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Male Hen harrier sky dancing
05766
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Male Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) sky dancing display flight, Langholm Moor. He flips over to be upside down at the top of the display, showing his white underside instead of the usual grey back.
The display takes place mainly as the pair form or renew their pair bond in March to May. Later on in the season, most of the male's energy is taken up not in display but with hunting to provide for the female (or more than one!) and the rapidly growing youngsters.
This image was created by combining many shots taken in rapid succession to form a composite image, which gives an impression of the sky dancing display. It is cropped from the full display shot to show where the male flips over at the top of the display.
19 April 2014
Male Hen harrier sky dancing
05767
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Male Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) sky dancing display flight, Langholm Moor. He flips over to be upside down at the top of the display, showing his white underside instead of the usual grey back.
The display takes place mainly as the pair form or renew their pair bond in March to May. Later on in the season, most of the male's energy is taken up not in display but with hunting to provide for the female (or more than one!) and the rapidly growing youngsters.
This image was created by combining many shots taken in rapid succession to form a composite image, which gives an impression of the sky dancing display.
19 April 2014
Hen harrier food pass
05765
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) pair in a food pass. The male brings food to the female, who flips upside down to receive it. A food pass can take place either during courtship, as in this case, or during brooding of the chicks later in the season, when the female is mostly on the nest and the male does much of the hunting.
This image was created by combining many shots taken in rapid succession to form a composite image, which gives an impression of the food pass, in which the male Hen harrier (above), carrying food, catches up with the female, who flips over to receive the prey item he drops for her, often a vole or a Meadow pipit, or sometimes a Red grouse chick.
19 April 2014
Merlin pair in flight
05764
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Merlin (Falco columbarius) pair in flight, Langholm Moor, the female on the left and the male on the right. These are very small raptors taken with a very long lens from a vehicle on the public road to avoid disturbance. Merlin is a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and a licence would be required to go any closer.
20 April 2014
Female Merlin in flight
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161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Female Merlin (Falco columbarius) in flight, Langholm Moor. She sits on a rock looking for prey, then gets up and flies rapidly in pursuit.
19 April 2014
Male Merlin in flight
04585
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Male Merlin (Falco columbarius) in flight, Langholm Moor. At 30cm long, Merlins are the UK's smallest raptor, and dash about quickly pursuing their prey, mainly of small birds. the male can be distinguished from a Kestrel by its grey back, and by not hovering.
30 March 2014
Female Merlin sitting on moor
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161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Female Merlin (Falco columbarius) sitting on Langholm Moor. At 30cm long, Merlins are the UK's smallest raptor. They sit and watch from a vantage point for small bird movements, then take off in pursuit.
28 March 2014
Female Merlin sitting on rock
04583
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Female Merlin (Falco columbarius) sitting on rock, Langholm Moor. At 30cm long, Merlins are the UK's smallest raptor. They sit and watch from a vantage point for small bird movements, then take off in pursuit.
30 March 2014
Male Merlin sitting on rock
04584
161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Male Merlin (Falco columbarius) sitting on rock, Langholm Moor. At 30cm long, Merlins are the UK's smallest raptor. They sit and watch from a vantage point for small bird movements, then take off in pursuit.
29 March 2014
Meadow Pipit song flight
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161
Dumfriesshire - Langholm Moor
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) song flight, Langholm Moor. The bird repeatedly flies upwards at a steep angle, then parachutes down towards the ground, singing.
