Today's sightings-Pallid Harrier
Pallid Harrier by Martin McGill WWT 3rd April 2012 Pallid Harrier At 16.15 yesterday afternoon both Martin and I were working in the 100 Acre replacing a gate. Our attention was drawn by a Her [...]
Pallid Harrier by Martin McGill WWT 3rd April 2012
Pallid Harrier
At 16.15 yesterday afternoon both Martin and I were working in the 100 Acre replacing a gate. Our attention was drawn by a Herring Gull yelping and chasing a raptor across the Bull Ground behind us. We couldn’t believe it when we saw it was chasing a stunning male grey Harrier at close range. It was pouring with rain and the Harrier kept very low to the ground as it headed up the reserve. I automatically assumed it was a Hen Harrier as one had been seen near by a few days before, and we are in Gloucestershire not Cyprus. But Martin was constantly shouting out while he was watching the bird that it lacked a dark trailing edge to the wing, and that it had only a small amount of black on the wing tip. He also kept saying about the shape of the black on the under wing looked like a Pallid Harrier. The bird was very pale grey almost white especially under parts with no real contrast on the face. It also had a small white rump with a faint barred tail. It was in immaculate plumage and was 100% and adult. After several minutes the harrier made it to the far end of our reserve and dipped over the sea wall. I then put out news that we had just seen a Hen Harrier. But Martin was convinced that we had seen a Pallid, wait till you look in a book and see my photos he said. Sure enough when I looked in the book it was clearly a male Pallid Harrier that we had just been watching. Although by the time Martin got his camera the bird was now distant, But the photographs show the distinctive under wing pattern. This is the first record for Gloucestershire.
Pallid Harriers are a very rare passage migrant to the UK they winter in Africa and breed in areas like Kazakhstan.
Car Park
Wheatear 1 male
Chiffchaff 3
Blackcap 1
The Rushy
Lesser Scaup 1
House Martin 1 (First of the year)
Sand Martin 5
South Lake
Swallow 2
Sand Martin 20+
Willow Warbler 1
Black-tailed Godwit 127
Ruiff 2
Redshank 7
Avocet 2
Oystercatcher 4
Great-crested Grebe 2
Holden Tower
Grey Plover 12
Holden Walkway
Willow Warbler 2
Chiffchaff 4
Blackcap 2
The Zeiss Hide
Avocet 1
Water Rail 2
Shoveler 20
Teal 33
Shelduck 37
