Ghost of the Marshes - Hen Harrier - Snape Marshes - 25/12/2016

Over the Christmas period I spent time with my family in Snape which led to me being able to visit some good bird locations in that area. This included the magical Suffolk Coast and Heaths area, a near continuous area of wild coastal habitats.
On Christmas day, before we opened our presents, and to get out of my mum's hair as she cooked the turkey we walked the Snape area. Snape is a small village surrounded by rich wildlife habitats which includes Snape Warren, a large patch of heathland, Snape Marshes a local wildlife reserve, and the Alde estuary, which has loads of mud to attract waders.

Snape Warren

 



Snape Warren was fairly quiet, and there were a few waders on the mid tide on the Alde, including some AVOCETS. It wasn't until we reached Snape Marshes where things changed. A beautiful male HEN HARRIER was discovered where it flew around waist height over the rough grassland. This is an attractive, scarce bird, white-grey with black wing tips, that winters in the wild marshes of Suffolk.
As the bird quartered the marsh it flushed two JACK SNIPE from a wet tussocky area, the two little birds zipping around in the air.
The HARRIER went to ground, before reappearing and drifted around before it eventually flew up over the trees to head off towards Snape Warren.
This was a completely unexpected bird which makes it even more amazing and was the perfect Christmas present.