28th Oct Sat tag update

Hattie and Grainne seem fairly settled on Langholm moor, no significant movements. There are still good numbers of meadow pipits and other small birds about so maybe plenty of food to keep them fed? Miranda on the other hand is not looking like settling down at all. On the 27th October, Miranda moved east into Northern Ireland and is poised on the coast near Glenariff, Ballymena, Moyle. Could she be  preparing for a trip back to Scotland?

Miranda has been stopping off in some beautiful areas such as Lough Inshagh, Donegal, but not been tempted yet to spend more than a few days in any one area. It will be really interesting to see where she goes next.

Bad news about Blue

Sad, sad news .. we have serious concerns about Blue (the young male Hen Harrier satellite tagged at Langholm this summer). Blue’s satellite tag signal has ceased to transmit. The signal ended suddenly, without indication in the data of why it should do so. The most likely explanation is illegal persecution. There are other possible explanations, such as a natural death or some kind of tag failure but they are considerably less likely.

The matter is now in the hands of the police.  

 

Miranda's amazing journey continues

Latest update just came through..it shows Miranda has moved north to Leahanmore in Glenveagh. 

 

Miranda flying the flag for Scot/Manx/Irish relations

 Miranda has moved north and is now near Longford. 

Not much change since last update for the others; Hattie and Grainne are settled on Langholm Moor and Blue is down in Shropshire.

Miranda first satellite tracked Langholm bird to go to Ireland

Is is so interesting watching the journeys of all four of the tagged Langholm harriers as there is still so much we don't know about them as a species. Miranda has proved to be a perfect example of that. What is driving her we still don't know but following her progress is such a privilege. 

Will Miranda settle in Ireland or keep moving,? who knows? we'll update this blog as soon as we have news.

Check out Hen Harrier Ireland Blog for some great information about the work being done in Ireland to conserve Hen Harriers. 

http://henharrierireland.blogspot.co.uk/

Satellite tag update - Miranda crosses the sea

Things are getting really interesting with the Langholm four. Blue is really keeping us guessing; after a long flight south which had us hoping for a European journey, he did a u-turn and headed north to Doncaster. He is currently Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire and we can only guess where he will be tomorrow.

Blue

Grainne and Hattie remain in the Langholm area.. which one will be the next to explore?

Miranda's trip across the sea

Miranda has surprised us all by being the first sat tagged bird to cross over the sea to the Isle of Man, a flight of 46km from her last known position. Here's some really interesting background information from Steve Murphy, Natural England:

'In 2007 we tracked five birds on the Isle of Man, all of them remained on the island. A male was tracked there for over a year and a female was tracked for two and a half years. We also fitted a handful of birds with wing tags; there were two sightings of wing tagged birds that could have been from the Isle of Man (Altcar, Mersyside and near Newcastle Airport in winter of 07/08) but these apart there is little evidence of the island exporting birds.
         The Isle of Man birds almost sedentary existence allowed us to record their daily foraging routes and roosts, unlike the English birds the young males tried to hold territory throughout the winter around where they fledged, the females went to a 'girls only' club on the Calf of Man.
Miranda headed straight for this place her first night'.

Miranda explores D&G

It looks like Blue, the young male, was just teasing us with his journey south, he has done a U-turn and headed north again, now near Newark on the River Trent.
Meanwhile Miranda, one of the females has left the Leadhills area, where she has been for a few weeks now, and has made a move south west across the region.

9th October 13:49 near Caerlaverock

9th October  14:21 Miranda moved west across Lochs Ken and Stroan before heading along the Glenkens Valley and south-west across Loch Skerrow bound for the coast.

 

Blue is on the move

 

 

With the exception of Miranda who made a move to Leadhills a few weeks ago, the four Langholm- tagged Harriers have stayed fairly close to home. On the 4th September Blue (the young male harrier) was recorded roosting near Langholm, by the 6th September he was 435km away in Wiltshire..  could this be a stop-off before making the leap over the channel? A lot of information has been learnt and is still being learnt from satellite tagging; for example the males typically move greater distances and often make that move at the end of September/ beginning of October.. Blue has done both those things, will he follow in the footsteps of another Langholm bird, McPedro, and head for Spain or remind us that nature loves to break the rules and surprise us?  Either way it is very exciting to be able to follow the journey of these young birds.

 

a previously posted map from Sept 23rd 

 

 

 

Blue 6th October

 

McPedro's return  journey in 2011