Montagu's harrier, Marshside

A stunning juvenile Montagu's harrier has been at Marshside Southport for a few days and possibly for as long as a month. I got chance to call in this morning due to an appointment in Southport and I was there for 8am. At about 8.15am I was walking towards the sand plant from the wildfowlers pull in, when suddenly the bird appeared and was flying towards me, at a distance of about 70m. 

Back in 2002 I found a Monty's on Reeds Moss near Rainford and I remember well how taken I was at the time by it's completely different jizz to hen harrier. My first impression on seeing the Rainford bird was that it was a large falcon, and only when it started hunting did I realise that it was a harrier. 

It was exactly the same today. Even before I saw it's white rump or any detail on the bird I knew straight away that it was Monty's, because it was flying in the same falcon like way.

I was very fortunate today. Before my plans changed yesterday, I was going to go to Marshside this afternoon, after a planned meeting in Warrington. If that had happened I wouldn't have seen the bird. At 9am it started to ride the thermals and circled higher and higher until it was just a dot even through the telescope. We thought it was going but it dropped considerably and seemed to head towards Hesketh Out Marsh before being lost to view. There have been no sightings since 9am.

The big one and the Big One!

My first view of the Monty's today.