Skydancer - Pallid Harrier at the Forest of Bowland

Living in England, male Hen Harriers are not a sight I get to see very often. Driving along a stretch of grassy meadows sadly doesn’t yield a floating figure quartering over the fields as it does in Spain and other European countries, and instead numbers have now been depleted to just a few upland breeding sites – if they can cling on amongst the gunfire that besieges them that is. My first ever male Hen Harrier was an individual at Parkgate Marshes many years ago, a ghostly figure hunting distantly on the horizon, no more than a grey spec on the far away skyline. Fast forward several years and I haven’t seen another male Hen Harrier in England since – a very sad sign of the times indeed.

Therefore when a male Pallid Harrier (even more stunning than a male Hen Harrier) was reported as being present at the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire just before the bank holiday weekend - observed displaying and even nest building - it was simply too good of an opportunity to be missed to catch up with this impressive individual. Having seen a juvenile Pallid Harrier down in Somerset a few years ago, this wasn’t a new bird for either myself or Alex, but with only a very small handful of male Pallid Harriers making it over to our shores compared to juveniles, we couldn’t resist going to see this graceful beauty for ourselves.

Making the gruelling 4km treck to the best viewing spot along the winding hillside, we were immediately met by a hauntingly pale figure quartering over the moors, swooping down and gliding swiftly along the valley bottom, white wings shining out as he twisted and turned in the air. Glorious, and the tiring journey up to the moors was soon forgotten as we watched him perform.

Over the course of the next two hours the crowd watched on in awe as our ghostly visitor completed several circuits over the hillside, often sat perched preening on the fence posts for periods at a time as well as bringing small sticks back to the nest site on several occasions, spindly twigs held tightly in his bright yellow feet.

With a pattern soon emerging of crossing over the road to our right and swooping back overhead, eventually the moment happened that his captive audience had been waiting for, and to appreciative woops and gasps our male Pallid Harrier begun to skydance. Tumbling through the air with extreme grace and speed, wings twisting in a remarkable butterfly-esque style while his trilling call echoed out over the valley, he had the crowd of 30 or so birders completely mesmerised and hooked on his every move.

Sheer beauty, and to have a male Pallid Harrier skydancing over your head is a thing of enchanting magic. Without doubt this was one of the most exquisite birds I’ve seen, and to watch him perform was an absolute privilege. For anyone thinking of going, but hasn’t yet got around to it or who may be put off by the long walk – go! You won’t regret it!

Hopefully the amount of attention the Pallid Harrier is receiving will save him from the unwelcome persecution from gamekeepers in the area - indeed, it’s lucky that it was a birdwatcher that discovered him before the guns did. Sadly though, his aerial acrobatics will most probably be in vain, as the lack of Hen Harriers (and raptors in general) during our walk in the Forest of Bowland area was startling. With the likelihood of a female Pallid Harrier stumbling upon his airtime show almost nil, it seems the chances of a female Hen Harrier joining him at the nest (as was the case in Orkney in 1995) are just as depressingly slim.

Male Emperor Moth!! What an amazing creature!

With the added bonus of our first ever Emperor moth causing excitement on the moors, as well as a supporting cast of Dipper, Common Sandpipers and Grey Wagtails on the brook, we were exceptionally glad we made the effort to head up to Lancashire to see this incredible bird and endure the tiring 5 mile round walk - although our aching legs and weary feet were nothing a tasty sausage batch once home couldn’t sort out!

For information on where is best to view the Pallid Harrier from, check out the directions page from the RSPB.

Montagu's Harriers - Blacktoft Sands RSPB

Hearing that a pair of Montagu’s Harriers had set up territory at RSPB Blacktoft Sands in Yorkshire, and with the reserve making the news public last Monday, a trip to the east coast was in order to try and catch up with these beautiful raptors.

One of the UK’s rarest breeding birds, their survival is jeopardised by illegal hunting both here in Britain and whilst on migration, as well as from egg collectors and thieves, and it is for these reasons that the nest is thankfully being guarded 24-7 under the protection from wardens.

Arriving at Singleton Hide where the birds have been showing over the reedbed, we didn’t have to wait long before the shout went up from one of the assembled birders to alert us that the female had taken to the air to fend off an approaching Marsh Harrier.

Chasing off the larger intruder from her territory, the difference in size and structure was especially apparent, the female Monties much smaller and streamlined, with the long, thin, sickle shaped wings in clear contrast to the Marsh Harriers thick-set and sturdy shape.

We happily watched her quartering over the reedbed several times before dropping back down in to the dense cover of the reeds, arising again over several intervals to survey her surroundings and providing a great show to all those watching.

Before long, another shout went up that the male was approaching having returned from a hunting trip, and sure enough, a pale, ghostly figure could be seen appearing from the trees on the far left, gliding over to the nest site and where the female was waiting. With her taking to the air to greet him, it was apparent that a feeding pass was going to take place, and sure enough the two met up in the air as a small parcel of prey was exchanged. Absolutely amazing to watch and the pair showed much better than I’d ever imagined as they bonded and played in the air, providing a great spectacle for all those watching.

Very similar to the much more familiar Hen Harriers, the Montagu’s differ by their much thinner wings and overall slimmer structure, and the distinctive two black bands on the upperside of the wings on the male was apparent even from a distance.

The black bars on the wings show up well

Having not seen any in Norfolk at the regular site, and failing to see what is presumably this same pair on their breeding grounds just slightly further away from the reserve at their nest site last year, it was great to finally catch up with them, and despite seeing both male and female Monties before in Spain, this was a much wanted bird for me in the UK!

The male Monties from Spain

Record shots were all that was possible from the hide :)

With an assembled cast of a great flyover Spoonbill (that found the water too deep for it’s liking to land), a late Pink-footed Goose and a nice Bearded Tit that Alex spotted mooching about the reeds, it was all in all a great day at the reserve – despite not being able to track down a pair of elusive Garganey at Xerox hide!!

I’d highly recommend a visit to Blacktoft for anyone wanting to get views of this species in the UK, as at present the pair are extremely reliable with sightings each day. The reserve also provides the perfect opportunity to see Montagu’s Harriers without posing any risk of disturbance to nesting pairs - here’s hoping they have a successful breeding season and continue to return to Blacktoft for many years to come!