Birdwatchers in the North East were treated to a rare spectacle earlier this month as a marsh harrier a bird once on the brink of extinction in Britain was seen soaring over the region.
The sighting marks a significant moment for North East conservationists and bird enthusiasts, who described the appearance as both “unexpected and thrilling.”
The marsh harrier is the largest of the UK’s harrier species and is easily recognisable in flight by its long wings held in a distinctive V-shape.
The marsh harrier (Image: STEVE RAINE/CAMERA CLUB) This most recent image, taken by Northern Echo camera club member Steve Raine shows the majestic bird in full flight.
Once reduced to a single breeding female in the UK by 1971 due to habitat loss and persecution, the species has made a dramatic comeback.
Thanks to decades of conservation work, the UK population now exceeds 500 breeding pairs, primarily in East Anglia, the Somerset Levels, and parts of Scotland.
Despite this recovery, marsh harriers remain an amber-listed species under the Birds of Conservation Concern and are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Typically, marsh harriers breed in extensive reedbeds and feed on frogs, small mammals, and wetland birds such as moorhens and coots.
While traditionally summer visitors that migrate to Africa for the winter, a growing number are now overwintering in the UK—another indicator of the species’ adaptability and increasing resilience.
“This is a fantastic example of how targeted conservation can reverse the fortunes of a species,” said one birder.
“Seeing a marsh harrier here in the North East is still uncommon, but it’s happening more often—and that’s a really hopeful sign for our wetlands.”
With sightings increasing and habitats slowly recovering, enthusiasts are encouraged to keep an eye on reedbeds for future glimpses of this striking raptor.
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