Two birds featured today, and I'll start with the rare sighting. Indeed, my first ever sighting of this majestic bird of prey. I spotted something in the distance as I was photographing today's second subject. I'd glanced up and over the fields in the distance I saw a large raptor. I fired off about half a dozen shots before it was fully out of range. These are hefty crops, but they show enough for an identification (courtesy of Wild About Britain forums). It's a female hen harrier. We do get very occasional reports of them locally, but they are mainly located in the north of the country. According to the RSPB, the ones seen in the south are probably migrants from Europe. Hen harriers are also our most persecuted raptor. These shots are not top quality, but that really doesn't matter!
The other bird (or birds, there were several of them) I photographed was the long-tailed tit, for once not obscured by twigs, branches and just about anything else they can manage to hide behind. 
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
derWandersmann
17 Feb 2012The harrier is a new bird for me, Words … I can't say that I've ever heard the name. If the name is any reflection of the behaviour, it's not surprising that it's so persecuted.
The long-tailed tits are extremely fine.
serola
17 Feb 2012:eyes: Indeed very long tailed tits. Good shots of them.
anonymous
17 Feb 2012Anonymous writes:
The tit is just such a little cutie! Nice catches! — Marilyn
Words
17 Feb 2012Marilyn, thanks!
Words
17 Feb 2012dW, the harrier is predominant over the moors where there is grouse shooting. The harriers take the game birds, though not in big numbers. It's illegal to shoot or harass the raptors, but it happens.
Words
17 Feb 2012Sami, thanks. They're such cute little birds.
SittingFox
19 Feb 2012Ah yes, that white rump is distinctive!
DW, this species (Circus cyaneus) is also found in North America, where it is known as the northern harrier. It's common in Saskatchewan in the summer, and swoops low and very fast over meadows, hunting small prey.
Words
19 Feb 2012Adele, if only all birds carried such clear signs with them!
derWandersmann
25 Feb 2012From This Is True (free subscription: http://www.thisistrue.com), 2/24/2012:
"REALLY CAUSED A FLAP: Bird watchers in New Zealand were excited to spot a
new species of bird in Dannevirke. The new species looked like a
typical harrier hawk, but with bright red feathers. "Various people got
involved, like experts who thought maybe it was a new strain or a new
type of bird or whatever," said a spokesman for the local SPCA, "but
then feathers were being found and it was obvious somebody was actually
painting these hawks." Investigation tracked the spray-painting to
Grant Michael Teahan, 39, a dairy farmer, who was trapping the birds,
spray-painting them, and then letting them go again. Teahan was
convicted of two counts of ill-treating an animal; he was fined
NZ$5,000 (US$4,180), and he may have to pay as much as NZ$15,000 to
cover the cost of the investigation and trial. Editorial comment:
…But what about the new species of fish spotted in local reservoirs
— red herrings?"
fainoantonietta
25 Feb 2012great pics :star: :star: :star: all are beautiful 🙂
Words
26 Feb 2012Antonietta, thanks! Glad you liked them.
Words
26 Feb 2012dW, fascinating if slightly disturbing story. We have plenty of red herrings here too. 😉