Red Kite sighting

[Matthew Arnold]

I have been keeping a personal record of Red kite sightings and been putting them on the BTO database. Saw one this morning munching away on a roadkill badger just outside town. My colleagues said it was a Buzzard at first but when they saw the red colouring and the forked black tail they realised it was a Red Kite. They had never seen one in the wild before. Although they are making a slow come back it is still special to see them. We have 2 breeding pairs on an estate i shoot on. Despite all the negative hype the gamekeepers and shoots get we shall be leaving them well alone and don't mind them having gamebirds as it is only natural for them to hunt despite them being scavengers.

[born2trot]

Aberdeen must be one of the best places to see them . Guaranteed sightings at certain places . They are very photogenic aswell because they dont mind coming in very close to humans ... beautiful birds

[Matthew Arnold]

Aberdeen must be one of the best places to see them . Guaranteed sightings at certain places . They are very photogenic aswell because they dont mind coming in very close to humans ... beautiful birds

 

I tried to get a picture of one at the end of the season tucking into a pheasant which had just been shot. It didn't mind the gunshots, it just flew in took the bird and sat and ate it on a hay rick whilst the drive went on. Alot of people were happy to see it including the keeper. There was just one bloke who was stuck in his old ways and wanted to kill it for taking the bird. He was promptly sent home and told not to return to the shoot.

[john k]

We were on the Thames between Reading and Oxford a few weeks ago and there were Red Kites around constantly. I've never seen so many before, it was more like watching seagulls!

[born2trot]

There are a few ' hotspots ' up here . I was driving by one quite recently and saw a guy with a professional camera set up at the side of the road . I pulled over and got an amazing wildlife experience , a pair came so close i could see the tags on their wings

[niftysteve]

theres a pair of kites at Santa pod raceway

[born2trot]

Good on ya Matt for sending that guy packing !!

[Matthew Arnold]

Good on ya Matt for sending that guy packing !!

 

He was a bit of a muppet. He shot back towards the picker ups which were acting at back back guns. He said the pellets wouldn't reach them The ground in front of one of them puffed a cloud of dust up. He apologised but still. If its not safe to shoot it then don't simple as. Or the saying we use "If you wouldn't want to eat it after then don't shoot it".

[Paul Cleaver]

I first saw a red kite in mid wales in the early nineties - not so common then - its great to see they are fairly common now

[delabodge]

We were on the Thames between Reading and Oxford a few weeks ago and there were Red Kites around constantly. I've never seen so many before, it was more like watching seagulls!

 

were based in twyford,just outside reading, on a estate,,there quite common here, rarely a day goes past without them circling over my yard,,amazing to watch:thumbup1: