Langholm Harrier update

4th September

A couple of stunning shots of the moody skies over Langholm by local photographer Tom Hutton.


Langholm hills Tom Hutton



Langholm Monument Tom Hutton

Hattie and Grainne are staying home

Since fledging from nests in summer 2013 Hattie and Grainne have not wandered far from the moor.  Typically as the weather gets colder in the autumn and their avian prey moves to lower ground, so do to the harriers. The winter of 2013/2014 was very mild and this could have influenced Hattie and Grainne to stay on the moor rather than move away as we might expect.   Hattie and Grainne are running true to form at the moment and have remained on the moor since raising their broods this season, but whether that could change if the weather turns colder .. we'll have to wait and see.

Annie (Grainne's daughter - female fledged 2014)

Annie's return home to Langholm moor in mid August was brief. After just a day or so Annie flew north West towards Tweedsmuir  near where she had visited earlier in August and then onto Wintercleugh, South Lanarkshire. It would be so interesting to know what is driving Annie to explore when her mother, Grainne, has never left Langholm moor.

Annie's movements 17th August - 9th September

Sid

 Sid is the young male harrier that was tagged in July 2014 on Langholm. Many thanks to RSPB for this data. It is great to know Sid is alive and well and has been spending much of his last month or so on the east side of the moor near Newcastleton and venturing east over the border into Northumberland towards Keilder. In the past it has typically been the male birds that have ventured further afield (for example McPedro, who wintered in Spain) but so far Sid is staying fairly close to home. 

Sid's movements in the second half of August (blue dots)

Miranda

Miranda is proving to be a real Enigma.  After sporadic data transmissions over the winter (likely due to poor weather conditions) it is several weeks now since data was last received from her tag. Colleagues in Ireland have done great work in trying to locate her, and there were some potential sightings of Miranda  around 10 days after that last transmission. I'm told it is possible that moulting feathers may be covering the solar panel on the tag interferring with recharging, if we hear more or if  her tag begins to signal again we'll post here.

 If you enjoy following the movements of the satellite tagged Langholm harriers you now have the opportunity to do the same with tagged harriers at Bowland   http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/skydancer/b/skydancer/default.aspx   and Peak District   http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/thewildlifetrustsblogger/2014/09/04/return-hen-harrier.