Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the readers and followers of Hen Harrier Ireland!
Nollaig Shona 's Athbhliain faoi Mhaise!
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Monday, 10 December 2012
Hen Harrier Shootings in Ireland and England
The Hen Harrier is a rare and protected species, but still incidents of illegal persecution can occur.
Recently in Wexford (not Kerry as reported by certain quarters who had no details of the incident) a Hen Harrier was reported to have been shot at its roost. No body was found in a search afterwards. Such an incident, in all likelihood would be at the hands of a maverick shooter rather than by any concerted effort. The harriers have existed at that roost for years and hopefully always will. It is imperative to treat roost and nest locations of any protected species as confidential - tell the local Ranger but why people - who may tell people - who may disturb the bird unintentionally or intentionally?
While relations between Hen Harriers and some landowners in Ireland were strained around the time of Special Protection Area designations for the species, people living and working in the SPAs now realise that after over five years of living with the designation, they are operating as they always have done. The reason the areas were designated as SPAs in the first place was because they were important for Hen Harriers - and they were important for Hen Harriers because of the way the landowners managed the land. Public awareness campaigns and agri-environmental plans for Hen Harriers in recent years have helped foster even better relations between the patrons of the landscape and this magnificent Irish raptor.
The shooting fraternity has done much to help protected species like the Hen Harrier (see recent post below) and are commended for their investment of time, money and effort in various conservation programmes. For anyone to berate shooters in general for the shooting of a Hen Harrier displays a lack of understanding of the issue. The response by the NARGC in the immediate aftermath of press release by BirdWatch Ireland regarding the shooting of a Hen Harrier shows the support and understanding that exists among the general shooting fraternity and this should not be forgotten, rather worked with and developed. For we have something different here in Ireland. We have different attitudes and we have different issues (e.g. Red Grouse are only a miniscule <1% part of the Hen Harrier's diet in Ireland).
When a protected bird is shot, it is indeed a travesty and there is justifiably outcry. When the habitat of a protected species is lost, it is less emotive for the public, but arguably much more damaging with long lasting repurcussions. When you take away a piece of habitat, you take away 1000's of years of history of the species, and damningly you take away any potential of a future. The issues for Hen Harriers in Ireland are obvious and are more numerous and greater than persecution. http://www.ria.ie/getmedia/016e1e30-c1a1-48e0-a5a0-aa3c49276162/BIOE-2011.07.pdf.aspx
In England recently, a famous Hen Harrier called Bowland Beth that was being tracked by means of a satellite tag identical to those used in Duhallow in 2012, has been proven to have been shot. She was an absolutely amazing bird and did so much for her species, raising awareness, answering conservation questions, showing a whole new side to Hen Harrier ecology. Hopefully now, her death will not have been in vein and progress will be made on establishing a scenario for Hen Harriers to co-exist on the moorlands of England...where ironically they have the best of habitat - but to quote an old Native American saying, "the best wolf habitat resides in the human heart" - if they want Hen Harriers they still have the foundations upon which to build. Do we in Ireland?
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/tests-reveal-that-rare-bird-of-prey--was-shot-illegally-8397633.html
Recently in Wexford (not Kerry as reported by certain quarters who had no details of the incident) a Hen Harrier was reported to have been shot at its roost. No body was found in a search afterwards. Such an incident, in all likelihood would be at the hands of a maverick shooter rather than by any concerted effort. The harriers have existed at that roost for years and hopefully always will. It is imperative to treat roost and nest locations of any protected species as confidential - tell the local Ranger but why people - who may tell people - who may disturb the bird unintentionally or intentionally?
While relations between Hen Harriers and some landowners in Ireland were strained around the time of Special Protection Area designations for the species, people living and working in the SPAs now realise that after over five years of living with the designation, they are operating as they always have done. The reason the areas were designated as SPAs in the first place was because they were important for Hen Harriers - and they were important for Hen Harriers because of the way the landowners managed the land. Public awareness campaigns and agri-environmental plans for Hen Harriers in recent years have helped foster even better relations between the patrons of the landscape and this magnificent Irish raptor.
The shooting fraternity has done much to help protected species like the Hen Harrier (see recent post below) and are commended for their investment of time, money and effort in various conservation programmes. For anyone to berate shooters in general for the shooting of a Hen Harrier displays a lack of understanding of the issue. The response by the NARGC in the immediate aftermath of press release by BirdWatch Ireland regarding the shooting of a Hen Harrier shows the support and understanding that exists among the general shooting fraternity and this should not be forgotten, rather worked with and developed. For we have something different here in Ireland. We have different attitudes and we have different issues (e.g. Red Grouse are only a miniscule <1% part of the Hen Harrier's diet in Ireland).
When a protected bird is shot, it is indeed a travesty and there is justifiably outcry. When the habitat of a protected species is lost, it is less emotive for the public, but arguably much more damaging with long lasting repurcussions. When you take away a piece of habitat, you take away 1000's of years of history of the species, and damningly you take away any potential of a future. The issues for Hen Harriers in Ireland are obvious and are more numerous and greater than persecution. http://www.ria.ie/getmedia/016e1e30-c1a1-48e0-a5a0-aa3c49276162/BIOE-2011.07.pdf.aspx
In England recently, a famous Hen Harrier called Bowland Beth that was being tracked by means of a satellite tag identical to those used in Duhallow in 2012, has been proven to have been shot. She was an absolutely amazing bird and did so much for her species, raising awareness, answering conservation questions, showing a whole new side to Hen Harrier ecology. Hopefully now, her death will not have been in vein and progress will be made on establishing a scenario for Hen Harriers to co-exist on the moorlands of England...where ironically they have the best of habitat - but to quote an old Native American saying, "the best wolf habitat resides in the human heart" - if they want Hen Harriers they still have the foundations upon which to build. Do we in Ireland?
