Hen harrier sighting

13th March 2011
Walked down to Cobble Hey, then up Peacock Hill over to Delph Wood and then back across the fields to Landskill. Saw a rolling flock of starlings moving like a wave over the field. Many lapwings around, some of which looked to be protecting nests. Heard the call of the curlew a few times and then spotted one flying over. As we walked over Peacock Hill a brown hare rose suddenly out of the grass a few feet in front of us and hurtled away across the field.

14th March 2011
Walked to Bleasdale Moors and up to the peak of Hazelhurst Fell. As we sat up there we saw a hen harrier flying over us, swooping and rising and making a distinctive rasping 'kek kek' sound. We also saw lots of grouse and, on the way back, pheasants.

Thank you to our guests, John and Joy of Harrogate, for making a note of these sightings in our nature diary.