The Hen Harrier Diaries

This is the second installment of The Hen Harrier Diaries.

Over the past few weeks our small team of volunteers have been working diligently to establish the exact location of our six breeding pairs. Have they settled down to nesting and if so, where are their nests?

Here are the latest updates on our six pairs.

Pair 1. Heather's Mom and Dad. This pair have been kept busy entertaining their energetic guest, they have been accompanied by a juvenile Female for the last couple of weeks, hopefully they will settle down soon and choose a nest location.

Pair 2. The Neighbours. While we still have not confirmed this pair yet. In the last couple of weeks
we have had both a Male and Female sky dancing near last year's nest, we even had a juvenile Male showing us his dance moves.
Fingers crossed we will have an established pair for the next update

Pair 3. This pair are now well established they have chosen their preferred nesting spot of previous years. Pair 3 have got off to a difficult start, a fire destroyed most of their territory, but hopefully they recover from this set back and have a successful breeding attempt.

Pair 4. They have carefully selected a nest location very close to where they nested last year. The Male has worked relentlessly, providing his Female with food. Hopefully they will be as successful as last year.

Pair 5. The glen nesters. The assertive Female has kept her devoted Male busy tending her every need. The pair have chosen a ridge of bramble and heather as their nest location in the secluded glen they have nested in previous years.

Pair 6. New Kids on the block. As you might have seen in a previous post, we named this Female Penny. Well Penny and her Male companion have chosen a hidden glen as their nest location.The Male has been looking after his girl with great care, bringing her plenty of prey to feed on, we wish them well.


                                                                         Bye for now
                                                                     Hen Harrier Ireland

COMPETITION TIME!!!

To All Primary Schools and Secondary Schools:

Hen Harrier Ireland is organising a competition entitled "Celebrating our Hen Harriers".

Hen Harriers have been found in the Irish countryside for thousands of years and they are one of the most spectacular birds in nature, with their acrobatic sky dances and awesome food passes! It is time to celebrate the Hen Harrier as a special bird, that represents a living countryside, with farming, Grouse, Curlew, Skylarks and much more.

We have lots of great prizes, including the following:

• A pair of excellent Minox 10x25 binoculars (first prize Secondary Schools)

• A digital camera (first prize Primary Schools)

• The opportunity for students and an accompanying adult to watch Hen Harriers in the wild (first prize Primary and Secondary Schools)

• Collins Bird Guides (runner up prizes Primary and Secondary Schools)

• All entries will receive a colourful glossy A3 Hen Harrier poster.

What you have to do:

Through your school teacher or parent, send a short story (limit 2000 words), poem or original artwork about Hen Harriers in Ireland to home.of.harriers@gmail.com or post to www.facebook.com/henharrierirerland before 01 June 2015 and include your name, class/year and school address. Feel free to look through www.henharrierireland.blogspot.ie for inspiration!

Good luck to all entrants!

Hen Harrier Ireland 01 May 2015