Wow, some superb footage of such a rare bird, due to so many variables. (we all know what goes on). Thank you for delivering such a well presented mini documentary? Great stuff.
I watched this video to confirm if the bird in my back garden in Blackrock, Co. Dublin which has now plucked and is proceeding to eat a pigeon is, as I suspected, a Hen Harrier. Indeed it is. It is a female. I saw one some years ago in the garden but that one was motionless, probably on the lookout for a unsuspecting small bird at the feeder. The pigeon put up a struggle.
We are so privileged to see these beautiful birds every year. In fact a male actually landed in our garden early this year! But to the horror of our community, who have been given no advance notice (we just saw a test mast on the mountain slope), an industrial wind farm with 38 turbines is being planned right in the centre of our hen harriers' habitat in the Comeragh Mountains. We fear that they may be 'dispatched' by greedy and heartless individuals so that their presence would no longer be a threat to avaricious landowners. Coillte also have an 'independent' (!!) individual surveying the hen harriers in the same area, presumably for the same purpose. We are at our wits end. We have recorded hen harriers here for at least the last 5 years, through Bird Watch Ireland, and we are hoping they will produce the records for us that predates this windfarm application. Any help/sensible advice would be welcomed.
Well done on putting that clip together, it is excellent and will hopefully raise awareness of the decline of this wonderful bird.10 years ago red grouse were almost extinct on the northern end of the Slieve Aughty's. Now we have a healthy growing population year on year. What has been crucial to this success is our predator management, it was one essential action that is missing from this clip. Our meadow pipit and lark population has also grown each year. We are hoping that our hen harrier population will also grow. At present it is reasonably stable. Hopefully the new Locally lead environmental schemes for farmers will further improve the proper management of our uplands. A little done and a lot more to do.
I'm delighted to hear of this success John. Work like this is being carried out here in the Antrim Hills, in a couple of areas & with essential legal predator control measures now in place, the HH may have a future in this area.
Hi Dave, thanks for your kind comments, one of the best places to watch Hen Harriers is in the Slieve Blooms in Laois/Offaly, to view from the roads or tracks running through the upland areas without causing disturbance to the birds. Sadly there are no longer nesting pairs in the Wicklow uplands.
@@johnlusby2886 thanks for the reply John, I appreciate it! I've went the the East Coast Nature Reserve a few times to try a see them but unsuccessfully! I love all birds and love seeing new ones it's uplifting
Beautiful video Sir. My all time favourite Bird. I still have my original Sky Dancer video in V.H.S. format and wouldn't swop it. Kind Regards, Robert..
I could have sworn I saw a pair of hen harriers in Wicklow these last few days, this afternoon i saw the male skydiving snd freefalling as if to get the females attention. I am not aware of another species that does this?
Beautiful birds of prey in Ireland but they are still bein't persecuted with poison and being shot. It is lovely to go through forests , fields and the mountains and catching a glimpse of a bird of prey.please stop killing them.
Those Conifer plantations are NOT forests. It would be great to hear someone just finally going crazy and go off on some mad rant about all the deforestation and the likes of Coilltes Mono conifer cash crops and farmers spraying shite all over the place and polluting rivers all over the country and illegal dumping, and Quarries taring up hillsides and just the general ruining of beauty. We have to learn from other countries like Germany or Holland or Switzerland, ive been to all of these countries and they wouldn't take any crap like that. Its a disgrace what we do to our beautiful country.
How do you not give credit to the photographers and videographers of the RSPB whose footage you stole and are passing off as your own. Those men and women spend their lives devoted to capturing wildlife, and educating the world, only to have their work stolen by charlatans like you.
Beautiful video and raises awareness of an important issue. Well done!
I got to see one today.. what a joy. The male.
Wow, some superb footage of such a rare bird, due to so many variables. (we all know what goes on). Thank you for delivering such a well presented mini documentary? Great stuff.
I watched this video to confirm if the bird in my back garden in Blackrock, Co. Dublin which has now plucked and is proceeding to eat a pigeon is, as I suspected, a Hen Harrier. Indeed it is. It is a female. I saw one some years ago in the garden but that one was motionless, probably on the lookout for a unsuspecting small bird at the feeder. The pigeon put up a struggle.
