcroft had a buyer and if he got enough eggs Darwin would get an osprey egg. Moorcroft met him in the pub then dropped him by the wall round the estate. They met in the pub car park an hour later. Darwin told Sean something spooked him and he didn't get near the birds. Moorcroft dropped him back at the Macphersons'. He told Moorcroft he'd fallen off the wall. He'd torn his clothes, hurt himself and he just wanted to get home.

Troy and Barnaby goe to interview Mallory, who is training her birds. She says she would normally take any attempt to steal eggs very seriously indeed but with my husband's funeral to organise it isn't exactly at the top of my list of priorities. She claims the birds were not disturbed and no eggs were stolen from the incubator. Barnaby tells her that he has reason to believe Darwin was in the building and then was in a hit and run accident which resulted in his death. Mallory says her birds do not talk and don't have a driver's license so she has other things to do. The detectives look around the room and in the freezer.

George places a call to someone and tells them he wants more money. He tells them they are not really in a position to refuse. Then he hangs up and sings an African song. He goes outside and dances and sings while Eileen watches him from a window.

Everyone stands around in front of Edmonton's house waiting for Mallory to come for the funeral. She tells Naomi she has to tell the birds when somebody dies. The cars drive off to the funeral.

Sarah is inventorying Darwin's room. She shows Troy a log of the details of every egg he bought and every egg he sold. There are addresses of the dealers.

In their garden the MacPherson sisters are worried. Jane has had a nightmare. They tell Troy that they need to talk to Mr. Barnaby. The sisters explain that they didn't call the doctor about Darwin. He didn't like them to interfere. Eleanor says she helped Darwin take his clothes off and put on his pajamas. Jane says they had no idea about how badly he was hurt. He became delirious, saying the strangest things about somewhere he was, a place he'd run away from. It frightened him. Jane says, "It was the body that frightened him, the one in the freezer. It was where the birds were. The birds were flying and there was a freezer. That's what he said. And there was a man in it."

Troy says, "It was Charles Edmonton. They're burying him today." Barnaby says, "They're not burying him this morning, they're cremating him this morning. Round about now." The detectives rush out and drive off to the funeral parlor.

At the funeral, the minister is speaking and someone pushes a button to start the coffin going in to the oven. Barnaby and Troy rush in and tell them to stop!!

George tells Barnaby that Charles Edmonton, "Was a great man, people trusted him. He invented a way of packaging milk that halved production costs round the world. He'd invented a prefabricated building system that could put up a house in a week right from the foundations to running water and central heating. In the past few years he's made mistakes, big mistakes and he was very nearly bankrupt. He had Alzheimer's and by the time he was diagnosed, he'd done considerable damage to his financial position. And if it got out before Mallory consolidated her own position..." Barnaby asks, "Is that a euphemism for fraud?" Hamilton shows Barnaby the secret project that Edmonton had been working on- a scooter. Hamilton says they had no idea and there was a great deal of money at stake. He claims Edmonton wasn't killed but died of a heart attack. Hamilton says he was merely the accountant.

Barnaby says, "Three people have died. Julian Shepherd wanted to take money out this mad project and couldn't. A man who broke into Casement Hall and saw the body of Charles Edmonton in the freezer. Someone knew Darwin had seen that body. Somebody wanted to shut him up. Because Mrs Mallory Edmonton wanted another couple of days to defraud the investors and shareholders." Troy says, "There really is a death certificate signed by Naomi Sinclair, Edmonton's sister-in-law." Barnaby says, "Let's get them all into the nick for questioning."

Mallory says she has nothing to say until her solicitor arrives from London. Barnaby says to have her locked up. She argues and insults Barnaby and is taken to a cell. George is also in a cell. Naomi is interviewed and denies everything. She says that she treated Charles properly, but she did put a false date on the death certificate.

Plot, Part 5[]

At the Hamilton home, Eileen goes into George's desk and looks around. She looks at his African artifacts and finds airline tickets in one of them.

