Marsh harrier chicks 2011 - Happy, healthy and almost ready to fly! (c) Tom Marshall
Marsh harriers have returned to the Cheshire region and nested for only the second time.
The Trust reported the first successful breeding of marsh harriers in Cheshire last year, and we can now confirm that the harriers have fledged two healthy chicks in 2011, which have now been seen flying beyond the nesting area.
The exact location of the nest has been kept under wraps once again throughout the breeding season to minimise disturbance.
Regular observations had been made by local bird experts – including Trust chairman Prof. David Norman, Peter Burton and Richard Castell, and the small team made a single visit to the nest during July, confirming the presence of the harriers and to fit leg rings to the chicks. A general health check also included weight and wing measurements. Watch the video
Professor Norman said: “It’s extremely heartening to see the return of these magnificent birds of prey to the Mersey basin. After many weeks and months of patient watching and waiting, to finally see two more young harriers in the air is spectacular news and a great relief to those who have been keeping a close eye on them.”
Our goal is to work with landowners through the support of our partners at the Environment Agency, to strike that balance between sustainable land management for individuals, communities and wildlife – and perhaps a place where the marsh harrier can be the centrepiece
The Trust now hopes that if suitable habitats can be created within our Living Landscape scheme along the Gowy and Mersey rivers, the offspring of this first historic pair of marsh harriers may return to the region.
Although marsh harriers generally favour large areas of reedbed, such as those typically found in East Anglia, Lancashire and the south coast where harriers are present in greater numbers, they can adapt to other habitats according to the Trust’s Living Landscape manager Richard Gardner:
Adult marsh harrier over a UK reedbed (c) Andy Thompson
“What we’re looking to achieve with a Living Landscape is a mosaic of wetland habitats that includes floodplain meadows, ditches and of course healthy rivers. This variety is key for species like the marsh harrier that can be flexible in where it nests, but ultimately still needs the right places to find food.
“Our goal is to work with landowners through the support of our partners at the Environment Agency, to strike that balance between sustainable land management for individuals, communities and wildlife – and perhaps a place where the marsh harrier can be the centrepiece.”
It is thought that the young harriers will remain in the area for a few more weeks before heading south across Europe for up to three years, with the adult marsh harriers hopefully returning again next spring.
Richard Gardner discusses the harriers with BBC North West Tonight (c) Tom Marshall
