Hi Everyone, and welcome to the very first RSPB Geltsdale hen harrier blog. My name’s Pete Howard, and I’m the Hen Harrier Warden here on the reserve. I’ll be posting most of our blogs (with maybe a stunt-double or two helping out when I’m not here!).
Geltsdale is situated in the northwest corner of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and with its mix of heather moorland, valley woodland and farmland it’s a wonderful place to see a wide range of special breeding birds. Such diverse species as black grouse, ring ouzel, cuckoo, grasshopper warbler, short-eared owl, barn owl, golden plover, redshank, spotted flycatcher, dipper and merlin all thrive on the reserve. It is also now the only regular breeding site for hen harriers in the North Pennines. Frustratingly, however, there has not been a nest here for the last two years, despite good numbers of harriers foraging and prospecting on the moorland during the spring, and territory-holding birds in both years. This year we really hope that birds will get the chance to settle and pair on the moors and successfully raise a family or two.
Throughout the spring I’ll be working with a team of three other full-time hen harrier assistants, other Geltsdale reserve staff, and a group of dedicated local volunteers. Together we’ll be patrolling and watching the moors in order to find and protect any nesting hen harriers here. The early signs are very promising. There have been up to six birds roosting in the lower-lying surrounding area since the New Year. And in the week or so since the Big Thaw, two or three birds have already been observed checking out potential breeding grounds higher up on the Geltsdale Fells. We’re also using radio-tracking equipment to locate young hen harriers that were tagged on Bowland and in Tynedale last summer – these birds could certainly turn up here in the next couple of weeks, if past years are anything to go by. So more news as and when…
Sadly the majestic hen harrier is on the verge of extinction as a breeding species in England, and this despite being given the highest level of legal protection. Shockingly, it is one of the many species of raptor that remain the target of ruthless illegal persecution. To find out more (and ways to help) please see the link to the Bird of prey campaign on the home page.
If you’re lucky enough to spot a hen harrier, then please call the RSPB Harrier hotline on 0845-4600121, giving a date and location (grid reference if possible) for your sighting. You may also e-mail the information to henharriers@rspb.org.uk. This will help us to protect this wonderful bird.