Winter Draws to a Close

This is it,

The winter has come and gone, daffodils and primroses add colour to our lives and soon harriers will be turning their minds towards the breeding season - this time next month Sky Dancing should be a magnificent sight in our blue skies.

For many of us, this upcoming co-ordinated Irish Hen Harrier Winter Survey roost watch weekend (starting Friday 01 March) will be our last opportunity to see Hen Harriers in our local areas during the non-breeding season. We have had some magnificent evenings watching blue-silver males glide with brown ringtails over reedbeds and bogs. Be sure to get one last taste of this before the winter is finally out - you may be waiting a long time again before seeing another Hen Harrier! If you have not been out to your local roost this winter, or checked for a new roost, why not!

Make the effort, get out there, enjoy life and make a contribution to the natural world in the process!

More Wing Tag News!

Over the weekend, one man in Inishowen, Co. Donegal was lucky enough to see a wing tagged Hen Harrier (yellow left tag, meaning she was born and tagged in 2009). This could well be the same bird seen way up in Sutherland, Scotland in April 2012!!

The observer was even luckier to be treated to a spectacular sky dance display!!

But Hen Harriers only sky dance at the start of the breeding season right?! Hen Harriers don't have rules! Over the years I have had a number of records of sky dancing harriers during the non-breeding season and have been treated to a display myself at a winter roost. Soon enough though, our hills will be graced with this time old tradition once again and Spring will be in full flow! Can't wait!!