Conservationists ‘overjoyed' at successful breeding by rare Montagu's harriers
The Montagu's harrier has not successfully bred in the UK since 2019, but this year a pair of the migratory birds of prey have managed to raise four healthy youngsters to fledging.
Montagu's harriers winter in Africa and return to Europe to nest, often setting up home in agricultural fields – particularly winter sown cereals in the UK – and can return to the same location each year.
Their previous strongholds in Spain and France are struggling because of more intensive agriculture, earlier harvesting dates and wetter summers, while in the UK they have declined from a high of nine successful nests in 2011, with the species placed on the 'red list' of birds most at risk in 2021, the RSPB said.
The pair were first seen at the now secret location in May, and the RSPB has worked closely with the farmer on whose land the birds were to protect the nesting attempt.
A nest was located in June by the licensed use of a drone and then closely monitored by a volunteer birdwatcher and the wildlife charity.
The RSPB set up a small protective fence around the nest once the chicks had hatched, to protect them from predators such as foxes.
The chicks were ringed in mid-July and last week made their first flights, the RSPB said.
Both the adult birds were themselves previously ringed, with the male identified as a chick from a nest in the UK in 2015, and the female from a nest in France in 2023.
Mark Thomas, Montagu's harrier species lead at RSPB, said: 'We are overjoyed that a pair have returned, they managed to find each other and through the close protection of a dedicated farmer and the RSPB, have managed to raise four youngsters.
'What's even more remarkable is that we have been able to work out that the male was colour-ringed by the RSPB as a chick in a UK nest in 2015 and that his partner is wearing a ring indicating she is from France.
'This Anglo-French alliance could just be the springboard needed to save this species in Britain.'
The farmer, who cannot be named to protect the location of the nest, said: 'It's fantastic to have these amazing birds on the farm and a just reward for the extensive conservation work we have been undertaking for decades.'
The RSPB said it hoped the birds will migrate safely to Africa, and the adults will return next year to breed again.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Flight to Manchester diverts to Paris after issuing 'emergency' alert
A flight that was heading to Manchester from Crete has diverted to Paris after issuing an 'emergency' alert. The easyJet flight from Heraklion was due to arrive at Manchester Airport this afternoon (August 6) but has instead landed in the French capital. According to Flightradar24, a 'Squawk 7700' was issued indicating that there was an emergency on board the aircraft. The EZY57NP flight landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris at 5.25pm after a delayed departure from the Greek island of Crete. READ MORE: LIVE Police descend on Manchester street after body found in alleyway - latest updates READ MORE: 'I never thought for one minute the fire service could do that to my house' The Airbus A320 issued the Squawk 7700 alert during the flight which indicates a general emergency, according to Flightradar24. Never miss a story with the MEN's daily Catch Up newsletter - get it in your inbox by signing up here The flight tracking website says that 'squawking' results in all air traffic control facilities in the being immediately alerted that the aircraft has an emergency situation. This could include a problem with the aircraft, a medical issue or something else. --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
a day ago
What to know about the Titan sub and its tragic final dive to the Titanic
The Titan submersible was crushed by intense water pressure beneath the North Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 2023. A catastrophic implosion instantly killed the four passengers and pilot, Stockton Rush, who was also the CEO of the company that owned the vessel. Two years later, the U.S. Coast Guard released a lengthy report saying the disaster could have been prevented, but deeply flawed safety procedures and efforts to avoid oversight had effectively doomed the vessel and all aboard. Things to know about Titan: Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic shipwreck since 2021. Owned by OceanGate, a company based in Washington state, the final dive came on June 18, 2023. The submersible was reported overdue that afternoon, and ships, planes and equipment were rushed to the scene about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John's, Newfoundland. The Titanic rests on the ocean floor about 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) below the surface. Experts had cautioned that the submersible's hull could implode under intense pressure at extreme depths. OceanGate touted Titan's roomier cylinder-shaped cabin made of a carbon-fiber, although experts say it was a departure from the sphere-shaped cabins made of titanium used by most submersibles. A sphere is a 'perfect shape' because water pressure is exerted equally on all areas, said Chris Roman, a professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography. Titan had made more than two dozen deep-sea dives, which put repeated stress on the hull, said Jasper Graham-Jones, an associate professor of mechanical and marine engineering at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom. Investigators also found that Titan was stored outdoors over the Canadian winter, where its hull was exposed to temperature fluctuations that compromised the integrity of the vessel. The water pressure at the Titanic is roughly 400 atmospheres or 6,000 pounds per square inch. Arun Bansil, a Northeastern University physics professor, likened the pressure to the force of a "whale biting on somebody.' 'The passengers probably would have had no idea what happened,' Bansil said in 2023. OceanGate had a culture of downplaying, ignoring and even falsifying key safety information to improve its reputation and dodge scrutiny from regulators, Coast Guard investigators found. OceanGate ignored 'red flags' and had a 'toxic workplace culture,' while its mission was hindered by lack of domestic and international framework for submersible operations, the report says. Numerous OceanGate employees have come forward since the implosion to support those claims. 'By strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate TITAN completely outside of the established deep-sea protocols,' the report found. In addition to Rush, the implosion killed French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British adventurer Hamish Harding and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
What to know about the Titan sub and its tragic final dive to the Titanic
The Titan submersible was crushed by intense water pressure beneath the North Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 2023. A catastrophic implosion instantly killed the four passengers and pilot, Stockton Rush, who was also the CEO of the company that owned the vessel. Two years later, the U.S. Coast Guard released a lengthy report saying the disaster could have been prevented, but deeply flawed safety procedures and efforts to avoid oversight had effectively doomed the vessel and all aboard. What was the Titan? Titan had been making voyages to the Titanic shipwreck since 2021. Owned by OceanGate, a company based in Washington state, the final dive came on June 18, 2023. The submersible was reported overdue that afternoon, and ships, planes and equipment were rushed to the scene about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John's, Newfoundland. The Titanic rests on the ocean floor about 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) below the surface. Experts had cautioned that the submersible's hull could implode under intense pressure at extreme depths. The craft's design OceanGate touted Titan's roomier cylinder-shaped cabin made of a carbon-fiber, although experts say it was a departure from the sphere-shaped cabins made of titanium used by most submersibles. A sphere is a 'perfect shape' because water pressure is exerted equally on all areas, said Chris Roman, a professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography. Titan had made more than two dozen deep-sea dives, which put repeated stress on the hull, said Jasper Graham-Jones, an associate professor of mechanical and marine engineering at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom. Investigators also found that Titan was stored outdoors over the Canadian winter, where its hull was exposed to temperature fluctuations that compromised the integrity of the vessel. The water pressure at the Titanic is roughly 400 atmospheres or 6,000 pounds per square inch. Arun Bansil, a Northeastern University physics professor, likened the pressure to the force of a "whale biting on somebody.' 'The passengers probably would have had no idea what happened,' Bansil said in 2023. What investigators said OceanGate had a culture of downplaying, ignoring and even falsifying key safety information to improve its reputation and dodge scrutiny from regulators, Coast Guard investigators found. OceanGate ignored 'red flags' and had a 'toxic workplace culture,' while its mission was hindered by lack of domestic and international framework for submersible operations, the report says. Numerous OceanGate employees have come forward since the implosion to support those claims. 'By strategically creating and exploiting regulatory confusion and oversight challenges, OceanGate was ultimately able to operate TITAN completely outside of the established deep-sea protocols,' the report found. In addition to Rush, the implosion killed French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British adventurer Hamish Harding and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood.
