Five Hen harrier chicks fledge in Northumberland

23/07/2008 10:47:41 July 2008. Five chicks of a pair of rare hen harriers that nested in Northumberland this year are now all successfully airborne, the RSPB and Forestry Commission have reported.

Radio tracking
Although the young harriers have now flown the nest, and will soon move away from the breeding area, their movements will still be monitored thanks to modern technology. The harriers' movements over the coming months will be tracked thanks to miniature radio transmitters carried by the birds.

24 hour nest watch
The harriers have been raised at a nest on Forestry Commission land in North Tynedale. A round-the-clock watch has been underway since April, to safeguard the nest. More than 30 volunteers have worked alongside the RSPB and Forestry Commission to protect the harrier family from any illegal human interference.

Tom Dearnley, Forestry Commission Ecologist, said: "Watching five more hen harriers take to the skies is another fantastic achievement for the project. Every chick that fledges helps conserve this endangered, but quite magnificent bird, and ensures it still has a future in Northumberland."

Very rare in England
Phil Curtis, who organised the nest watch on behalf of the RSPB and Forestry Commission, said: "Hen harriers are very rare birds in England so to have five healthy chicks on the wing is fantastic news and a great reward for all the hard work.

"We are grateful to everyone who has helped with the project, and particularly to the local community who supported our work and to all the dedicated volunteers for helping out whatever the weather. Mounting a 24-hr guard on the nest was clearly the right thing to do and has helped the harriers raise five healthy chicks."

Hen harriers are one of England's rarest birds and although it is estimated that there should be more than 200 hen harriers nests in England, only 10 successful nests are known in the whole of England this year (only two of which are outside Lancashire's Forest of Bowland).

Illegal persecution
Illegal killing or deliberate disturbance is believed to be the main reason that hen harriers are absent from almost all areas of suitable moorland in northern England.

The RSPB has launched a campaign calling for an end to the illegal killing of birds of prey and asking members of the public to support calls for better protection of birds of prey. For more information click on www.rspb.org.uk/birdsofprey

The Northumberland Harrier Nest Watch is a partnership between the RSPB, and Forestry Commission with support from the Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club, BBC Wildlife Fund, SITA Trust, Egger UK and Tynedale Council.