Watching the moorland skies

The weather couldn't have been much worse for our first D&G Wild Spring event at Langholm - 'Watching the Moorland Skies'. The morning began with thick fog down to the ground which didn't bode well! Understandably most folk had decided to not venture out onto the moor so our group was not vast.  The intrepid few that ventured out onto the moor this morning were rewarded with fantastic views of a whole suite of raptors. The calls of Curlew, Golden Plover, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Red Grouse serenaded us in the thick fog as we waited for conditions to improve. For a while I thought this northern eggar caterpillar may be the only thing we saw.
I have since been reliably been informed that this is a drinker moth caterpillar (apologies for my inaccurate ID).

 

 

 At last a brief glimpse of a male hen harrier hunting over the heather, but so fleeting, not everyone saw him. In between the waves of think fog and heavy rain that swept across the moor we (and the birds) made the most of the brief interludes of brightness. The Harriers didn't disappoint and we had excellent views of male and female, at one point Skydancing together .. superb! Short Eared Owl, Red Kite and Buzzard all put in appearances over the morning and Merlin. Fantastic morning