Harrier Delights

Before leaving Islay,  until our return next June, it would be remiss of me not to mention the bird that first brought us to Islay in 1976 – the Hen Harrier. There can be few better places to see Hen Harriers in Winter than Islay. It is not uncommon to encounter five or six different birds on a trip around the island. In fact you have a better chance to see female Harriers in Winter than in Summer when they are occupied hatching their eggs or brooding their young in the deep heather. In the 48 years since 1976 I count myself lucky to have intensively studied and filmed over sixty pairs of Islay’s Hen Harriers as well as ringing over 200 of their young.