A single Hen Harrier chick has
successfully fledged at RSPB Geltsdale for the first time in a decade.
The male bird, named Bonny, was
the only chick to hatch from a clutch of five eggs at the North Pennines
reserve and is one of only seven to fledge in the whole of England this season.
The other chicks fledged from two nests in Northumberland.
Hen Harriers are on the verge of
extinction in England, resulting from ongoing illegal persecution on some
grouse moors, and Bonny’s survival has been a classic tale of triumph over
adversity, defying the odds at every turn.
Blanaid Denman, the RSPB’s Hen
Harrier LIFE Project Manager, explains: “Bonny’s mother arrived at the reserve
back in May looking for a mate but she had to wait several weeks for a male to
turn up. When one finally did appear, she was not impressed.
“He was young and yet to gain his
adult grey plumage. Normally, in a healthy population of Hen Harriers, an
immature male like this wouldn't get a look in. But with so few birds in
England, the female had little option but to accept his advances or leave
breeding to another year.”
Once it had been confirmed there
was a nest, RSPB staff and volunteers mounted a 24/7 watch and provided
supplementary food under licence, to ensure that the family of Hen Harriers had
the best possible chance of survival and success.
Blanaid Denman continues: “The
supplementary food proved vital as the inexperienced male was hopelessly
inattentive of his dependent female, often vanishing for days before
reappearing with a paltry food offering. The extra food ensured that the female
never had to go far from the nest to feed Bonny or herself.”
Bonny has already achieved
national fame as his name was selected by nature TV presenter Chris Packham
from over 2,300 entries to a competition run by LUSH cosmetics, to celebrate
the incredible £122,000 raised by their skydancer bathbombs to support Hen
Harrier conservation.
He is one of a number of Hen
Harriers to be satellite tagged as part of RSPB's Hen Harrier LIFE Project
across England, Scotland and the Isle of Man this year (see note). Once he has
left Geltsdale in a few weeks, it will be possible to follow his movements
online at rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife or @RSPB_Skydancer.
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