Birdlife volunteers spotted an injured pallid harrier in the skies on Tuesday - the second such observation in the 10 days since the spring hunting season began. 

Volunteers had filmed a shot pallid harrier on the first day of the season and retrieved two marsh harriers sporting gunshot wounds last week. 

On Tuesday, volunteers spotted another pallid harrier flying with a dangling leg.

This protected bird of prey has attracted conservation efforts across Europe to sustain its numbers.

Birdlife said that it was concerned that it had already spotted four protected birds illegally shot, given the very low migration numbers so far. 

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“This is worrying knowing that in the days and weeks to come migration will pick up and possibly more protected birds will be shot, most of them without coming to our knowledge.

“We reiterate our position that hunting in spring is not right as birds are targeted while they are migrating north to breed and reproduce,” the organisation said.