Hen Harrier / Red Kite Ifs / Buts and may - bes

Post Reply
john cobham
Goldeneye
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:35 pm

Hen Harrier / Red Kite Ifs / Buts and may - bes

Post by john cobham »

Today 1.30 PM Mid way between Croston Railway Station and the Blue Anchor at Bretherton a mobbed bird of prey flew across the road just a head of me whilst in the car. My initial reaction was that it was a Red Kite but in all its manoeuvring it didnt show a forked tail. It was too sleek for a Buzzard and too graceful. Equally it was too large for a Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk -- or so it seemed at a quick glance. So it just could be the recently reported Hen Harrier from Eccleston. If only I could have stopped and got a better look.
gary lilley
Avocet
Posts: 6410
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 6:01 pm

Harrier/red kite.

Post by gary lilley »

What colour was its plumage John ? as the bird on the mosses was a male .
john cobham
Goldeneye
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:35 pm

Hen Harrier / Kite

Post by john cobham »

Gary Bearing in mind that it was a dull day , it appeared to be reddish brown with intermingled light brown. As I stated initially my first reaction was that it was a Kite BUT the forked tail didnt show. All of this was a snap shot in seconds and I still had to stear the car . Basically it went across me some 20 yards ahead , dropping down to 10 yards as we converged before it went over the hedge. I hope that helps. John

PS Whilst I was concentrating on the subject bird I would say it was a crow mobbing it.
john cobham
Goldeneye
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:35 pm

Hen Harrier / Kite

Post by john cobham »

Having now looked at footage on the internet of both male and female Hen Harriers I can confirm my siting was definitely NOT the Male Hen Harrier and I am more convinced it was the female based on my snap shot observation. As I originally stated when I first saw it my first reaction was to think it was a Red Kite having seen these in various locations previously. But there was no forked tail.
It was flying in a general Rufford / Solam direction.
John Edwards
Peregrine
Posts: 1265
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:43 pm
Location: Eccleston.

Post by John Edwards »

There was a female/ring tail hen harrier at Martin Mere yesterday afternoon so there was one in the area.
John Edwards
Post Reply

Return to “2011 Recent Sightings Submissions”