David Hunt is one of two Assistant Investigations Officers employed by RSPB's Hen Harrier LIFE Project to support the conservation and protection of this species. Here he reflects on the 2016 breeding season and shares some of his thoughts and experiences of watching over these beautiful birds.
I always think that August is a month when the hill seems to breathe again. The hustle bustle of the busy upland bird breeding season has ground to a halt and all becomes quiet again. This was apparent as I slipped out from the forest edge and stopped to survey the now purple heather-tinged hill, the only noise coming from the wind rippling through the swathes of slowly browning bracken. Not far out onto the hill to my delight, a young female Hen Harrier, complete with a brand new satellite tag on her back gave me a brief squeak before lifting over me and disappearing over the brow. Shortly after, her brother, looking equally dapper with his new satellite tag jumped up from in front of me, cast a watchful eye over my figure and headed off in search of his sister over the hill. The peaceful silence of the hill briefly interrupted by the effortless beating of wings as the two harriers drifted over my head.
Female hen harrier in flight. (Photo: Mark Thomas)
This, unfortunately, is all too rare an experience in England. 2016 has been yet another year of Hen Harriers appearing in the news for a variety of reasons; the disappearance of one of 2014's star birds, Highlander in the spring, the publication DEFRA Hen Harrier Action Plan and our recent withdrawal of support for it and a grand total of three nesting attempts in England. It is, however, the three successful nesting attempts that I want to focus on. What with the politics of the species often dominating the picture, it is easy to forget sometimes that, although small in number, these birds do exist and aren’t just a depressing statistic. These beautiful birds, far out on the hill, are completely unaware of the battle to save them as an English breeding bird. And we need reminding of them.
Female hen harrier and chicks. (Photo: James Leonard)
The majority of my work in the RSPB Investigations Team unfortunately involves dealing with the fallout of the continuing persecution of British birds of prey in the uplands. 2016 has been no different. The video that emerged of a camouflaged armed man with a hen harrier decoy in the Peak District and the discovery of three set pole traps in an area of the Yorkshire Dales, close to where a female Hen Harrier had been seen, both stark reminders of the continuing battle that the species faces in our uplands.
Stills of film footage showing an armed man with a hen harrier decoy in the Peak District earlier this year.
The season started with the usual pulse of optimism and preparation of all the resources I would need at my disposal for the long summer months. A trickle of Hen Harrier sightings, with the odd bout of skydancing though provided a timely reminder of just how far this ghostly hunter of our hills has fallen. So the relief was palpable when first one and then two pairs settled down on Forestry Commission land in Northumberland, swiftly followed by the icing on the (albeit fairly small) cake, a pair on our wonderful RSPB reserve at Geltsdale in Cumbria. Three pairs. OK, hardly cause for celebration, but each pair of these birds should be celebrated regardless of how many, or few there are, because they’re fantastic.
Success stories can often seem few and far between in my line of work, so seeing all three of the English Hen Harrier nesting attempts through from start to finish this year has been a real privilege.
Hen harrier tustle. (Photo: Mike Davenport)
Sitting in the heather, with the ‘siiip siiip’ of Meadow Pipits echoing around me, the unmistakable silvery grey outline of a male Hen Harrier whips across the fell. He’s on a mission. Within a matter of seconds, the female harrier is up off the nest, willing her partner to drop his catch. After a brief bout of acrobatics, the male meanders off and alights on a fencepost, his chores complete for now, affording me stunning views. A dazzling white beacon in the sunshine. The female finishes her lunch and has a brief rest on a nearby rock before winding her way back to her nest and dropping down out of sight to continue her expectant mother duties. The male has a brief preen and scan of the surrounding hillside before he’s off over the brow in search of the next meal. Perhaps sneaking in a Meadow Pipit snack for himself before he’s due back with the next catch. An intimate snapshot into the daily activities of England’s rarest bird of prey.
Satellite tagged on RSPB's Geltsdale reserve, Bonny was one of only seven hen harrier chicks to fledge in England this year. (Photo: Mark Thomas)
The summer progresses and thoughts turn to the class of 2016; 7 English Hen Harrier chicks ready to fledge the nest and face the world. A lot of hard work went into the monitoring of these pairs and the Northumberland Hen Harrier Partnership and all the staff at RSPB Geltsdale deserve an immense amount of praise for their work in ensuring the successful outcome of each nest.
My work with the harriers at the breeding sites may be over for another year but in many ways the real challenge is just beginning. After a brief interlude, thoughts will turn again to the harriers winging their way into their remote winter roosts in near darkness and the constant tracking of our satellite tagged birds on their travels. Each log in to view the data on my laptop is met with a feeling of nervous excitement as I check where the day has taken them this time.
2017 will inevitably bring new challenges in the world of the Hen Harriers and we will continue to do our utmost in support of the species. For the time being though, the 2 recently fledged harriers which just lifted over my head are away to make their mark on the upland landscape and all is quiet on the hill again. I make my way back through the rippling bracken and slip back into the forest.
You can follow the fortunes of this year's satellite tagged hen harriers online by visiting www.rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife or @RSPB_Skydancer.