Hugh’s News – August 2018

Marsh Harrier Breeding Success

We’ve got another first breeding record for the Dee Estuary – Marsh Harriers! A pair bred successfully at Neston Reedbed and fledged 3 chicks.  A juvenile bird with a very gingery cap (adult females have a cream coloured cap) which is being seen regularly at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB is most probably one of the brood.

Our own Bill Wonderley played a small part in this story as a volunteer warden for the RSPB, keeping an eye on the reedbed one evening a week, and helping to ensure breeding and roosting birds were left undisturbed. Little did he know the outcome would be this rewarding!

Sadly the Cattle Egrets did not repeat last year’s breeding at BMW, but there is still a bird present in the area, so fingers crossed for more good news next year.  There are also several Great White Egrets on the Dee still, so surely it is only a question of time before this species breeds too!

Hen Harrier Day

This Sunday 14th August there will be a Hen Harrier Day event at Parkgate.  The gathering is not aimed at spotting Hen Harriers on the Dee salt-marsh – most birds will remain on their moorland breeding grounds for a few more weeks yet.  But rather this is one of several similar events being held around the UK spreading the word on the sad plight of Hen Harriers, other raptors and even mountain hares that are being persecuted on upland grouse moors.  This will mark the fifth year for Hen Harrier Day, with the number of events and attendees growing each year.  The weekend dates are chosen to coincide with the start of the grouse shooting season on the “Inglorious Twelth”.

Speakers will include well known naturalist and TV personality Iolo Williams, and leading conservation campaigner Mark Avery (ex. RSPB Conservation Director). The day starts at 12 noon at the Old Baths and is scheduled to finish at 3pm.  If you plan to go, parking may be at a premium so I recommend turning up early and going for a stroll first.  You could even spoil yourself with an ice-cream!

Hope to see you there in support of a great cause.

If you were at the AGM in May, you know that I did not show my photos due to a technical glitch!  So I am attaching some of them here now – mainly because I do not have any photos of Marsh or Hen Harriers!  So you will have to put up with Little Grebe, Song Thrush, Merlin and a juvenile Mute Swan.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the long, hot summer! See you in September for the new and exciting Club programme.

Hugh Stewart