Thursday 27 March 2014
Monday 24 March 2014
Skydancing in full swing!!!
A beautiful day on Langholm moor.. began with a frosty morning serenaded by Curlew, Lapwing, Red Grouse, Skylark and Meadow Pipit, as I did a spot of ringing a the moorland bird feeding station. Lovely views of my first leveret of the season suggests spring is a little earlier than usual this year, and yet we still have Brambling at the feeders.
The stunning Hen Harrier display, began a week or so ago, tentatively at first but now two males are seen regularly full on skydancing.
These photos (taken last year by John Wright) show the intricate moves the males make when they are displaying, flying huge loops in the sky twisting and turning to attract a mate. Click on any image to see it enlarged.
If you would like an opportunity to see displaying Hen Harriers and other fantastic moorland wildlife - we are running some guided sessions over April as part of the Wild Seasons Spring Festival. Every Sunday in April 9am - 1pm . Please contact Cat Barlow on cat@langholminitiative.co.uk or 013873 80914 for details.
Please remember that Hen Harriers and other raptors are legally protected. If you watch from the roadside you will be able to get good views of them without causing any disturbance. Please be considerate when parking and keep dogs on leads - ground nesting birds are particularly sensitive to disturbance.
Thursday 20 March 2014
Latest update
Many thanks to Stephen Murphy for this update:
All is well with the trio of 2013
Langholm birds. In recent days, they have started to range further from the
roost hence home ranges (HR) are gradually expanding. Interestingly, all are
still using the same series of roosts first visited in autumn 2013. The birds
at Langholm are favouring rushy Juncus dominated areas and Miranda is roosting up in the Irish heather and
grass.
The HR’s of Miranda, Hattie and Grainne in the last 20 days were
approximately7km x 7km, 7 x 3.8km and 14.6km x 7.8km respectively. Grainne’ s range increased
significantly on the 11th of March as she ventured out of her usual
quarters and spent the afternoon on a mountainside west of Kirkstile, after
crossing the busy A7 Edinburgh road. This is approximately 8km from her favoured
roost and nearly15 km from the northern extremity of her winter range. She was
tracked active over a small area (presumably hunting) around 1500 hrs and was
back in the main roost by 18.00hrs.
It will be interesting to find out
if these 9-month old birds attempt to breed in 2014. Proportionately more young
birds bred in Bowland (2002 -2010) than in the populations studied by Balfour
and Watson. This usually involved a yearling pairing with an adult, but in
2007, a yearling pair bred successfully. The yearling females that bred were
mostly successful and surprisingly adept at rearing broods of 5 or 6, and many
of the brown male parents were excellent providers. Would these young birds get
this opportunity to breed in a stable population at carrying capacity?
We'll keep you updated with Miranda, Grainne and Hattie's progress.. Keep watching this space.
Young Harrier just before fledging Laurie Campbell |
Male Hen Harrier hunting over the moor |
We'll keep you updated with Miranda, Grainne and Hattie's progress.. Keep watching this space.
Monday 17 March 2014
Wednesday 12 March 2014
Skydancing action in the skies above Langholm moor
What an antidote to three months of miserable weather.. skydancing harriers.. !!
A couple of hours away from the funding paperwork to enjoy the moor in the sunshine today produced superb views of both male and female Harriers and a sprinkling of Merlin.
many thanks to John Wright for these images |
Just as I left I was lucky enough to get close views of a male harrier hunting and catching a vole.
I'd like to give a great big welcome to the seasonal RSPB staff joining the LMDP this year, Kirsty Hazelwood and Anna McWilliam, looking forward to working with you.
Langholm Harriers
Many thanks To Barry O'Donaghue for this update
'Nothing new or startling to report in terms of the movements of
the young Hen Harriers being tracked across Britain and Ireland – all are at
their usual locations in Cork, Mayo and Langholm. The tags on all four birds -
Heather, Miranda, Hattie and GrĂ¡inne are transmitting data as I write and are
showing the birds to move around in their usual haunts. The weather today is crisp and bright,
wonderful for powering up the solar panels. With the longer days and hopefully
improving weather, we should get data in consistently, all going well.
These weeks are exciting! Any time now they could move to breeding
mode. In Ireland we can generally expect to see Sky Dancing from as early as
Saint Patrick’s Day if we get the weather. In fact I’ve had sky dancing at
roosts in January and February but Saint Patrick’s Day normally marks the start
of a new breeding season in Ireland at least. Birds may continue to remain at
normal time roosts for as long as they want, but generally these roosts are
exited by the early parts of April (unless the roost is also a breeding site)'.
Miranda, Grainne and Hattie 12th March 2014 |
Male Hen Harrier (John Wright) |
No signs of skydancing yet but we are waiting eagerly..
Monday 10 March 2014
A beautiful sunny spring day on Langholm moor
I heard today that we had passed 100 consecutive days of rain in Langholm, well that is not all that unusual to be honest, but it does make you appreciate the sun when it finally reappears.
Up on the moor today, blue skies, barely a breath of wind surrounded by the sights and sounds of spring: Lapwing and Curlew making the first tentative displays, my first bumble bee of the season, the chuckle of Grouse and a fleeting view of a harrier.. heaven, just heaven.
Frog spawn, no longer a novelty (but still a delight) fills every puddle and the first signs of tadpoles forming can be seen.
We've been busy getting some new Barn owl boxes up on the moorland edge, and our first pair is on three eggs already.
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