Transmitters Reveal Harriers at home in country
Published on 30/11/2006
By Anna Richardson
(source: News & Star )
AT least four rare birds of prey have been spotted in Cumbria, thanks to two tiny transmitter radios.
The endangered hen harriers were spotted in the RSPB reserve at Geltsdale, between Carlisle and Hexham, this autumn.
Two of the birds, one which was reared at Geltsdale in the spring, were carrying radio tags which allowed RSPB officers to trace them.
Hen harriers are one of England’s rarest breeding birds and the RSPB was delighted when a pair nested at Geltsdale this summer and reared two chicks.
Now nature enthusiasts are hoping that history will repeat itself and two of the new birds will mate.
Pete Howard, RSPB hen harrier warden, said: “We are delighted to have so many young harriers around Geltsdale and their presence shows that the habitat and food supply here are good for them.
“We know two of the birds on the reserve are a male and a female – it would be wonderful if they could get together and breed here next spring, but so far they are staying a couple of kilometres apart.â€
In the summer, the nesting birds were protected round-the-clock by RSPB officers and volunteers.
In recent years, only a handful of hen harriers have nested in England, usually on moorland. Despite legislation, hen harriers are still subject to persecution and are often shot or poisoned.
According to conservation agency Natural England, hen harriers are often targeted because of their taste for red grouse, which lowers the amount of grouse available for shooting.
Some gamekeepers and land owners have been working with the organisation, demonstrating that bird of prey conservation can work alongside grouse moor management.
Dave O’Hara, RSPB Geltsdale site manager, said: “Hen harriers should be much more widespread but monitoring shows that persecution remains the biggest reason for their continuing low population.â€