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Hen Harrier Slieve Blooms?

  • 25-03-2013 10:01am
    #1
    nilhg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,185 ✭✭✭


    I'm reasonably certain I saw a Hen Harrier in the Slieve Blooms yesterday but not 100% certain. It was smaller than a Buzzard, wide wingspan, narrowish body and tail and what seemed like a smallish head with a short neck, flying slowly across a young plantation.

    I didn't get a great look at it, was on a bike coming down on the Mountrath side of the Cut, frozen to the bone with wind chill so finer details are a bit hazy but I have a decent picture in my minds eye of it.

    If it wasn't a Harrier what could have it been?


Comments

  • #2
    V Bull
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 719 ✭✭✭V Bull


    It could well have been a Hen Harrier, they are in that particular area and move between there and the Lough Boora Parklands & surrounds....


  • #3
    cuddlycavies
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 970 ✭✭✭cuddlycavies


    Marsh harrier outside chance. The most striking id on the HH is when it turns with her back to you .There is a distinctive white rump above the fan like tail. The slow almost floppy flight is different to a buzzard too. I'd bet on HH around there.They've gone scarce everywhere else. i used to see them in Ballinascorney, dublin.


  • #4
    whyulittle
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Marsh Harriers have been pretty scarce around Boora this past year. I saw one around in October, and even that one was only a probable.


  • #5
    nilhg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,185 ✭✭✭nilhg


    cuddlycavies wrote: »
    Marsh harrier outside chance. The most striking id on the HH is when it turns with her back to you .There is a distinctive white rump above the fan like tail. The slow almost floppy flight is different to a buzzard too. I'd bet on HH around there.They've gone scarce everywhere else. i used to see them in Ballinascorney, dublin.

    That's why I looked twice, but hard to see any finer details when you're at 45km/hr down that narrow road.

    Thanks for the feedback folks, my brother in law works for Coillte so I was aware that there are Harriers in the Slieve Blooms but was under the impression that they were Summer visitors and it wasn't very summerlike up there yesterday.


  • #6
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,072 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    nilhg wrote: »
    That's why I looked twice, but hard to see any finer details when you're at 45km/hr down that narrow road.

    Thanks for the feedback folks, my brother in law works for Coillte so I was aware that there are Harriers in the Slieve Blooms but was under the impression that they were Summer visitors and it wasn't very summerlike up there yesterday.

    They probably moved up when the weather was decent for a few days a couple of weeks ago! Hopefully this bad weather won't have too much of an adverse effect on those that have already moved to higher ground!


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