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TBOSG Montagu's Harrier - Circus pygargus
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George Montagu was an English naturalist who is best known for his Ornithological Dictionary, he has contributed significantly to early knowledge of British birds. He showed that many hitherto accepted species were invalid either being birds in summer or winter plumage or males and females of the same species. His study of harriers resulted in the discovery that Montagu's Harrier was breeding in southern England and he was also involved in the first British records of Cirl Bunting, Cattle Egret, Little Gull and Gull-billed Tern. The scientific name 'pygargus' quite literally means white rump or more precisely, the rump plus white. |
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Earliest: May 1st 2007 ay Dyrham. Latest: October 16th 1991 at Aust Warth. Highest Count: One on all dates. |
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There have been six Montagu's Harrier reported from S. Gloucestershire, they are; |
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2008: (1) |
A female/ immature was seen in flight on May 12th just north of Tormarton at around 11:00. It was watched in a tree, then in flight heading south towards Marshfield before returning north to be watched north of the B4040 near Lyegrove House, east of the A46. |
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2005: (1) |
On June 20th at Rushmead Lane/ Tormarton Road near Marshfield, a 2nd calendar male was seen in flight north-west towards West Littleton at 20:00 and remained in the area until the 22nd June. (ST: 779 754) |
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Montagu's Harrier at Rushmead Lane near Marshfield. June 2005. © Paul Bowerman. |
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1994: (1) |
On June 11th a ‘ringtail’ was located at West Littleton Down. |
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1991: (1) |
On October 16th a female flew in over the estuary drifting east at Aust Warth. |
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1982: (1) |
A female/ immature was identified on August 3rd near Marshfield. |
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1958: (1) |
A ‘ring-tailed’ harrier being mobbed by Rooks was noted on May 25th near Marshfield. This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species for S. Gloucestershire. |