Mallory's lawyer defends Mallory and wants her discharged from police custody. Bullard says Edmonton died from a heart attack. Shepherd, on the other hand, died in his bathtub, which would make it difficult to drive his car into the river. Barnaby tells Troy to get SOCO and go through Shepherd's bathroom. Then Casement Hall, the Hamiltons and Naomi Sinclair's.

Eileen places a call to Africa to check on bank accounts there. She stabs a stack of papers on the desk. Mallory is dropped off at her house and tells George that she hopes to never see him again.

The MacPherson sisters tell Barnaby that they had hoped Darwin wouldn't wake up. Eleanor says, "I told myself he'd be all right. I told myself we'd call a doctor if he wasn't better in the morning. But I knew I wouldn't, Chief Inspector. What I really thought deep inside was that he would go to sleep quietly and painlessly and he wouldn't wake up. And our lives would be as they were before he came. We'd be free of him! He took our house, he took our money, he made us his servants. We were terrified of him, you see? But we couldn't say. We were too..." Jane says, "..frightened." Eleanor says, "And too ashamed."

At the Hamiltons Eileen tells George that the police searched the house. They didn't find his little hidey-hole, but Eileen always knew where it was. She says, "A plane ticket to Johannesburg. And that's where most of the money is already. You're going back, aren't you?" George says, "I was gonna tell you." Eileen says, "Were you? When you got there?" George says, "I thought... ..given time, after I'd set up a business, you'd come around. And that's what I've done. I've bought a lodge, a really classy lodge. No, it's not gonna be like the last time. Look, I can't stay here, Eileen. You know that. There's nothing here, nothing for me." Eileen says, "Nothing for you? I have lived with nothing for the best years of my life. A place I loathed, people I loathed. I loathed you, too! I gave up what I wanted then. You had to do the same for me when you retired. You think I'm going to let you walk out on me now? I'll stop you. Whatever it takes to do it, I'll stop you, George."

George leaves and Eileen wrecks his room. George goes to the pub and gets a pint. The Vernon and Hilary see him and grumble to each other. Eileen takes all the African art, spears and all and puts them on a bonfire.

Plot, Part 6[]

MURDER 4: George drinks his beer and leaves the pub. Vernon Surtees follows him to his car As George drives off, Vernon throws his scooter on the front of his car. George arrives home and sees his trashed room. He goes outside to the bonfire and tries to pull things out of the fire. A person in an African mask approaches and stabs George with a spear. He falls on the edge of the fire.

The next morning, Eileen tells Barnaby she found George in the morning. She says she felt relief at his death. He wasn't a major, he was a sergeant in the pay corps. All those years in Africa all he ever was a clerk. Barnaby asks why Eileen was so furious that she burned all of his possessions. Eileen says, "He was going back. And he was going to take everything. All the money we had. All the money he promised we'd have. I don't know where they stashed it. But George knew about these things. The creditors won't see a penny." Eileen says she didn't kill him. If she had the guts to kill him, she would have done it years ago. Eileen says, "She must have done it." Barnaby asks, "You think Mrs. Edmonton killed him?" Eileen says, "Mallory, Of course not. She believed George was getting some money out for her. Though she was never going to see half of it. No. It was her sister, Dr Sinclair."

Plot Denouement[]

Naomi goes to her house looking for Mallory. Barnaby goes to Naomi's house, but she isn't there. Troy finds a car in the garage which looks like the one that hit Darwin. Barnaby says, "Finally, some evidence." Barnaby grabs a brick and goes to the front door. Troy says, "I have reason to believe evidence material to a murder investigation is about to be destroyed, sir." Barnaby breaks the window on the door. Barnaby says, " No, Troy. Just breaking in." No one is home and Troy reports that the neighbor said Naomi came in and then drove straight off again. Barnaby presses the button on the answering machine. Mallory's voice says, "Naomi! It's George now, isn't it? I've pushed it out of my mind before. Julian Shepherd. I mean, I couldn't believe that... But I know and I have to know how Charles died. The police will be here, Naomi. And how can I lie about the things that I know?"

Naomi goes to find Mallory at the bird building. Naomi says, "No one can prove anything." Mallory says, "Now that Major Hamilton is dead, no-one can prove anything? People have died! Major Hamilton, Julian Shepherd, that man who broke in just to steal some eggs. All those little chats with the Major when you should have been looking after Charles. You didn't even like the man!" Naomi says, "I didn't have to. We just wanted more than a few crumbs from your table."

