Everything is quiet on the Harrier front

No major movements by any of the Langholm girls in the last couple of weeks, Annie is still favouring the area to the west of Moffat and Grainne and Hattie are still content with the Langholm - Newcastleton Hills.

a short video taken today of a juvenile female Hen Harrier at Langholm..

Annie visits a big forest with a tiny name

Until recently Annie was staying put in her favoured spot in South Lanarkshire but in the last 5 days has made a move south to the big forest with a tiny name - Ae Forest.  Annie has moved about 13km  south back in to her home region of Dumfries & Galloway  and has been exploring an area about 20km north of Dumfries.

Annie, Grainne & Hattie's movements 8th - 15th October

No change for Hattie and Grainne, staying home on Langholm moor.



Hattie and Grainne

Sad day - No signal from Sid

Sid was the name given to a young male Hen Harrier that was tagged on the 3rd July 2014 and fledged his nest on Langholm moor a few days later.

 

 

Sid's last journey

 

 

After the last blog post, when Sid's tag showed his journey south to near Hawes, North Yorkshire, a comment was left on our facebook page about fear for the safety of the harriers once they left the boundaries of the Langholm Moor. A fear I shared, if only they could stay within the confines of the moor where so many pairs of eyes are watching over them. Hattie and Grainne, two female harriers that fledged (and were tagged) in 2013, who both stayed all last winter and bred here at Langholm this year, are the exception.

 

 The journeys the young harriers take is an exciting aspect of their lives for us to follow but also the most dangerous for them. The natural risks faced by the young harriers, in their first winter particularly, are high, not to mention the added risks created by humans.

 

The last map I shared on this blog of Sid's movements was his last. Sid's tag has ceased to signal. The police have been informed and the area of the last known signal has been searched. The area of the last signal is mainly white-moor (Molinia grass), there are areas managed for grouse to the North and East. The area has been searched but no signs of Sid or his tag were found. There were signs of foxes in the area (sighting of foxes, scats etc) so there is potential that Sid was predated as he roosted but no direct evidence for that. Sadly I don't have a great deal more information to share, if  I do I'll post it here.

 

 Annie, Hattie and Grainne are all transmitting as normal.



Hattie, Grainne, Annie 2nd October