Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

This stunning male bird was photographed May 2017 in the Forest of Bowland, an extremely rare and beautiful bird in the UK he was displaying, hunting and instinctively looking for nesting material. The chances of him finding a mate are very slim. Harriers have been persecuted horrendously in areas such as this where the birds of prey come into conflict with Grouse shooting estates where they are perceived as a threat to the young grouse. Tighter legislation and public awareness of the situation can only help in protecting these simply stunning birds in the future.