Well, the seasons' wheel has turned and here we are again in North Tynedale, Northumberland, still waiting and watching in eager (and, if the truth be told, nervous) anticipation for the establishment of a pair of hen harriers with procreation on their minds. A few dedicated, expert RSPB volunteers and myself monitor the site every day. We watch covertly from high points at least 1 km away from all previous nest locations. Over the time of first arrivals and courtship the birds are extremely wary and sensitive so that, as much as humanly possible, we want to see without being seen. Like trying to sell a house, any perceived sense of threat or disturbance in the neighbourhood could all too easily dissuade the interested parties.
The volunteers' diligence was first rewarded this year on Saturday 12 March when local stalwart Joanna Dailey provided the team with the first sighting of the season: an adult female in from the southeast and rising up over the very ground where previous nests were located. For the watchers, the best possible morale-booster. The local female peregrine seemed non too pleased though. A tussle ensued until the harrier headed off to the south. On the following Monday, the warmest day of the year to that date brought me a second sighting, again of an adult female, this time foraging over flat, open rough country just over 1 km from the traditional nesting ground. Males usually do the prospecting first, as witnessed here last year, but it was relatively early in the breeding cycle and, given the potential suitability of so much of Northumberland, those precious few males have a heck of lot of ground to cover.
Not until March 22 did the first male of the year drop in. I had in the morning both goshawk and buzzard displaying at distance and had heard occasional peregrine alarm calls, but it wasn't until I was getting ready to leave at 17.20 that I clocked a pristine adult male sitting on a fence post less than 200m from the 2007 and 2008 nest locations. Just my luck that I had arranged a volunteers' get-together in a local tavern for which I had to be there at 18.00. The news kick-started an excellent evening, while for the next few days of monitoring the unfavorable weather went unnoticed in our excitement and anticipation of a hen harrier holding territory. Unfortunately, our great expectations were thwarted by his failure to reappear. Such is life.
Small birds do very well here, especially meadow pipits, skylarks, chaffinches, crossbills, siskins, willow warblers and tits. There are also signs that field vole numbers are buoyant this year. So, the larder is well stocked, the real-estate is prime and has caught the eye of at least one female, and the weather favorable. All that's left to say at this stage is: come on lad, where are you?