Last night was the last hen harrier count for the winter and other counts since Christmas there were no hen harriers seen. It has been a poor winter for hen harriers at Flanders Moss but we will have to wait and see when all the national count results are collated if this just applies to Flanders or applies across the country.
Despite the lack of raptors it was still a joy standing on the tower watching the day end on the Moss. I did watch with trepidation the onward march of a huge black cloud coming in from the south west bring with it a curtain of rain that crept across the moss and soaked me 5 minutes before the end. But there is always something to see and hear and for me the highlight was a small group of meadow pipits pee peeing across the bog. And then one of them flew up and started singing its display song while spreading its wings and floating gently back to the ground with its wings held still and out. This was the first display flight of what will be many by what the children call the parachute bird.
Thanks to Lorne Gill, the SNH photographer for the photo of the meadow pipit below.
