I finished my last post wondering whether I should go for the Pallid Harrier. Well, I resisted the temptation yesterday evening but couldn’t this morning. When I left there had been no reports that the bird was still present but after a night of heavy rain I thought the chances were high it would still be present. When I arrived after a 30 minute drive there was one birder present who had not seen it but had met someone else who had seen it an hour previously.
All I needed to do then was find a good watch point,
keep scanning and be patient. My patience was tested to the limits with a wait
of 3 and a half hours before the bird turned up. I saw it distantly and high up
for about 10 seconds before it disappeared over a rise. I then rushed to
another viewpoint and it was gone. Was this to be it? I have never seen an
autumn juvenile very well and got good pictures and feared that I was cursed never
to. Luckily though it was found after another half an hour on the ground but
not visible from where I was standing. Another frantic repositioning and there
it was!!! Quite distant but it showed brilliantly in the scope as it preened. After
a while it flew a bit before again landing where it stayed for a long time. It
eventually started quartering the fields although was difficul to keep control
of. I saw it land distantly and was able to drive and then get close to it and
it was eating a rodent and allowed good views before finishing its meal and
flying off.
The area was mostly stubble fields and held an
enormous number of birds. Over 1500 Bramblings in 2 flocks, 200+ Meadow Pipits,
300 Starlings, 25 Ruff, 40 Skylarks plus Merlin, Hobby, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks.
Time to find one in Maridalen now 😊
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| with a vole |
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| the dark eye shows this to be a juvenile/1cy female |
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| the area favoured by the harrier |
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| this was from my first sighting (after 3.5 hours wait) and I feared would be all I saw |
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