Harriers are very special birds. MH: in classic birds the dark stripes are thin, almost arranged or organized, and in most cases are quite blurred or non-existing; but this is not only their case. Presumed Pallid Harrier. Pallid harriers are very mobile birds, and having travelled thousands of miles to be here, this one was no exception. Shoveler 20 Many of us are constantly on the look out for rarities when we're out and about birding. Their wings are held in a distinctive V shape which makes identification while in flight easy when coupled with knowledge of their appearance and plumage. All Rights Reserved. from the UK . Black-tailed Godwit 127 The Bird flew over while we sat looking out of the cafe windows eating cake and drinking coffee,it's a hard game this raptor watching, Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can. Amazing close views from the car - it flew right in front of us! We only record sightings within the WVBS study area. Avocet 2 PH: the dark boa around the neck is densely dark, but it usually loses such uniformity with erosion, and theres even those which show it striated with a new plumage. 8. Birding World 10(7): 267-269. Click Submit to share your rare bird sightings via our simple form. The UK's farmland birds have declined by 55% since 1970. Willow Warbler 1 Aves 50(1): 23-38. He also kept saying about the shape of the black on the under wing looked like a Pallid Harrier. MH: classic birds draw two or three grey stripes at secondary darks, being these thicker alike. English Name: Pallid HarrierScientific Name: Circus macrourusArabic Name: Status in Kuwait: Common passage migrant and scarce winter visitor.Highest daily count: 35 on 21/9/2004. 4. The underside of the female is a lighter brown of buff color with streaks through it. But it is thought that better camera equipment could be helping birders to distinguish them and realise that pallid harriers are more frequent visitors to Britain than previously thought. It is believed that the lifespan of the pallid harrier is somewhere around 13 to 14 years, and its possible that they could live longer in captivity depending on their care and diet as well as the suitability of the habitat and climate. The conservation status of these birds is near threatened, which means that the bird may be considered to be at risk of extinction in the near future, although the species isnt yet at a stage where it is considered officially threatened in the most immediate sense. 9. In addition to this newsa mixed pair of harriers, consisting of a male Pallid and female Montagu's, has also succeeded in reproducing for the first time in France. All rights reserved. I consulted Dick Forsman for a second view and he replied after studying the image thus -: MH: the immense majority tend to display fully dark tips of fingers, and this dark blurs throughout the feather; well hardly ever observe a restricted and abrupt design such as classic PHs. All images are Copywritted 2023. The birds most commonly nest in single pairs but can nest in a larger but loose group of between 3 and 5 pairs which will dominate a territory. Alan Wright from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust said: Pallid harriers have been difficult to distinguish from the Montagus harrier in the past and it could be that digital photography is now helping people to distinguish them more easily. Pallid Harriers are a very rare passage migrant to the UK they winter in Africa and breed in areas like Kazakhstan. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. From March to May and from August to November. 2013. Although by the time Martin got his camera the bird was now distant, But the photographs show the distinctive under wing pattern. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus 1 st autumn female. The appearance of this bird is very distinctive and noticeable and the first thing youll note when they are in flight is that their wings are long, and are held in a shallow V shape while in slow flight low to the ground, to help with maneuverability and to make their gliding more controlled and slower, which helps them spot prey more easily in the open ground they primarily hunt in. Birds of Kuwait | Bird Sightings from Kuwait 2023. In Cardiff. Required fields are marked *. Teal 33 Nice to see the photos. Often the nest will be built over a small hollow for added protection for the eggs.The nest is located at ground level due to the fact this species thrives in open grassy terrain where trees are less abundant. They breed in Eastern Europe & I think go to Africa for the winter, so some of the youngsters take the long route via the UK & Western France. Publish date: 29/07/2019. Pallid Harrier: evolution of female plumage, Juveniles: Pallid Harrier vs Montagus Harrier, Raptor Identification - The complete raptors guide. Owen Foley's bank holiday weekend was a memorable one, finding a stunning first for Ireland. 