Heartbreaking

 The sun is shining here in Langholm, which is an incredibly rare and usually heart warming occurance, but today my heart is heavy. Sadly and all too predictably Barry (the young male hen harrier fledged from Langholm this year) has has gone the way of so many others.

Barry’s last fix was transmitted on the 2^nd of October, although he was seen on the morning of 4^th of October, when he was observed coming out of a roost by a raptor worker. His tag was due to transmit on the evening of the 4th, and his previous transmissions were always regular. There was no transmission then or subsequently. At this stage, we have to presume that he is dead, and it is very unlikely that there has been any transmitter failure. Most of his previous movements were associated with grouse moors. The police have been kept informed and the search for the carcass is underway and ongoing. 

We are still awaiting toxicology reports from the female Harrier Blae.

Harrier sightings

It is nice to be able to offer some good news about the Langholm Harriers and today I can. Firstly, one of the wing-tagged birds (a cock bird) from 2010 was spotted near Moniaive (North west of Dumfries) recently. This is fantastic news, as records of wing tagged birds are few and far between.

Barry, the satellite tagged bird from the 2012 nest has been giving us readings from various locations in the Durham hills over the last few weeks ( I am awaiting latest map data). On the 4th October  Barry was seen hunting on moorland / woodland edge.

No news yet on Blae's postmortem results.

Latest news form Barry's satellite tag

The young male Hen Harrier (Barry) that fledged from the nest at Langholm this year is still in the Durham  hills around frosterly and Middleton-in-Teesdale.We'll keep the updates coming.. watch this space.