colour ringed male Hen Harrier

sometimes you think of a photographic plan and dream of a result that you just know will never happen but today Santa must have come early; I set up in the hope of getting a passing shot of the male Hen Harrier at Alkborough as it left its local roost but by 08:00 I had clearly missed it, not really unexpected but it was a lovely morning though still pre-sunrise -- photographing a passing Marsh Harrier that was far too distant and with nil light I glanced right and saw the male Hen Harrier at point blank range -- panic fire first focus later at 6400ISO and still getting 125th second they were never going to be great! then to my total amazement my dream of it landing on a fence post came to pass and it just sat there for almost 3 minutes while I fired off a lot of shots, dropping the ISO to 1600 and shooting at 1/60th second -- it was only when looking at the shots that I realised it was colour ringed on the left leg Black with OW in white -- thanks to John W for rapid info to the effect that it was a bird ringed at Langholm, Scottish borders, in 2016 making it a 3CY or third winter if you prefer -- I must try dreaming a bit more often