 Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus). Male. Taken at Cley Marshes, Norfolk, on June 14th 2024. Male. Taken at Cley Marshes, Norfolk, on June 14th 2024. (© David Hastings) (Canon R7+RF100-400, f/8, 1/800th, ISO320, 400mm. Click image for larger version)  Marsh Harrier. Female. Taken at Standlake Common, Oxon., on August 25th 2025. Female. Taken at Standlake Common, Oxon., on August 25th 2025. (© David Hastings) (Canon R7+RF100-500+1.4x, f/10, 1/1000, ISO1600, 700mm. Click image for larger version) Description L: 43 - 55 cm; WS: 115 - 140 cm The Marsh Harrier is a medium-sized raptor and the largest and broadest-winged harrier. It is distinguishable from other harriers by its larger size, heavier build, broader wings and absence of white on the rump. Females are larger than males and have obvious creamy heads. Marsh Harriers are mainly found in eastern and south-east England, with some in the north-west, south-west and Scotland. Birds return to their breeding areas by April and leave for Africa in September and October, although a growing number are staying all year round. They are usually associated with marshland and dense reedbeds. It has Amber status on the British list. There are around 400 breeding pairs in the UK. Sightings | 16-Oct-2025 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 15-Oct-2025 | : | Warham Greens, Norfolk | (1) | | 14-Oct-2025 | : | Cley Marshes, Norfolk | (2) | | 14-Oct-2025 | : | Stiffkey, Norfolk | (2) | | 13-Oct-2025 | : | Warham Greens, Norfolk | (1) | | 14-Sep-2025 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 09-Sep-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 25-Aug-2025 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 14-Jul-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 12-May-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 15-Mar-2025 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 02-Mar-2025 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 25-Feb-2025 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 29-Jan-2025 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) |
| | 29-Dec-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 08-Nov-2024 | : | Welney, Norfolk | (3) | | 08-Nov-2024 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 07-Nov-2024 | : | Warham Greens, Norfolk | (1) | | 06-Nov-2024 | : | Holkham NNR, Norfolk | (1) | | 05-Nov-2024 | : | Cley Marshes, Norfolk | (3) | | 18-Sep-2024 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 05-Aug-2024 | : | Pagham Harbour, W. Sussex | (1) | | 29-Jul-2024 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 17-Jun-2024 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | (2) | | 16-Jun-2024 | : | How Hill NNR, Norfolk | (1) | | 15-Jun-2024 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | (1) | | 14-Jun-2024 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 14-Jun-2024 | : | Cley Marshes, Norfolk | (2) | | 26-Jan-2024 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) |
| | 26-Dec-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 18-May-2023 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 11-Mar-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 19-Feb-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 01-Feb-2023 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (2) | | 30-Jan-2023 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 18-Oct-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 08-Oct-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 24-Jun-2022 | : | Leighton Moss, Lancashire | (2) | | 20-Jun-2022 | : | Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria | (1) | | 30-May-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1f) | | 15-Apr-2022 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1m) | | 07-Feb-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 05-Jan-2022 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 09-Dec-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 25-Nov-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 17-Nov-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 02-Nov-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 11-Oct-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Apr-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 14-Apr-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3) | | 31-Mar-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 25-Mar-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (4) | | 22-Mar-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 14-Mar-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 07-Mar-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3) | | 28-Feb-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3) | | 10-Feb-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 23-Jan-2021 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 15-Dec-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 19-Nov-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 15-Oct-2020 | : | Holkham NNR, Norfolk | (1) | | 01-Oct-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 06-Jul-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 27-May-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 19-May-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 14-Mar-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 08-Mar-2020 | : | Standlake Common, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Feb-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 07-Feb-2020 | : | Holkham NNR, Norfolk | (4) | | 03-Feb-2020 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 02-Feb-2020 | : | Holkham NNR, Norfolk | (2) | | 12-Jan-2020 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 09-Dec-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 17-Oct-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 28-Sep-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 22-Jul-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 16-Jun-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Apr-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3) | | 24-Mar-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 11-Feb-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 03-Jan-2019 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1m) |
| | 17-Nov-2018 | : | Extremadura, Spain | | | 15-Nov-2018 | : | Extremadura, Spain | | | 12-Nov-2018 | : | Extremadura, Spain | (1) | | 26-Jun-2018 | : | Leighton Moss, Lancashire | (2) | | 06-Jun-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 01-May-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 26-Mar-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (3) | | 13-Mar-2018 | : | Fuerteventura, Canary Islands | (1) | | 30-Jan-2018 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 04-Dec-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 12-Oct-2017 | : | Morston Salt Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 03-Oct-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 20-Sep-2017 | : | Radipole Lake, Dorset | (1) | | 26-Aug-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 12-Jun-2017 | : | Croatia | | | 30-May-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 13-Apr-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 25-Mar-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 19-Feb-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 04-Feb-2017 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) |
| | 28-Dec-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 13-Nov-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 06-Nov-2016 | : | La Janda, Spain | (6+) | | 23-Oct-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 18-Sep-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 11-Sep-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 04-Jul-2016 | : | Leighton Moss, Lancashire | (2) | | 26-Jun-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 30-Apr-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 17-Apr-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 13-Mar-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 23-Jan-2016 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) |
| | 29-Dec-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 20-Dec-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 22-Nov-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 24-Oct-2015 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 23-Oct-2015 | : | Cley Marshes, Norfolk | (2) | | 07-Sep-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 02-Aug-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (2) | | 01-Jun-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 27-Apr-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 09-Apr-2015 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 01-Nov-2014 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 19-Oct-2014 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 01-Aug-2014 | : | Leighton Moss, Lancashire | (3) | | 31-Jul-2014 | : | Leighton Moss, Lancashire | (2) |
| | 26-Jun-2013 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | (3) | | 25-Jun-2013 | : | Catfield Fen, Norfolk | (2) | | 25-Jun-2013 | : | Hickling Broad, Norfolk | (2) | | 24-Jun-2013 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 01-May-2013 | : | The Camargue, France | (3) |
| | 27-Jun-2012 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) | | 25-Jun-2012 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | (1) |
| | 13-Sep-2010 | : | La Janda, Spain | | | 26-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 25-Jun-2010 | : | The Brenne, Loire Valley, France | | | 03-Jan-2010 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 31-Oct-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 05-Jul-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 31-May-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 29-Apr-2009 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 27-Sep-2008 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 15-Jul-2008 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) |
| | 16-Sep-2007 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 11-Aug-2007 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | (1) | | 30-Apr-2007 | : | Cagliari, Sardinia | |
| | 11-Feb-2006 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | |
| | 05-Sep-2005 | : | Otmoor, Oxon | | | 14-Aug-2005 | : | Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk | | | 17-May-2005 | : | Ludo Marsh, Portugal | |
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