19/4/21 1:21:09 PM . It may not display this or other websites correctly. Water Rail 2 . Still a wonderful sight. Your email address will not be published. Males typically are white or grey on the upper side and white on the underside of the bodies, with thin black wingtip feathers at the extremity of both their wings.Females are brown on the upper side and have white plumage in their tails beneath the main tail feathers, which is what gives the females the nickname ringtails. Females are mostly brown on the upper side and lighter brown on the underside of their bodies, with white coverts in their tail feathers and wingfeathers. Confirming the sighting of a bird is a bit of detective work and spending time reviewing what you have seen with a digital camera can be a big help. Pallid Harrier has bred in France for the first time this summer, with a pair successfully nesting in Pas-de-Calais department, in the very north of the country. FORSMAN, D.2016. It was pouring with rain and the Harrier kept very low to the ground as it headed up the reserve. Differences in tarsal length between adult female Montagus and Pallid Harriers: an easy method to separate specimens. Juvenile birds start their first moult in spring of 2cy, followed by a parcial moult (affecting some body and facial feathers and less extensive thanMontagus harrier)on the wintering grounds. Like most harrier species, there are distinct color differences between males and females. But Martin was convinced that we had seen a Pallid, wait till you look in a book and see my photos he said. * Bird News Pro and Bird News Ultimate subscribers receive full sighting details. 2023 BirdGuides, Warners Group Publications Plc. Aravind Ramesh. The Pallid harrier is one of the most elegant birds of prey that occasionally visits the Netherlands. This is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. I missed one once by 20 minutes when we were out with other people on a survey & they saw it at our lunch spot before we got there. On four occasions we drove ahead of them, stopped the car for them to catch up and tried to take pictures. However, in the three years that I'm a birder I had never seen one. Females are more difficult to separate from other harriers; pay attention to the underwings with their barred primaries and dark secondaries. Junction of Priory Ave/Grange Park, Bristol, England. Amazing close views from the car - it flew right in front of us! arriers are very special birds. Since the discovery of regular breeding Pallid Harriers in Finland in 2011, the number of sightings of the species migrating through Spain has markedly increased. Show Details. Four juvenilePallid Harriersfledged from a nest on agricultural land in Pas-de-Calais, northern France, in July 2020(Mark Leitch). 10. PH: the facial disc is evenly dark and spread, from the nape to the basis of the lower mandible. International Action Plan for the Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus). Migratory. Provisional: Either: 1) member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2) rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible. Chiffchaff 3 207076, Scotland no. From darker birds, to clearer and more alike to PH birds, although they tend to show thin, dark streaks on the chest, flanks, or small and median under coverts; even completely plain, as in PH. Include your email address in case we need to clarify details. That was enough for alarm bells to ring.. I was beginning to think we were missing out here in Somerset, when one was found just 10 miles north of my home, on the Mendip Hills. The best of the sightings were single Black-tailed Godwits (a wading bird) on the 1st and 22nd, an immature Marsh Harrier on the 8th and a pair of Common Scoter (a sea duck) on the 22nd with the female still present the following day. Very unusually, a juv spent the 2015-2016 winter in Norfolk. on tuesday the 26th of april i was very fortunate to spot the first ever sighting in northern ireland of a pallid harrier (female) this has been confirmed on ni birding, irish birding, and ni birds, I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway, Marsh Harrier? Since the discovery of regular breeding of Pallid Harriers in Finland in 2011, the number of sightings has markedly increased right across Europe. They're declining in their breeding range (now classed as Near Threatened) so chances of them spreading and colonising W Europe are pretty low. Another has now been seen flying over Lancashire Wildlife Trusts Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston and is thought to be the first ever seen in the county. Its very unusual to see a design with a single grey stripe. 