Rare bird spotted at airport
07.06.08
A rare bird of prey picked Stansted as her holiday destination last month. The Montagu's harrier - or Monty as she is affectionately named by BAA staff - stayed for over a week, enjoying the airport's rich and diverse natural habitat.
The RSPB's Mark Thomas was called in to confirm the sighting. He said: ‘It was amazing to see this type of bird at this location, especially with all the activity around her. She was probably just passing by and found the airport's grassland ideal for hunting small animals and birds.’
The migratory bird, normally found in southern Europe and thought to be the offspring of one of only ten pairs in the UK, was discovered by an airport ranger during a routine patrol of the airfield.
Stansted's airside operations manager, Steven Dickson, said: 'We kept a watchful eye over Monty during her time at the airport. She didn't stay for too long - she probably got fed up with the weather!’
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