Pallid Harrier - Oh My Yes

I kinda like Pallid Harriers. I'm not sure, you may have heard me make mention of this somewhere before.

*Strikes ridiculous Tory-Hero pose*

Kneel before Zod

I may, possibly...I can't be sure, also have mentioned that I have a history with the species.

Realistically my, let's call it what it is, abject, overflowing adoration of Pallid Harrier goes back long before finding Ireland's first, to a raptor camp on the straits of Messina. (A superb part of the world if you ever get the chance). And even before that to simply dreaming of Pallid Harrier; seeing plates and photos in books.

I would never have believed back then, that I would someday be living in a place, where not only can I reasonably expect to see them each spring and autumn, not only find my own in those seasons, but actually see the species from my garden.

That's... that's crazy stuff. 

How can anyone be expected to get their head around that?

You're not supposed to have a bird like Pallid Harrier on your garden list...unless you live on some remote isle like the Shetlands, and your "garden" is a few stonewalls and a sheep...which you have for some reason. I'm not judging.

My move to the Baltic (at times I refer to it as kidnapping or human trafficking) has given me a renewed affection for this species. In a recurring theme, all these interesting species I'm seeing here (interesting in an Irish context), instead of becoming mundane or blasé, are becoming much anticipated calendar marks, defining the year and it's seasons in birds, possibly more so than I felt when in Ireland.

As Pallid Harriers seem to be on topic at the moment, and are certainly on the move here in Helsinki, I thought I'd share a few pleasant memories of one of my favorite raptors. 

In many ways, however, these stories are no longer my own. The more I think about it, these are pretty much about herself.

Pallid Harrier or "steppe bog-hawk" as the Finnish name, Arosuohaukka translates (I know...I know..a ridiculous and yet brilliant name) was herself's bogey bird for a long time. 

A loooooong time. 

Realistically the commonest rarity, routinely available in the region she had yet to encounter. Such things are prone to happen, especially when you don't twitch. 

If you're ever​ unsure if a bogey bird IS actually a bogey bird...just tell other birders you still need it. If their response is "WHAT?? Sweary sweary. LOL LOL" ...It's a bogey bird.

In May 2014 we took a quick trip to Estonia for a long weekend's birding in the famous Matsalu Bay area. 

Actually one of the perks of living in Helsinki is the ease with which you can jump on a ferry to Tallinn, avail of cheap alcohol and marzipan, and enjoy a different flavor of birding again, just 2 hours across the bay.

We pulled into our hotel at Haeska (another place you need to visit someday) in the late afternoon, and made straight for the adjacent bird tower (I'll explain all about bird towers at a later time).

We were here to nab a taste of "Arctica", the exceptional arctic migration of ducks, geese, divers, swans etc that pushes through Matsalu in a mind-blowing surge, and in particular of interest, was a hoped for Red-breasted Goose, a lifer for me.

Scanning the several thousand strong flock of Barnacle geese, out of the corner of my eye I twigged the familiar glide of a harrier distantly behind the flock. Other than it being a ring tail, and being light and buoyant, I got nothing more on it before it dropped into reeds. 

The likelihood was Montagu's, or Hen more so than Pallid. But my spider-sense was tingling. It was a distinctly familiar déjà vu moment. 

We waited it out. And waited. And despite several moments of debate as to whether we would go and maybe get something to eat..we still waited. And then, eventually, the bird lifted up and began to fly towards us.


Pallid Harrier - 2CY male

It was a classic 2CY Pallid Harrier male. Elation. And serious déjà vu.

Hanna's lifer, and bogey bird, was done and dusted at last. And quite a decent bird for Estonia so far as we're aware. 

This only left one milestone left: To see this species in Finland. 

I like Facebook's "on this day" feature. It suits my nostalgia. And in fact was one of the prompts for this post, as it reminded me that it was this date 2 years ago when that milestone too fell away.

Whilst visiting our other mökki (affluence) north of Tampere, we took the chance to visit one of our patches nearby, Sarkkila bird tower. 

Sarkkila is a gem of a spot. A beautiful low lying lake set in rolling fields, beset with songs of Curlew, Corncrake and bulling Red-necked Grebe.
Sarkkila - Kind of like the shire
As we were about to take the turn towards the tower, I prophesied that
"Now, this is where we find our 1st Finnish Pallid Harrier".

Hanna replied with the polite finnish equivalent of "Bollox."

"You can't possibly know there will be one here," She said.

"I find your lack of faith...disturbing." I retorted. (It's very important that this younger generation be educated in the ways of the force...and I was trying to get her to watch Star Wars at the time)

We parked up at the tower, and climbed the stairs. I raised my bins...to be greeted with yet another 2CY Pallid Harrier. I shouted "Pallid"...and just stood back laughing, as Hanna, swearing at the time (not that she would admit it) panicked at getting a few shots of the bird. She succeeded. And Pallid Harrier was now on both our Finnish lists.




2CY Pallid Harrier - Sarkkila

Of course, we have seen many, many Pallid Harriers since, in both spring and autumn (and there will be more posts to come about them in time). Pallid has gone from strength to strength. Breeding pairs in Finland now number in the double digits and are going up. The migrant numbers come in triple figures in both spring and autumn, and can't be too much longer until a quadruple figure autumn is recorded.

To come full circle, all of this, likely relates to why Ireland finally had that faithful first one 6 years ago...and it's 2nd to 6th that autumn.

Pallid Harrier - target it for your self found list. You know you want one.

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