We are so privileged to see these beautiful birds every year. In fact a male actually landed in our garden early this year! But to the horror of our community, who have been given no advance notice (we just saw a test mast on the mountain slope), an industrial wind farm with 38 turbines is being planned right in the centre of our hen harriers' habitat in the Comeragh Mountains. We fear that they may be 'dispatched' by greedy and heartless individuals so that their presence would no longer be a threat to avaricious landowners. Coillte also have an 'independent' (!!) individual surveying the hen harriers in the same area, presumably for the same purpose. We are at our wits end. We have recorded hen harriers here for at least the last 5 years, through Bird Watch Ireland, and we are hoping they will produce the records for us that predates this windfarm application. Any help/sensible advice would be welcomed.
We have more giant turbines on the way to north Leitrim.
The "green" agenda internal conflicts since it became obsessed with carbon dioxide.
Well done on putting that clip together, it is excellent and will hopefully raise awareness of the decline of this wonderful bird.10 years ago red grouse were almost extinct on the northern end of the Slieve Aughty's. Now we have a healthy growing population year on year. What has been crucial to this success is our predator management, it was one essential action that is missing from this clip. Our meadow pipit and lark population has also grown each year. We are hoping that our hen harrier population will also grow. At present it is reasonably stable. Hopefully the new Locally lead environmental schemes for farmers will further improve the proper management of our uplands. A little done and a lot more to do.
I'm delighted to hear of this success John. Work like this is being carried out here in the Antrim Hills, in a couple of areas & with essential legal predator control measures now in place, the HH may have a future in this area.
Fantastic video, though I'm always on the look out for them, I've yet to see a hen harrier.
Great video. Stunning bird. How am I related to the same species that is wiping these incredible beings out?
Hey - that's my question! 😂Although it's not funny really.
Brilliant Video and well presented, such a magnificent bird. Does anyone know the best place to go to see them?
Hi Dave, thanks for your kind comments, one of the best places to watch Hen Harriers is in the Slieve Blooms in Laois/Offaly, to view from the roads or tracks running through the upland areas without causing disturbance to the birds. Sadly there are no longer nesting pairs in the Wicklow uplands.
@@johnlusby2886 thanks for the reply John, I appreciate it! I've went the the East Coast Nature Reserve a few times to try a see them but unsuccessfully! I love all birds and love seeing new ones it's uplifting
John Lusby , fantastic production, top man
lovely piece - great for schools
Beautiful video Sir. My all time favourite Bird. I still have my original Sky Dancer video in V.H.S. format and wouldn't swop it.
Kind Regards, Robert..
I could have sworn I saw a pair of hen harriers in Wicklow these last few days, this afternoon i saw the male skydiving snd freefalling as if to get the females attention. I am not aware of another species that does this?
OK... this is back in the news, and I'm a regular joe. I'm concerned. What can I do?
Beautiful birds of prey in Ireland but they are still bein't persecuted with poison and being shot. It is lovely to go through forests , fields and the mountains and catching a glimpse of a bird of prey.please stop killing them.
Charities regulator is also a fan of Bothar...I mean Birdwatch Ireland.
Hey do u know a great place to find hen harriers or maybe a marsh harrier?
An area called angliham in Galway beside Lough corrib, muckrush in galway nearby and also tucumshin in wexford.
Sitka Spruce all over the uplands, good for pulp.
Those Conifer plantations are NOT forests. It would be great to hear someone just finally going crazy and go off on some mad rant about all the deforestation and the likes of Coilltes Mono conifer cash crops and farmers spraying shite all over the place and polluting rivers all over the country and illegal dumping, and Quarries taring up hillsides and just the general ruining of beauty. We have to learn from other countries like Germany or Holland or Switzerland, ive been to all of these countries and they wouldn't take any crap like that. Its a disgrace what we do to our beautiful country.
Why not come out and say the truth, the greatest threat to Hen Harrier ‘s are Sitka Forestry and. Windfarms.
How do you not give credit to the photographers and videographers of the RSPB whose footage you stole and are passing off as your own. Those men and women spend their lives devoted to capturing wildlife, and educating the world, only to have their work stolen by charlatans like you.
Really? And he got funding too! The "green movement" is riddled with scammers.