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/tests-reveal-that-rare-bird-of-prey--was-shot-illegally-8397633.html
Monday, 19 November 2012
‘Little E’. Born Survivor. But Where Does He Go?!
October 2010. Little E in his 1st Winter as a Juvenile
Male. Photo Paul Kelly
November 2011. Little E as a 2nd Winter Male.
Photo Killian Mullarney
November 2012. Little E as a 3rd Winter Male.
Photos Paul Kelly
‘Little E’
I wing-tagged Little E on the
Cork-Kerry border (his parents being smart decided to nest on the Kerry side!)
on a summer’s evening 06 July 2010. He
was one of a brood of 5 healthy chicks.
He was next seen in South Wexford, almost 200km from home in September
2010. I had one of the most memorable sightings of a Hen Harrier,
when I met this young male in person on 14 November 2011. He flew right up to
me out of his roost, so close I could nearly read my phone number on the bottom
of his tag! It was an amazing encounter, to see a bird I had in my hands back
in Kerry during the summer, now finding his feet as an individual on the other
side of the country. It is an image that will stay with me forever.
Fantastic news when Little E returned
to his Wexford roost again the following winter in November 2011 and was
reported by artist and author of the Collins Bird Guide, Killian Mullarney. Having
moulted his brown juvenile plumage to the grey/brown plumage of a 2nd
Winter male, he became the first Irish wing tagged male to have been seen as a
‘grey bird’. There were great hopes that he would progress to become a spectacular
looking adult male some day!
Needless to say then, I was
delighted when informed by local birder and photographer Paul Kelly that in
November 2012, Little E has returned yet again to his roost in South Wexford!
Now he has really grown up and only slight traces of his juvenile plumage
remain. It is wonderful to know that a Hen Harrier you have known since a chick
is making his way in the world and doing well. However, it throws up the
obvious question…where does he spend his summers?!! Why does he turn up in
November? Does he travel on towards France thereafter? Does he even breed in
France? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to answer these questions and so much more.
There will always be more to find out about these wonderful birds. With the
help of satellite tags, as used with Blackwater and Sky this summer, hopefully
we will begin to answer some of these questions.
At the same time, in Wicklow we are
graced by the presence of a male Hen Harrier the very same age as Little E, who
was also wing tagged in 2010. The one big difference however, is that this
other bird (named ‘Orange 2’) was wing tagged in England! And where does this male
spend his summers??? The exchange between British and Irish Hen Harriers and
possibly further afield is noteworthy. What happens to ‘our’ harriers over
there, or what happens to ‘their’ harriers over hear, has major implications
for national populations and indeed the overall metapopulation.
Thanks to everyone who continues
to send on their sightings of Hen Harriers, tagged and untagged to
harriers@ahg.gov.ie. Please if you have seen any Hen Harriers be sure to send
the records for the Hen Harrier’s protection.
Thanks very much,
Barry O’Donoghue
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Hen Harrier feature in Irish Shooter's Digest
This month's Irish Shooter's Digest carries a 2-page spread on Hen Harriers and the Shooting Fraternity in Ireland.
Barry O'Donoghue explains the important role that people
involved in gun clubs etc. can play in the conservation of threatened birds
such as the Hen Harrier, Red Grouse, Curlew and other ground nesting species,
by controlling what have become inflated predator numbers, particularly Fox,
Mink and Hooded Crow.
Barry O'Donoghue explains the important role that people
involved in gun clubs etc. can play in the conservation of threatened birds
such as the Hen Harrier, Red Grouse, Curlew and other ground nesting species,
by controlling what have become inflated predator numbers, particularly Fox,
Mink and Hooded Crow.
The article is seen as a positive step towards fostering
good relations between the shooting fraternity in Ireland and birds of prey.
Relations between raptors and guns in Britain where private shooting estates
are to the fore are often frayed, but Ireland is a very different country. The
article has been received very well among the Irish Shooter's Digest readership
and already sightings of Hen Harriers by those who stalk wetland areas in the
winter evenings have come in.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Wow!
I have just seen a Hen Harrier flying outside my window, expertly switching from side to side in the wind! She didn't harry my hens either! :-)
Hallowe'en Winter Roost Watch
Hallowe'en - Oíche Shamhna
What a magical night. What better way to spend the time at dusk than to see brown ringtails and silver males come in to roost and glide around before settling right in front of you?!
Indeed, there will be a fine full moon out this Hallowe'en!
Roost watches for the Irish Hen Harrier Winter Survey are conducted once a month around the 1st day of every month between October and March. Survey participants right throughout Ireland have already carried out watches at roosts in October. If you are interested in taking part and contributing directly to the protection and conservation of Hen Harriers in Ireland, contact the survey co-ordinator home.of.harriers@gmail.com and we'd be delighted to hear from you.
What a magical night. What better way to spend the time at dusk than to see brown ringtails and silver males come in to roost and glide around before settling right in front of you?!
Indeed, there will be a fine full moon out this Hallowe'en!
Roost watches for the Irish Hen Harrier Winter Survey are conducted once a month around the 1st day of every month between October and March. Survey participants right throughout Ireland have already carried out watches at roosts in October. If you are interested in taking part and contributing directly to the protection and conservation of Hen Harriers in Ireland, contact the survey co-ordinator home.of.harriers@gmail.com and we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Monday, 10 September 2012
Irish Hen Harrier Winter Survey begins!
Over the past 7 seasons, the Irish Hen Harrier Winter Survey has been one of the largest, most engaging, ground-breaking and useful surveys on any Irish bird of prey.
You can now be part of this survey by reporting sightings of Hen Harriers or surveying for winter roosts.
Please see the IHHWS page for further details
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