Mallory says, "Did you kill Charles?" Naomi says, "Oh, you're not telling me you really cared?" Mallorys says, "You never understood, did you? I wanted to protect the man he'd been, the man I loved! It was never just about money!" Naomi says, "A pretty speech, Mallory. You could always afford the prettiest things. I've got the money to live my own now. What I need now is for you to disappear, as well as me. You see, you're going to be the main suspect in several murders. And if you're never seen again everybody will always believe that you got away with it - the murder and the money." Mallory says, "Sorry, Naomi. I can't do that." Naomi says, "Oh. You're going to betray your only sister? That's not nice. When I said "disappear" I didn't mean a flight to foreign shores and a new name. It's too late for that. It's the only way now." She pulls a knife out of her pocket. Mallory says, "What are you doing? What are you doing? No! No! No!" Mallory struggles to fight her off while the birds shriek.

Barnaby and Troy race up in the car.

The birds start to attack Naomi, pecking at her face and she screams. Barnaby and Troy hear the screaming. Naomi falls to the floor, but still tries to get the knife. Troy grabs Naomi while Barnaby escorts a broken Mallory out.

The next day, Barnaby reports that Darwin's blood and threads from his clothes are on the car. Sarah walks in and says Hi to Troy. She says she owes him a drink. Moorcroft was so afraid of what he got involved in that he delivered his whole network. Troy says he doesn't know when he will get off and Barnaby says he can go now. Troy says, "Cool."

At Mallory's home, she asks if Barnaby is there to arrest her. He says no, but she'll have to face a court at some point. She tells Barnaby that she won't testify against Naomi. Mallory is saying goodbye to her birds, releasing them from their bonds. Mallory says, "I don't think I'll ever feel free again. But they can be. I wish that we could all just..fly away when the time comes."

Joyce serves up ostrich for dinner. She thought it would set the right sort of mood. Barnaby says, "I thought you wanted to see the animals, not eat them." Joyce laughs, "I do. But it was the only thing I could find that was African. Well, I say African. The ostrich farm was just outside Cheltenham. The wine is south African. Cheers." Barnaby says, "Joyce, what have you done?" Joyce says, "Since you were never going to look seriously at the brochures... I took the dates and Cully did it. We're booked. We're going to Botswana in April. Here's to our holiday." Barnaby looks at the brochure and says, "Joyce, looks as though these people are sitting on tops of an elephant." Joyce says, "That's right. It's an elephant backed safari. Cheers." Barnaby looks unhappy.

Cast[]

Galleries[]

Body Count[]

Supporting Cast[]

Episode Images[]

Arrests[]

    • Julian Shepherd
    • Charles Edmonton
    • Eddie Darwin
    • George Hamilton
    • attempted murder of Mallory Edmonton.

Notes[]

  • Last appearance of Neil Conrich as PC Angel.

The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes

Trivia[]

  • The Edmonton House is Britwell House, Britwell Salome, Watlington, Oxfordshire
  • Twitching is the pursuit and observation of rare birds, and for many people it becomes a total obsession. It is a largely male pursuit and can be expensive – some twitchers even charter aircraft at short notice to reach far-flung destinations in the hope of crossing a species off their list.
  • "Red in tooth and claw," is a reference to Tennyson's poem which describes nature as violent.

The Trials and Tribulations of DS Gavin Troy:

  • Troy gets assigned to the wildlife patrol and, naturally, doesn't wear appropriate boots and steps in mud and puddles in his dress shoes.
  • Troy is much more mature in this episode.

Facts[]

  • While it is possible for elephants to be trained to carry humans, this practice is controversial and has raised concerns about animal welfare. In the wild, elephants typically do not allow humans to ride on their backs.
    • If people constantly sit in metal seats on the back of the elephant, the animal feels pain and its health is severely damaged.
    • Elephant rides are often dangerous for the elephant, who may fall, get injured, or die. Elephants do not like to be touched by humans.


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