Raptors of the Marshes and Reed Beds

 

A Male Marsh Harrier

This is the second installment of my blog, covering my recent UK trip. Today, I am concentrating on the Raptors that share the marshes and reed beds with the Heron families covered in my last blog. 

These include Marsh Harriers, Hobbies, Kestrels, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks and Red Kites, all of which visit this site at Stodmarsh Nature Reserve in East Kent. Some of them such as the Harriers are permanent residents, whilst others like the Hobby, visit during their migration and when their food source is prevalent.

Similar to my original blog, the following images are in no particular order, but I will deal with each species separately, starting with the Marsh Harrier.

Marsh Harriers

The largest of the harriers, the Marsh Harrier can be recognised by its long tail and light flight with wings held in a shallow 'V'. It is distinguishable from other harriers by its larger size, heavier build, broader wings and absence of white on the rump. Females are larger than males and have obvious creamy heads, on a predominantly brown body. There are now 5 breeding pairs at Stodmarsh and its future in the UK is more secure than at any time during the last century, but historical declines and subsequent recovery means it is an Amber List species. Marsh Harriers are a Schedule 1 listed bird on The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The Marsh Harrier nests in large reedbeds where it feeds on frogs, small mammals and birds, such as moorhen and coot chicks. Although originally a migrant bird, increasing numbers are choosing to overwinter in the UK. During the breeding season, males perform amazing courtship displays, wheeling at great heights then diving towards the ground while performing a series of tumbles; sometimes the female will join him and they will lock talons mid-air.

As can be seen, this female Marsh Harrier is less colourful than the male.

This male can be seen bringing a young Coot back to the nest to feed its young.

Hobby

The hobby is a small falcon, smaller than a kestrel. With their long wings and streamlined shape, they are perfectly evolved for catching dragonflies and small birds, such as house martins and swifts, on the wing, often transferring their quarry from talon to mouth in mid-air. They are a migratory species, coming to the UK in summer to breed and wintering in Africa. Hobbies can be seen hunting over heathlands, flooded gravel pits and wetlands.

The Hobbies arrive at Stodmarsh during June, just in time for the emergence of the Dragonflies, which makes up the majority of their diet. They are incedibly agile and fast moving, which certainly makes photographing them a challenge. They tend to arrive daily in groups and target an area, before disappearing just a squickly as they arrived.....the whole thing can be over in just a few minutes and they will not then be seen until the next day!

The last 3 images, show a Dragonfly in the Hobbies talons.

 

Sparrowhawk

The sparrowhawk is one of our smallest birds of prey, the male being somewhere between a blackbird and a collared dove in size. The female is larger, up to the size of a wood pigeon. Sparrowhawks are excellent bird hunters, catching small species like finches, sparrows and tits, although I have also witnessed them take blackbirds and doves; sometimes they ambush their prey from a perch, while other times they may fly low, suddenly changing direction to fool it.

The sparrowhawk has rounded wings and a relatively long, narrow tail. Males are small with a blue-grey back and white underparts showing reddish-orange barring. Females are much larger, with browner plumage above and grey bars below. They both have reddish cheeks.

The first image below was actually taken in my garden a few years ago, but clearly shows why they are called Sparrowhawks! - The remainder were taken during my recent trip, during a single sighting and flypast.

Red Kite

The red kite is a large bird of prey with a grey head and angled, red wings that are tipped with black and have white patches underneath. It has a long, reddish-brown, forked tail.

Once considered a threat to game birds and domestic animals like cats and dogs, the red kite was hunted close to extinction in the UK. Now a protected species, and following several reintroduction attempts, the number of red kites has recovered and they can be spotted in lots of places across the UK. Rather than purely hunting for food, red kites are in fact largely scavengers, so mainly like to eat scraps and small prey like rabbits.

I have photographed Red Kites at many locations throughout the UK over the years, but whilst now common in Wales and Oxfordshire, it is only more recently that they have spread to the eastern area of Kent.

Kestrel

Kestrels are typically seen hovering, their pointed wings held out. Males have a grey head and tail with a prominent black band, a gingery-brown back and a creamy underside which is speckled with black. Females are similar, but with a more uniform brown back and dark bands on the tail.

The familiar behaviour of the kestrel gives it one of its old country names: the 'windhover'. The kestrel has the ability to keep its head still while it hovers, even in strong winds, helping it to pinpoint its prey by sight.

Buzzards

Now the most common and widespread UK bird of prey, the Buzzard is quite large with broad, rounded wings, and a short neck and tail. When gliding and soaring, it will often hold its wings in a shallow 'V' and the tail is fanned. Buzzards vary hugely in colour from all dark brown to much paler variations, but all have dark wingtips and a finely-striped tail.

Buzzards are opportunistic predators and can take a wide variety of prey. Small rodents such as voles and mice are commonly eaten, but they can also take prey as large as rabbits or as small as earthworms. They will also scavenge on road kill. This flexible diet allows the buzzard to survive in a variety of habitats.

I was only able to visit the location once or twice a week, which confirms what a great location this is. Whilst I only captured these 6 species, this nature reserve is visited by many other raptors over the course of the year. Over the past couple of years, I have seen Osprey, White Tailed Eagles, Barn Owls, Tawny Owls and Long Eared Owls, as well as Hen Harriers and Peregrines!

Coming Soon:

The last installment of this blog will tell the story of a family of Great Crested Grebe and their battle to bring new life to the Reed Beds. 

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