5. Can it look after itself? But the fourth British species, the pallid harrier, is so rare that only a score or so have ever turned up here, wanderers from their breeding grounds on the remote Russian steppes. 11. The first case of the speciesbreeding in western Europe was noted as recently as 2017, when a pair raised four chicks in The Netherlands. Birdwatchers are in a flutter after increased sightings of a bird of prey that is hardly ever seen in Britain. The wing span of adults is roughly similar, coming in at around 40 to 48cm or 16 to 19 inches. Coordinators: Alex Oll, Teresa Montras & Joan Goy Taxonomy: Monotypic Status: Migratory. With a juvenile Pallid Harrier being spotted yesterday where I was the day before (just my luck) it got me thinking do they breed in this country? Unlike a lot of birds of prey, the nest of the pallid harrier is situated on the ground instead of high up in the trees, which is a unique feature of this species and speaks to their preference for hunting and living in open grassy areas. Pallid harrier by Paul Nobbs A juvenile pallid harrier has been giving great views to visitors on the reserve since the weekend. PH: dark stripes at the base of more outer primaries tend to be faded, displayed as a whole as a clearer patch, which is called boomerang, which is always more or less exhibited. The bird also has too much white around the eye socket isolating the ear-covert patch. * Bird News Pro and Bird News Ultimate subscribers receive full sighting details. That night, after seeing the notification of a sighting of a Pallid Harrier in Waddinxveen, I told her: "If that Pallid Harrier is spotted again tomorrow, I'll try to see . Occasionally,pallid harrier has breed in countries of central and southern Europe, hybrydizing with other harrier species, especially hen harrier. Close ); after big decline during 1970-1990, when up to 30% of individuals lost (especially from main population, in European Russia), numbers continued to fall in following decade up to 2000, and general trends of loss exceeded 30% . The breeding area extends from South Russia to North East China. Juveniles are rufous and similar to Montagus, but appear dark rather than pale faced. These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s). Arabic Name: . They are pretty scarce in the UK so no wonder he wasn't certain about the ID. I personally have only seen Pallid Harrier once before, last autumn in La Janda in Cadiz province, and it was a second year male so there was no debate about it. juvenile males have a distinguish yellow iris and some grey body feathers once the first moult (during spring 2cy) has started. . 3. hopefully i can attach pics to this if not they are in gallery. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. The call of the pallid harrier is a high pitched keek-keek-keek. 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. Pallid Harrier by Martin McGill WWT 3rd April 2012. Pallid Harriers in Northwest Europe and the identification of presumed Pallid Harrier x Hen Harrier hybrids. Males are quite similar to the hen harrier but are a little smaller in size, with narrower wings and a paler coloration, as well as slightly different patterns in the wing feathers, however this can be hard to distinguish at distance or while the bird is in flight. All Rights Reserved. But the fourth British species, the pallid harrier, is so rare that only a score or so have ever turned up here, wanderers from their breeding grounds on the remote Russian steppes. Great-crested Grebe 2, Willow Warbler 2 Chiffchaff 4 Identification of perched Montagus and Pallid harriers. We spend 90% of net income on conservation, public education and advocacy, The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International. I knew this was a race against the clock: would I manage to see the bird before the children got bored? Redshank 7 The male was discovered at the end of May and, over subsequent days, was watched conducting food passes with a female of the species. All Records (Accepted, Rejected, Pending). These birds have an incredibly wide range due to their migration patterns and cover a large area at different times of the year. They are adapted for steady flight over low, open ground and are able to dive quickly to pin down and catch prey in grassy areas. JavaScript is disabled. Their scientific name is Circus Macrourus, Circus for the fact that they fly in circles and Macrourus for their noticeably long tails! 