Wing-tagged Marsh Harrier
Last Friday a wing-tagged male Marsh Harrier was photographed as it flew towards Downend (North Devon) during the evening. This was probably the same wing-tagged Marsh Harrier that was seen on the Axe Estuary on the afternoon of Thursday and once Friday morning. The observer/photographer at Downend (Kelvin Irwin) managed to read the wing tags, and we've just had this reply from Phil Littler..
"The picture I rec'd is in fact a Marsh Harrier from a wing tagging scheme I am running in Norfolk, and is the star of the show!
It was ringed and tagged at Sculthorpe Moor Hawk and Owl Trust reserve, near Fakenham, on 10.06.2011. It was 1 of 6, and sexed as a male. In the autumn of that year it was seen on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, disappeared for the winter, then re-appeared in Gwent, South Wales. A few weeks later it was on the Somerset Levels, then went off the radar.
It sprung up on Blakeney Point, here in Norfolk, then headed back to the south west, and is now on the coast in Pembrokeshire!"
Thanks Kelvin and Phil.
Posted April 4th, 2013 at 10:37 am by Steve Waite in Bird News