Hurry up Harry!

The following day we were scheduled to meet up with the manager of The Alver Valley. Just before setting off, he contacted us to tell of a Harrier he had seen in the area for a couple of days. Not wanting to miss out, we left early and were soon stood at Cherque Farm in anticipation. An hour later we had been entertained by two Stonechats and a Dartford Warbler, but no Harrier. The Warbler seemed to have adopted the Chats. Where ever the Chats perched, a quick search of the same bush below would soon reveal the Dartford forraging for spiders.

Time to go. And as if on cue the Harrier appeared and started to quarter the scrub, with two attendent Magpies. The meeting would have to wait a little and we tucked ourselves into a hedge and watched this superb female Hen Harrier perform for us. At times coming with-in a few yards. Eventually she plunged into the rank grass, rose up again carrying what looked like a vole and dropped back into the grass to take her tea. Our cue to get off and work.