206 The nesting of the Hen Harrier in Northern Scotland.


his nest in a mossy bank, flew clacking and chattering away from

the roadside as we passed by.


Common Gulls, which were nesting in some numbers in the

heather of the hilltops, made a vast and unpleasant clamour.


We ascended the track until the last little patch of cultivation

and the last little thatched cottage had been left behind; and,

jumping the little ditch which bordered the rough road, we made

our way over the tussocks and tall rough heather. At this particular

spot the heather was much larger than is usual in this part of the

world, and reached well above the waist.


As we approached the largest and thickest patch of heather

a big brown bird with a ring at the base of its tail rose almost from

under our feet, and flapped silently away, and in a few feet more

we were looking down on the nest and nestling of the Hen Harrier.


The pale-grey male bird had meanwhile put in an appearance,

chattering noisily and flying uneasily to and fro at some distance.

He presently alighted in the heather, perhaps 100 yards away.


Originally the nest when found had contained two addled

eggs and one nestling, and the latter alone now occupied it.


The nest itself was a large flattened structure made of the

stems of the larger heather plants, and of coarse bents and rushes

apparently well trodden down, and was about 18 in. in diameter.


Placed a few inches only above the ground, it had kept

remarkably dry, considering the damp nature of its surroundings.


The nest was well hidden in the middle of a clump of tall

thick heather plants, not more than 30 yards from the rough road

aforesaid, nor more than 150 from the nearest crofter’s cottage and

its surrounding patches of cultivation.


The nestling, now some four weeks old, is about the size of

a Pigeon—rather a wild fluffy-looking youngster which snaps feebly

on handling. The only food-remains to be seen are portions of a

large vole.


The cock bird continues to circle round about but never

comes very near to us.


Continually he gives out his chuckling ringing cry, and

from time to time he settles down in the heather and watches us

suspiciously.



