The latest sighting details and map for Pallid Harrier are only available to our BirdGuides Ultimate or our BirdGuides Pro subscribers. A resource for Birders, Twitchers and casual Bird Watchers. English Name: Pallid Harrier. Recentmently, the population of Western Russia has expanded towards Scandinavia, with a small contingent now found in Finland, leading to a new migratory route through Western Europe with wintering grounds in the Iberian peninsula and Morocco. Wheatear 1 male But Martin was constantly shouting out while he was watching the bird that it lacked a dark trailing edge to the wing, and that it had only a small amount of black on the wing tip. Yet during my lifetime the pallid harrier has gone from being one of our rarest birds to a reasonably regular visitor, extending its breeding range westwards to Germany and Scandinavia. 14 Feb 2023. PH: in new plumage, the general body colouring has an orange tone, brighter than MH, and with no streaks on the chest, flanks or under coverts. Pallid Harrier breeds in Spain for first time. The primary prey of the pallid harrier is insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, worms and flies, however the bird is also capable of hunting small birds such as larks as well as small mammals that live in grassy areas such as mice, voles, rats and even lizards in some habitats. A nest was built in a wheat field in a largely agricultural landscape, in what is the closest French department to England. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. Coordinators: Alex Oll, Teresa Montras & Joan Goy. species 213. More rarely they show two clear stripes alike. Field identification of female and juvenile Montagus and Pallid Harriers. Migratory. When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". 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. 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. Click Submit to share your rare bird sightings via our simple form. Weight:235-415 g.,400-550 g. Longevity: < 15 years old. The status of Pallid Harrierhas rapidly changed in France in recent years. MH: the classic specimens dont show a prominent collar, but some do, especially if they have spread and uniform dark facial disk or the boa. Is it too much to hope that soon we may even see pallid harrier nesting here in Britain? CLARK W.S. Females are more difficult to separate from other harriers; pay attention to the underwings with their barred primaries and dark secondaries. Comprehensive life histories for all bird species and families. 2013. The pallid harrier breeds in Ukraine and Russia and spends most of the winter in Africa or India, and is a rare visitor to Western Europe. 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. MH: the boa is mostly striated and blurred, barely prominent. Its very unusual to see a design with a single grey stripe. CLARK W.S., CLARKE R. 1998. Shoveler 20 Free, global bird ID and field guide app powered by your sightings and media. 1997. 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. Pallid Harriers are a very rare passage migrant to the UK they winter in Africa and breed in areas like Kazakhstan. 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. I knew this was a race against the clock: would I manage to see the bird before the children got bored? We revelled in our Twitter glory as we announced that we had just found a Pallid harrier on a sea watch in Scotland - not something very many birders can say. Is it the same Harrier as seen in the South earlier in the week? 3. 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. I was very lucky to see it. 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 . Yellow-browed Warbler. I could easily see the striking head pattern, in particular a really obvious pale collar, he said. 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. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals. E: 100-120 cm. House Martin 1 (First of the year) Scientific Name: Circus macrourus. But this autumn has seen a veritable influx of this stunning bird, with records from Fair Isle in the north to Sussex in the south. Its in these cases when recognition tends to be very complicated, and we have to attend other features such as wing design and structure. My last UK sighting was at RSPB Salthouse a couple of years ago. Very unusually, a juv spent the 2015-2016 winter in Norfolk. Count 1. Our attention was drawn by a Herring Gull yelping and chasing a raptor across the Bull Ground behind us. Wintering has become a feature, too, with around five birds each year (this showing a slowly increasing trend). 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. Pallid Harrier by Martin McGill WWT 3rd April 2012. Birdwatch285: 45-52. 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. 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. Previously considered an extreme rarity, it is now an expected annual vagrant that has a habit of appearing in all seasons. On the way home, clutching celebratory ice-creams, the children quizzed me about what made this particular creature so special. Then, in mid-July, four juveniles fledged the nest. PH: the back dark stripe from the primaries tends to be soft, not really prominent, but its again varying, and many individuals display it in a Include your email address in case we need to clarify details. Rare birds usually turn up when you are too busy to go and see them one of the reasons why I gave up twitching 20 years ago. The nesting habits of this bird are interesting as the nest is often made up of a pile of grass which will be hidden within or under various plants and vegetation, and are often located near or in meadows, scrubland or swampy areas where vegetation is most plentiful. (28693256) Rod Ferbrache, a birdwatcher for 25 years, recorded the first pallid harrier seen in Guernsey last year on 9 September. He also kept saying about the shape of the black on the under wing looked like a Pallid Harrier. 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. Please enter details of your sighting below for our recorder to evaluate. MH: the dark facial disk from the ear tufts is less prominent and isolated, not usually connected to the nape nor the basis of the lower mandible. However, in the three years that I'm a birder I had never seen one. The pallid harrier, also known as a Pale, are a migratory bird of prey and a part of the harrier family, which is characterized by their low flying hunting over open ground, their long tails and long wings as well as their slow and graceful flight- which can suddenly turn into a fast dive towards prey and are a specific subcategory of the birds of prey in the wider Accipitridae family. The Pallid harrier is one of the most elegant birds of prey that occasionally visits the Netherlands. Chiffchaff 4 This blog is an english language blog for people wishing to know about recent bird sightings in the region of Murcia, Spain, and in particular the Cartagena area. From March to May and from August to November. 4. Males are ghostly gray above with black wingtip wedges. . All Records (Accepted, Rejected, Pending). Amazing close views from the car - it flew right in front of us! Weight: 235-415 g., 400-550 g. Longevity: < 15 years old. In 2019, the species also bred in Spain for the first time . 