The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Midway between horse shoe point and pyes hall there is a pumping station which gives a good view of the salt marsh plus the outfall. At 12.30 i saw a distant harrier which i am 90% sure was a female monty's. It had lost several primaries on both sides also several secondries were also missing. It was hunting the dyke that runs from pyes hall behind the ponds so it was disappearing down the dyke. It was never closer than half a mile away from me but the wing width and more buoyant agile flight and all round slender appearance of the bird were consistant with monty's. Wish i could have counted the primeries but some were missing and there was a lot of heat haze around. I watched the bird for 10 mins before it dived on prey in the field just on the inland side of the dyke about 400 yds from the pyes hall outfall and did not reappear. So if someone gets a better view of a real tatty looking female monty's let me know to confirm my sighting. TA MUCH

Terry Whalin

TERENCE this place is called THE BLACK HUT. no more though since the computer age. sad but true!

Good to see your sighting of possible monty f as i saw what i thought was one on sat over Saltflleetby saltmarsh (at some distance) and in poor light
was sure i saw the white rump, but could not discount hen harrier even though unlikely, it flew n w over the dunes about 1045hrs. John.

John
thanks for the info, i feel even more confident about the id after swotting up. Did you notice the missing primeries ?. I thought it looked very thin winged across the secondries but it did have a few secondries missing also.
cheers mate terry whalin