Harrier task force mission success
May 28 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
THE team mounting a 24-hour guard on the nest of rare birds of prey were celebrating yesterday the fact that all six eggs have now hatched.
The hen harriers are nesting in North Tynedale in Northumberland and more than 30 volunteers are helping the RSPB and Forestry Commission protect the birds and their young from any illegal human interference.
The Northumberland nest is one of only a handful of hen harriers breeding in England this year.
Members of the nest watch team are on duty around the clock alongside the RSPB. It is very unusual for a pair of harriers to raise so many chicks and it has rewarded the efforts of the harrier “task force”.
Phil Curtis, of the RSPB, who is organising the nest watch, said: “We are thrilled to have six healthy hen harrier chicks in a nest in Northumberland. It’s a great result for all the volunteers who have helped out with the nest watch so far this spring. With so few harriers nesting in England, every chick is precious and we will be keeping our fingers crossed that the youngsters make good progress over the coming weeks.”
Tom Dearnley, Forestry Commission regional ecologist, said: “We are delighted that harriers are nesting on Forestry Commission land for a second year and that the nestwatch has been such a success so far. Our main concern now is to safeguard the chicks from illegal interference. We will continue to watch over the nest and now that the male bird’s favourite hunting areas have been identified, we will be monitoring his movements as well.” The male harrier offers food to his mate in gravity-defying aerial food passes. Earlier this month, the Government confirmed hen harriers as England’s most seriously threatened bird of prey, and as a result, they are now included on the list of species considered of principal importance for conserving England’s wildlife.
The RSPB and Forestry Commission fear that without intensive protection the Northumberland harriers could be at risk of being shot or their nest, eggs and chicks destroyed.
Research has shown that the uplands of England could support up to 200 pairs of nesting harriers, but last year there were only 15 successful nests in England – with the majority in one area of Lancashire. The RSPB says that illegal killing or deliberate disturbance is the main reason that hen harriers are absent from almost all areas of suitable moorland in northern England.
The Northumberland Harrier Nest Watch is a partnership between the RSPB, and Forestry Commission with support from the Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club, BBC Wildlife Fund, SITA Trust, Egger UK and Tynedale Council.