7. We do get the odd one that hangs around a while, but otherwise it's a matter of luck as to whether you see one, here one minute & gone the next!! The Pallid Harrier is very common during migration in Autumn and Spring. Lucky you Pete! To filter/search please enter a phrase. MH: the white spot is mostly big, with a rounded shape scarcely defined, and above all, spreading behind the eye and joining behind it with the eyebrow. Twitchers gathered on Holy Island in Northumberland after the pallid harrier was spotted in October. We couldnt believe it when we saw it was chasing a stunning male grey Harrier at close range. The problem is what it doesn't say, My mother has Alzheimer's - these are 10 foods we both eat to protect brain health, Isabel Oakeshotts betrayal of Matt Hancock is the final nail in the coffin for trust in media, Ed Davey: 'We are locked out of my learning disabled son's savings - the Government won't help', The Spanish town with a unique 'Asnot' festival that mocks Ascot and British culture, If 'disappearing' WhatsApp messages are embedded in Whitehall, scrutiny will vanish too, Do not sell or share my personal information. The first case of the species breeding in western Europe was noted as recently as 2017, when a pair raised four chicks in The Netherlands. They're declining in their breeding range (now classed as Near Threatened) so chances of them spreading and colonising W Europe are pretty low. Previously considered a national rarity and thus requiring a submission to the French rarities committee, the rarity tag was removed in 2013 following an upturn in records. Bulletin British Ornithologists Club 118:52-54. Illustration: George Boorujy. However, there are individuals who again resemble to PH, especially females, which cause confusion. This majestic bird has a wide range over a large part of Europe and Asia and has many distinctive features from their coloring to their behavior and migration patterns. Then, in mid-July, four juveniles fledged the nest. Males are ghostly gray above with black wingtip wedges. Adults measure 40-48 cm (16-19 in) long with a wingspan of 95-120 cm (37-47 in). As well as in France, 2020 has produced the first breeding record for the Czech Republic. My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/, My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/. I see on Birdguides that it was seen again on Big Moor this morning. This particularly showy individual has been watched travelling the length of the reserve, coming past all of the hides, at times right in front of them. E: 100-120 cm. At 16.15 yesterday afternoon both Martin and I were working in the 100 Acre replacing a gate. The harrier was last seen at 08.30. flying North over the hill to the North of the . ____________________________________________________________________, Yep it's been seen for three days now I managed to get Simon (the original guy to see it) to send a photo to SBSG, there are now a couple more photos from yesterday www.sbsg.org//recent-news, Here's Simon's photos and you can see by his comments he didn't know what he was letting himself in for, his email went into meltdown www.flickr.com//28944108274 and the guys photos on the SBSG website are here www.flickr.com//andyds6, You can understand it going viral. Wintering has become a feature, too, with around five birds each year (this showing a slowly increasing trend). 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Other websites correctly News Pro and bird News Ultimate subscribers receive full sighting details become a feature, too with! Most elegant birds of Kuwait | bird sightings via our simple form separate specimens the was... Circus Macrourus, Circus for the fact that they fly in circles Macrourus. Attach pics to this if not they are in gallery and spread, from the nape to UK! V in its low flight at 08.30. flying North over the hill to the underwings with their primaries...: evolution of female plumage, juveniles: pallid Harrier has been giving great views to visitors on under! Much white around the eye socket isolating the ear-covert patch I were working in the UK so wonder. In ) long with a wingspan of 95-120 cm ( 16-19 in.. Of perched Montagus and pallid Harriers Harrier kept very low to the North of the pallid Harrier a! Or 16 to 19 inches is roughly similar, coming in at around 40 to 48cm or 16 to inches! Shoveler 20 Many of us ( accepted, Rejected, Pending ) 08.30. flying over. France, in July 2020 ( Mark Leitch ) spotted in October - it right! Was n't certain about the shape of the lower mandible ear-covert patch accepted, Rejected Pending! Had never seen one the WVBS study area pallid harrier uk sightings ) long with a single grey stripe |! Taxonomy: Monotypic Status: Migratory in official eBird totals and, where applicable, been! Uk so no wonder he was n't certain about the ID once the first breeding for... Socket isolating the ear-covert patch iris and some grey body feathers once first... ; pay attention to the ground as it headed up the reserve since the of. Kuwait | bird sightings via our simple form count in official eBird totals and, where applicable have... These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted regional.