0263 MONTAGU'S HARRIER (Circus pygargus)

dFH: formerly bred in small numbers (proven in Ashdown Forest (ES), East Sussex Downs and Darwell Wood) last recorded attempt to breed in 1938. Average of five records per year during 1947-61, half spring and half autumn. All records April to October with old claims for November.
Published records from 1948 are:.
1948-59Annual totals 2, 4, 4, 5, 7, 5, 2, 4, 4, 0, 6 and 3 (total 46). Includes one at Seaford (ES) on 20 April 1950 andone at Midrips (ES) on 6 October 1951.
1960-69Annual totals 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 6, 5, 7, 4 and 5 (total 34). One in April (male at Chanctonbury (WS) on 29th 1967), 13 May, 2 June, 2 July, 8 August, 7 September and a male at Pevensey (ES) 1 Oct.
1970-79Annual totals 6, 2, 5, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 1 and 0 (total 23). 11 in May, 3 June, 1 July, 5 August, 1 September and 2 Oct. (female or juvenile on Downs near Steyning (WS)on 21-22nd 1972 and one at Beachy Head (ES) on 18th, 1973*74).
1980One at Rye Harbour (ES) on 29 July.*
One at Thorney Island (WS) on 18 August.*
Three or four on Downs between Worthing (WS) and Brighton (ES) during 24 August to 6 September.*
One at Sidlesham (WS) from 17 to 23 September.*
One at Cissbury Ring (WS) on 22 September.*
1981A juvenile or female at Beachy Head (ES) on 12 August.*
A juvenile or female at Selsey Bill (WS) on 20 August.*
1982A juvenile on the Downs behind Worthing (WS) on 14 August.*
1984One at the Midrips (ES) on 28 May.*
One at Beachy Head (ES) on 28 August.*
1985A male at Stoughton Down (WS) on 21 April.*
A female at Combe Haven (ES) on 18 May.*
A female at Camber (ES) on 3 June.*
1986A male at Sidlesham Ferry (WS) on 6 August.*
A juvenile at Church Norton (WS) on 28 August.*
A juvenile at Climping (WS) on 20 September.*
1987A female at Beachy Head (ES) on 27 April.*
A male at Beachy Head (ES) on 3 May.*
A first-summer at Combe Haven (ES) on 10 May.*
A male east at Rye (ES) on 25 July.*
1988A male at Pagham (WS) on 26 April.*
A female at Pilsey (WS) on 6 May.*
A male over East Grinstead (WS) on 16 May.*
One at Pevensey Bridge Level (ES) on 11 August.*
One over Pagham Harbour (WS) and Westhampnett (WS) on 21 August.*
A juvenile or female at Balsdean (ES) from 6 to 16 September.*
A male at Beachy Head (ES) on 18 September.*
1989An immature male at Balsdean (ES) on 9 May.*
A female over Beachy Head (ES) on 29 May.*
A female over Newmarket Hill (ES) on 1 June.*
1990Two (juveniles or females) at Pett Level (ES) on 23 August.*
A juvenile at Lychpole Hill, Worthing (WS) on 2 September.*
1991A female at Poverty Bottom, Denton (ES) on 22 May.*
A male survived flying into a window in West Hoathly (ES) on 28 May.*
A female near Arlington Reservoir (ES) on 29 May.*
A male north over Hastings (ES) on 2 June.*
A juvenile or female at Horse Eye Level, Pevensey (ES) on 2 September.*
1993A male over Beachy Head (ES) on 2 May.*
A female at Rye Harbour (ES) on 11 May.* (date not given)
A female at Kithurst Hill, Storrington (WS) on 7 June.* (location not given)
A juvenile at Steyning Round Hill (WS) on 21 August.*
A juvenile or female at Thorney Deeps (WS) on 4 and 5 September.*
A male south at Beachy Head (ES) on 19 September.*
1994One at Selsey Bill (WS) on 18 May.*
A second year male at Beachy Head (ES) on 29 May.* (date not given)
A female at Harbour Farm, Rye (ES) on 9 and 10 June.*96
A female at Combe Haven (ES) on 27 August.*
A female at Balsdean (ES) on 20 and 21 September and on 4 October.*/*95
1995An adult male over Ashcombe Bottom (ES) on 6 May.*
A first-summer female at Mount Caburn (ES) on 25, 27, 28 June and 4 July.*96
An adult female at Pickers Hill, Balsdean (ES) on 8 and 9 July.*
A juvenile at Walberton (WS) on 28 August.*
1996A female at West Wittering (WS) on 2 June.*
A female at Aldingbourne (WS) on 13 August.*
A female at Pagham Harbour (WS) on 3 September.*
1997A female at Houghton Bridge (WS) on 14 May.*
A sub-adult male at Pagham Harbour (WS) on 8 and 14 August.*
A female on Downs at Storrington (WS) on 9 August.*
An adult male at Harrow Hill, Patching (WS) on 15 August.*
An adult male, probably the same, at Steep Down, Lancing (WS) on 18 and 20 August.*
An adult female at Selsey West Fields (WS) on 19 and 20 August.*
1998A female at Barpham Hill, Burpham (WS) on 18 August.*
A juvenile at Harvey's Cross, Balsdean (ES) on 14 September.*
1999An adult male quartered a setaside field on the Downs above Amberley (WS) on 29 April.*
A ringtail at Church Norton (WS) on 4 May.*
An adult female came in off the sea at Brighton Marina (ES) on 17 May.*
An adult male at Beachy Head (ES) on 22 May.*00
An adult male over Thorney Island (WS) on 30 and 31 May.*
A first-summer male established a territory on an area of downland between Worthing and Steyning and was seen displaying with a ringtail on 22 May. They were seen over the following weeks but there were no reports of a food pass or any proof of nesting.*
A ringtail at Sidlesham Ferry (WS) on 14 August.*
2000An adult female E at Hove and Brighton Marina (both ES) on 5 May.*
A different adult female at Newhaven West Pier (ES) on 5 May.*
A ringtail over Combe Haven (ES) on 6 May.*
A ringtail at West Dean Woods (WS) on 15 May.*
A ringtail at Goring Beach (WS) on 23 May.*
A second-summer male at Birling Gap(ES) on 13 August.*
A juvenile at Thorney Deeps (WS) on 28 August.*



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