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. The male was discovered at the end of May and, over subsequent days, was watched conducting food passes with a female of the species. 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? The pallid harrier breeds in Ukraine and Russia and spends most of the winter in. The bird was very pale grey almost white especially under parts with no real contrast on the face. Have you seen something interesting? So as they searched for animal tracks and waded up to their ankles in thick, black goo, I scanned the wide horizon for signs of the harrier. Take Merlin with you in the field! The pair nested in Marne departement, to the east of Paris, and fledged four young. 10.00. MH: Montagus dont usually show this sort of clear patch at the base of outer primaries, but there are birds which might also show it, at least in a subtle way. Required fields are marked *. They are pretty scarce in the UK so no wonder he wasn't certain about the ID. 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. DE BROYER A. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. highlighted way as in MH. They're declining in their breeding range (now classed as Near Threatened) so chances of them spreading and colonising W Europe are pretty low. 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. 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. I consulted Dick Forsman for a second view and he replied after studying the image thus -: Occasionally,pallid harrier has breed in countries of central and southern Europe, hybrydizing with other harrier species, especially hen harrier. Found in steppes, wet . However, it could be wider and resembling to MH. PH: the majority tends to have a thin eyebrow, not really highlighted. We spend 90% of net income on conservation, public education and advocacy, The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International. PH: as a rule, the classic specimens only show some dark at the end of fingers, not spreading anywhere else, being the contrast quite evident, abrupt; although it could also vary according to the individual, and its not strange to find birds with this dark more spread. 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. A life tick for both George and Dan, and an exceptional find for all three of us, this would indeed be a moment to remember in all our birding careers. MH: extremely varying in MH. Ballyvergan Reedbed, Youghal. * Bird News Pro and Bird News Ultimate subscribers receive full sighting details. Coordinators: Alex Oll, Teresa Montras & Joan Goy Taxonomy: Monotypic Status: Migratory. No wonder that, when the RAF needed a name for their most aerobatic aircraft, they called it the Harrier jump jet. Car Park Wheatear 1 male Chiffchaff 3 Blackcap 1 The Rushy Lesser Scaup 1 House Martin 1 (First of the year) Sand Martin 5 South Lake Swallow 2 Sand Martin 20+ Willow Warbler 1 Black-tailed Godwit 127 Ruiff 2 Redshank 7 Avocet 2 Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species. The Pallid Harrier is very common during migration in Autumn and Spring. Although most records involve juveniles in autumn, an increasing number of spring sightings are made and, in some years, at least one individual willoverwinter. The primary prey of the pallid harrier is insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, worms and flies, however the bird is also capable of hunting small birds such as larks as well as small mammals that live in grassy areas such as mice, voles, rats and even lizards in some habitats. PH: the facial disc is evenly dark and spread, from the nape to the basis of the lower mandible. Not such amazing views when we managed to find a place to stop and I could point my camera at it, as it had by then drifted way across a field. Illustration: George Boorujy. Like most harrier species, there are distinct color differences between males and females. But this. Lucky you Pete! After several minutes the harrier made it to the far end of our reserve and dipped over the sea wall. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. 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. Wing: 310-355 mm, 345-390 mm. The incubation period is usually around 28 to 30 days and the eggs are incubated exclusively by the female unlike other birds of prey who share the responsibility for incubating and hunting. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus 1 st autumn female. Twitchers gathered on Holy Island in Northumberland after the pallid harrier was spotted in October. Bulletin British Ornithologists Club 118:52-54. Willow Warbler 1 not sure don't know too much about them but going by the irish birding sites they reckon it is not the same one. All Rights Reserved. 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. On Sunday he spotted a second. The call of the pallid harrier is a high pitched keek-keek-keek. 2023 BirdGuides, Warners Group Publications Plc. JavaScript is disabled. A range of issues affect the pallid harrier, particularly the decline of boglands and heaths where the birds prefer to summer and nest, as well as a decline in wide, open plains across much of Europe due to farming and other development activities. Adults measure 40-48 cm (16-19 in) long with a wingspan of 95-120 cm (37-47 in). Vagrants have been spotted in western Europe and Great Britain but these sightings are vanishingly rare although a juvenile did winter successfully in the UK in 2002/03 and a pair of pallid harriers nested in the Netherlands in 2017, raising four chicks successfully, indicating that these birds are incredibly adaptive and can be found across Europe, Asia and parts of Africa. Irish rare bird sighting records for the Island Of Ireland, including photos and fectured articles relating to Irish Birds. 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. Escapee: Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that have bred but don't yet fulfill the criteria for Provisional. Submit your sighting. Can it look after itself? 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. Shelduck 37, Natural flood management in West Somerset, How to make a mini wildlife pond from an upcycled container. Dutch Birding 7: 41-54. Your email address will not be published. The pale collar is surprisingly obvious in the images (appeared as a wash of white on the rear-crown in the field) and is too broad for Pallid. `` uncertain provenance '' 1 ( First of the most elegant birds prey! & lt ; 15 years old are distinct color differences between males and females couple of years.! & lt ; 15 years old rapidly changed in France in recent years 1 ( of... To evaluate in Ukraine and Russia and spends most of the Pallid harrier nest was built in a largely landscape... Very rare passage migrant to the underwings with their barred primaries and secondaries., from the nape to the underwings with their barred primaries and dark secondaries First time First of the in... A juv spent the 2015-2016 winter in Africa and breed in areas like Kazakhstan looked like a pallid harrier uk sightings... 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