A reader of this blog was pleased to see a male Hen Harrier pictured on this Environment Agency sign on the Jubilee river (which is the flood prevention scheme near Slough – of all places). It would be possible to see a Hen Harrier near there in winter but it would be a good record.
This got Mike Coker and me wondering where is the most unlikely place that you have seen a Hen Harrier depicted? And can you send a photograph please? My own entry will appear on this blog at 18:00 this evening – another ghostly white male floating over the landscape.
Come to think of it, what is the most unlikely place that you have ever seen a live Hen Harrier? I saw a couple from my office window at the Lodge once, but more recently I would, if I could, but I can’t, nominate the Scottish grouse moor where a male Hen Harrier flew over Henry and me. Best not to mention where it was I think.
And if anyone has a photo of the hand-written sign, allegedly seen attached to the Forest of Bowland sign near Abbeystead, which said ‘Twinned with Malta’ then I’d love to see that too.
[registration_form]
At least the pike has a good chance of being found in a reedbed near Slough. In the 90s the EA “newspaper” (where they outed everyone they had successfully prosecuted since the last edition) proudly displayed a Coho salmon on the footer. Until they were asked why this should be.
I’m not sure that any of us should be publicising the whereabouts of our sightings of Hen Harriers right now. I remember, two years ago, out birding with Alan Davies & Ruth Miller in North Wales, we spotted a pair of HHs and were advised by them not to tweet or FB our location (which I was excitedly about to do)! A sad state of affairs.
Anne – sad indeed. I wonder whether you saw Hen Harriers at the same place (or one of them) described in Inglorious (out on 30 July)? I have described the sites as the Lake Site and Valley Site which I thought was fairly safe for Wales – a land of lakes and valleys! We could whisper together where we each saw them next time we meet – after checking for anyone who looks like he prefers grouse to harriers.
Around 20 years ago I saw a male hen harrier in the grounds of Brodick Castle on Arran. Not particularly surprising, though very welcome, but it drifted low across the large Tarmac car park one evening and it did look a bit surreal. I shall always remember it.