Tuesday 27 September 2011

Better luck with pallid harrier in Sussex

Although I did see the pallid harrier at St Osyth in Essex, I wasn't ready when it flew up and got no pictures. The bird flew off and was never seen again.

Today (26 Sep) Mark Stanley and I went to Pagham and called in at Burpham on the way. The juvenile pallid harrier was very obliging and made several passes over a strip of uncut grass/crop down the centre of a large field. The field is on the right as you approach the village.

Pagham was OK, with the usual mix of waders, the highlight being an extremely pale almost albino curlew.

After lunch we headed back to Burpham where the sun had moved more behind us. The bird was still there and made a few more flypasts before I had to leave to get back in time for my rehearsal.
Juvenile pallid harrier

Juvenile pallid harrier being
mobbed by a sparrowhawk.