Hen harriers and choughs (1 Viewer)

Hi
I might be going to the Isle of Man this summer and the two species I want to see most are chough and hen harrier.

I have read that Close Sartfield nature reserve is the best place to see hen harriers, and was planning on visiting Spanish Point to try and see Choughs. I know that the Calf of Man is supposed to be the best place but we probably wont be sailing there.

Anyone have any advice on seeing these species, e.g any other sites, times of day?

Thanks

Lmc3598 said:

Hi
I might be going to the Isle of Man this summer and the two species I want to see most are chough and hen harrier.

I have read that Close Sartfield nature reserve is the best place to see hen harriers, and was planning on visiting Spanish Point to try and see Choughs. I know that the Calf of Man is supposed to be the best place but we probably wont be sailing there.

Anyone have any advice on seeing these species, e.g any other sites, times of day?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Close Sartfield is the site of a communal roost of hen harriers in the winter. You may see a hen harrier there in the summer, just as you may anywhere else in the Island. The species nests in a range of habitats, mostly in the hills, so you will probably have the best chance of seeing them along any of the roads in the hills, although birds hunt in farmland, too.

Choughs do live on the Calf of Man, as they do in many other places around the coast. Of course, breeding sites should not be publicised. Manx National Heritage has a cafe at the Calf Sound, which is in the far SW corner of the main Island and allows great views of the Calf of Man, Spanish Head and parties of choughs. In the Calf Sound, and elsewhere, there is a chance of seeing basking sharks and cetaceans.

If you do make it over to the Island, feel free to PM me for any other information.

Allen

Thanks for info Allen
I've read somewhere that on the IOM there is one hen harrier every 4 miles. Is this true? How many have you seen?

Lmc3598 said:

I've read somewhere that on the IOM there is one hen harrier every 4 miles. Is this true? How many have you seen?

Click to expand...

That is an exaggeration, although years ago the population might have averaged one nest* every 4 square miles. I don't think that there are as many now, as numbers do seem to fluctuate, and I cannot remember seeing any hen harriers at all so far this year. Sometimes it is possible to see them on my way to work, however, and I must have seen hundreds here over the years.

Allen

* Described this way, as a male hen harrier may breed with more than one female in its "territory".

Hi Allen, I live in Douglas, and I follow the Ospreys at Loch Of The Lowes in Scotland. This is all new to me in the last 12 months, and just recently, I've been trying to catch sight of Hen Harriers, and Peregrines, as yet with no success! I've been up to the Claddaghs, to try and view from there, but I'm not sure where abouts the hide is? What would be the best time of day to catch sight of them, and where's the best location for the Peregrines? Regards, Nick Gordon.