On Sunday a Pallid Harrier was spotted at Hesketh Out Marsh and later on it was seen quartering the saltmarsh from Crossens Out Marsh, Marshside to the Pier.  Luckily I wasn't too far away and I had a couple of hours to spare so popped down today.  Lots of birders were seen along the Marine Drive to see this 1st for South of the Ribble area in Lancashire bird and 4th overall county record.  The first one at Brockholes, 2nd at Dunsop Bridge and 3rd at Cockerham.

A local was saying that there had been previous reports of Pallid Harrier but sightings were distant and a lack of photographs nailing the key features were never taken or probably too far to be made out.  Marshside if the best place to see Hen Harriers in Lancashire outside of the breeding season so I am sure the local birders must have felt surprised why one had not been confirmed but that changed.  

I walked up the Marine Drive and Golden Plover called over, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnet all fed on the salt marsh.  I spotted a Harrier in the distant but could not confirm it.  Interestingly a ringtail Hen harrier was sighted earlier and more surprisingly an immature Goshawk was photographed.  Goshawks were almost unheard of here as they prefer wooded areas rather the saltmarsh.

It took nearly 2 hours before the Pallid Harrier showed and it was on fire when it did.  It quartered the saltmarsh more nimbly than the Marsh Harriers, twisting and turning with ease.  It was one of this years young and could have been one of the ones sighted further North, now working it's way south.  A similar aged Montague's Harrier was present last autumn at the same place.  

We saw it interact with Kestrel and Marsh Harrier.  It disappeared and then once up again I shouted "it's out again!"  A local replied "put it back in!"  There was a loud chuckle form the present mob. 

Curlew, 3 Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit all flew over the marsh.    

Sadly my photos are poor and would not be good enough to put forward to support a Pallid Harrier ID but there are plenty of decent photos online from the last 2 days!