Whixall Moss - Hen Harrier and Short eared Owl

Three good birds were on the cards with a bit of effort at Whixall Moss and I'll settle for the distant views I managed of both Hen Harrier (Ringtail) and Short-eared Owl! As for photographs, a non-starter really with both never much nearer that 400m!

Hen Harrier giving me five fingers to the primaries.

Short-eared Owl.

Need to do much better really but only a short window of opportunity and the Moss is a big place...

On this Day (May 23rd) - 2015 Hen Harrier

Mull is an amazing place for Hen Harriers - May 23rd 2015...

What better way to bid farewell to Mull? Another brief Hen Harrier image opportunity - a hunting female.....

Amazing birds......It's not the best image of a distant male but I'll finish with a sight we should be enjoying over upland moors throughout the UK!

Speyside here I come!

Shropshire - Hen Harrier etc

A good start with Green Sandpiper at Walcot was followed by flyover Skylark and then, bird of the day, a ringtail Hen Harrier at Noneley Floods

It flew through over the far side of the field on the Sleap side, pursued by a crow. Shooting into the light at near 200m distance is never going to yield feather detail but there's enough info in these pics to suggest its the most likely candidate, a Hen Harrier?

Five fingered primary tips eliminate all others apart from Northern and finely streaked body, difficult to assess at distance whether it's an adult or juvenile...

Marsh Tit at Haughmond Hill...

No sign of the Marsh Harrier at Whixall Moss, a couple of Meadow Pipits seen there and we are into the nineties on 91

Venus Pool - Hen Harrier

I've been either away or plain busy and unable to check out VP and with a male Hen Harrier being seen on occasions, decided to give the Patch a couple of hours today! Three Dunlin plus a lingering Black-tailed Godwit were on the pool and my luck was in for the Harrier with the arable field producing a couple of 'fly throughs' despite the dire weather (heavy cloud and drizzle!) Record shots only but any moment with a Hen Harrier is a special one!

The first encounter was quite distant...

and it did have a couple of half-hearted attempts to harry something unseen?

Before making an exit along the path leading back to the car park and over the hedge!

The second briefer 'moment' came a short while later as it reappeared and headed east!

On a mission....

A momentary turn of the head as it left the reserve......

Worth getting a bit wet for  I reckon!