 |
| The Hen Harrier nest in Chris Packham's video |
The photograph above is taken from Chris Packham's video** about the Hen Harrier found trapped on Leadhills Estate in South Lanarkshire this year. The video also featured a harrier nest with an inactive spring trap placed near it.
My colleague Mike Groves who is experienced with monitoring Hen Harriers in Angus stated that the nest looked old and abandoned, or even made up to look like a nest.
My colleague Mike Groves who is experienced with monitoring Hen Harriers in Angus stated that the nest looked old and abandoned, or even made up to look like a nest.
 |
| An active Hen Harrier nest - photo Mike Groves |
Now, Mike gave me a few photos of nests he has monitored and also states that some harriers will line their nests whlie others will not.
The difference is stunning, but I will leave you to decide whether the nest in the video looks authentic or not. Chris Packham's video has a link in the notes below.
The difference is stunning, but I will leave you to decide whether the nest in the video looks authentic or not. Chris Packham's video has a link in the notes below.
 |
| An active Hen Harrier nest - photo Mike Groves |
 |
| An active Hen Harrier nest - photo Mike Groves |
Notes;........article in progress............
All text done on the 21 July 2019 and subject to copyright - no reproduction.
My new book 'Wildsketch' is available from Blurb bookshop
Income from book sales will form a donation to CABS (Committee Against Bird Slaughter)
**Hen Harrier trapped in South Lanarkshire
**Hen Harrier trapped in South Lanarkshire
If you are inspired to go out into the hills and glens of Scotland please leave it as you find it, respect the environment, do not litter or discard so called 'biodegradable' fruit and especially if you are a dog walker keep your beast on a lead and do not bag up its waste then chuck it by the wayside. I recently came across one black poo bag neatly hung on a tree branch for someone else to take home and also a bright blue one thrown in the moorland verge....why?
Moorland birds like Golden Plover, Dunlin, Dotterel, Ptarmigan and many raptors nest on the ground, it is advisable to keep dogs at heel or preferably on leads when walking on the high plateaux of the Cairngorms during summer months.
Please be aware that it is illegal to disturb nesting eagles or other raptors and you may do so inadvertently in your journeys into the highlands. Observe protected species at a respectful distance usually from about 1000 metres and for short periods of time only.
No wildlife was unduly or knowingly disturbed by my presence or for the purposes of this web page other than what would be expected on a normal hill walk. Many geographic names and location recognizable photos have been omitted to prevent persecution or ringing-monitoring disturbance to named species.
Canon camera 200D with optical zoom lens EFS 55-250mm used; please note that the zoom range distance if given is calculated by OS map from subject location to camera