Hen Harriers, Co. Monaghan

Sunday 18th April 2010 – Cavan and Monaghan branch outing to see some Hen Harriers.
Sarah drove up from Wicklow at 7.20am and collected me from Drimnagh at 8am, sped along the empty M1, turned off on the N53 for Castleblaney and made it to Monaghan Shopping centre’s car park for 10am.

Birdwatchers. You'll always find them huddled together in random car parks on Sunday mornings.

One man said he’d been around the area hundreds of times and never seen a Hen Harrier.

Today was his day (and ours) as we got several sightings of female and males in the air, a couple of good sightings of the male Hen harrier cruising low over the heather and we watched on as the female did an amazing display flight over her territory.

These pictures don’t do justice to what we saw – again priority was looking at the birds through the scope but these are what I got:

This is the female Hen Harrier who did an amazing flight display right above our heads.

Joe (from Monaghan branch) said they key difference between a Hen harrier and a Buzzard was the Harriers small tail in comparison to the big, broad wings.

Female Hen Harrier - it was like she was on an invisible rollercoaster the way she flew up then down

Anne and Grainne, very happy to have heard a Chiff chaff

On the right branch of the spruce tree was a Wheatear

You can hardly make it out - but it is there.

Had to include this photo of the guy jogging. When we were leaving he was doing his second lap of this circuit.

So there you have it.

We saw – female and male Hen Harriers, Wheaters, Skylarks, Meadow pipits, Swallows. Buzzards, Hooded Crows and others saw Ravens chasing off the Harriers.

Heard Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.

The weather held off and the rain started on our way home.

Thanks to Sarah for the lift there and back and to Cavan and Monaghan branches for the organising.

A great day up in Co. Monaghan.