Harriers Pottering around the Hoskinstown Plain

[martin butterfield <>]

I apologise for reusing an old joke but it is still a good one.  For once the plural is not a typo.

This morning a local landowner contacted to advise that he had seen two harriers on his property and wondered if one was a Swamp Harrier.  I accompanied him to he paddock and had excellent views of a Spotted Harrier initially perched on a fence and then flying off.  The flight sighting clearly showed a darkish rump (definitely not white) and extensive dark wing tips.  As much of the belly was white I take this to be a juvenile bird.

After getting seriously swooped by a Nankeen Kestrel the bird headed off to be joined by a second, darker bird.  I didn't get to see this but my friend reported that when he first saw them, earlier in the day, they seemed to fly together almost like a mating display.  

Unfortunately the bird was somewhat skittish and I couldn't get a photograph.

Martin