Hello!
Please forgive my rudeness - almost six months in post and I’m only just introducing myself now. There’s been so much to do getting things started and it’s amazing how time just slips past but there, I’m getting ahead of myself again – let’s start from the beginning shall we?
Hi, pleased to meet you. I’m Blánaid (pronounced Blon-id, in case you’re wondering), the RSPB’s new Skydancer Engagement Officer.
You just can’t beat that job title can you? I’ve had all sorts of reactions to it, as you can imagine - from one person wondering whether I’m some sort of trapeze acrobat instructor, to another asking if I train pigeons to fly in formation! Overwhelmingly though, every reaction seems to amount to one thing – curiosity.
SKYDANCER? What’s that??
And lo, I have a job title that does the work for me. Because that’s my job – to tell people about Skydancers (aka hen harriers) and what amazing birds they are. And here’s the thing – people are always fascinated! That first question always leads on to others...
...Where do they live?...
...Why are there so few of them?...
...Is grouse shooting that popular?...
...How does it work?...
...Aren’t hen harriers protected?...
...and pretty soon I find myself describing the ins and outs of grouse shooting, moorland management, diversionary feeding and over 200 years of hen harrier history. And trust me, it is never a short conversation! For such a beautiful bird of prey that should be so iconic of our uplands, it’s telling how few people have ever heard of a hen harrier. Yet invariably, every conversation ends with the same question;
Where can I see one?
The answer, unfortunately, is that with only four successful nesting pairs in England last year, places to see hen harriers are growing fewer and fewer. But with the help of Skydancer, that’s what we intend to change. We want to inspire people about these incredible birds so that they want to see them and more importantly, want to protect and encourage them so that more hen harriers will be around for others to see, not only now but for generations to come.
If you’ve been following this blog for a while now, you will have read Jude’s post last October about the launch of the Skydancer project and what it means. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, United Utilities, SITA Trust and supported by the Forestry Commission, Skydancer is a new, four-year project aimed at raising awareness and promoting the conservation of hen harriers in the North of England.
In my next post, I’ll be writing about how the Skydancer project evolved, from emotional responses to our community consultation, to recognition of the need for a whole new approach to hen harrier conservation, and what that means for both conservationists and the shooting community.
For now though, keep your eyes to the skies because the breeding season is just kicking off and once again, it’s all to play for. Keep following the blog for updates and most importantly, keep watching out for skydancers!