Spectacular numbers of birds of prey are spending the winter at Blacktoft Sands nature reserve.  A massive 38 marsh harriers have been seen gathering over the reserve in the last few hours of a winters day forming a spectacular sight. 

In a winters afternoon, they arrive in ones or twos, then before you know it they are all in the air, enjoying swooping and chasing each other, forming an incredible sight over the skies of Blacktoft and then slowly they drop into the reeds to spend another night.

Marsh harriers are some of our largest birds of prey, with a massive wingspan of 1.5m.  They have been recovering from near extinction in the UK in the 1970s due to use of pesticides and illegal persecution.  At Blacktoft Sands we are helping them recover by offering them safe places to roost in the winter and raise a family in the summer

Other birds of prey joining the fun this winter have been the ghostly white hen harrier and the magical merlin.