Spaniel Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 I had to go to Newbury this morning for a meeting and on the way back we spotted 3 Red Kites gently flying around a field. What a lovely site to see, magnificent birds to watch and something i have not seen for a little while now. Anyone else spotted any of late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpkiller Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 yep sitting on my guinea pig hutch trying to get some dinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 i see 10-30 every time i go shooting as i drive past harewood house, awsome sight lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 I went rabbit shooting near Newbury, and 2 sat in a tree watching us. We had a couple of shot rabbits in the hide we had been provided, as soon as we were 10 or 15 yards away from the hide they swooped down for the bunnies. There are over 150 breeding pairs within 5 miles of where I live, so yes I have seen just a few recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schern Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 I see them fairly frequently around Peterborough/Stamford area. Lovely birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Yes there are quite a lot down here in the Neath Valley too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 I wish for their own sake they would move further afield, I am sure they are rare site in some parts of the country, but this isn't an uncommon site round our way - I make it 17. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 In a way it is a problem we get them come in in numbers like that Dunkield and I don't know if you've got the same but we have next to no Kestrels or sparrowhawks they seem to just leave when the Kites are about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattslaptop247 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 We have quite a few round here on the Yorkshire wolds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) Even one or two seen regularly around Gloucestershire. Hopefully as they spread they can become self sufficient as many of the larger breeding colonies need to be fed to maintain thier numbers. Its hard to believe that in Medievel times they were as common scavenging in towns and cities as feral pigeons are now. Wonderful birds. Edited January 25, 2011 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper3 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) We took a trip to a red kite feeding station in SW Scotland two years ago... fantastic site to see Edited January 25, 2011 by jasper3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stour-boy Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 A red kite seen on the Sandwich Bay bird observatory ,I saw it later whilst pigeon shooting about ten miles away from Sandwich Bay not seen it since. This was about three weeks ago never seen one here before magnificent bird. getting a few Buzzards now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 i see 10-30 every time i go shooting as i drive past harewood house, awsome sight lee Yep **** loads up on the Harewood estate .Lord Harewood intorduced a breeding programme a few years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Saw 3 quartering a field in kettering area today thought they were buzzards for a second until i noticed the forked tails. We have lots of buzzards in derbyshire where i live but yet to see any kites ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 These are a couple of pictures i took at a feeding station in mid Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Impressive pics at the stations! I see them almost every time I take the dogs out, on the bridleway just outside our village 10 miles from Milton Keynes. Its only in the last year or so though, Buzzards have been back in the area for quite a few years now too. Fewer Kestrels around though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conygree Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 love the pictures - lovely bird, they started to be seen in North oxon a few yrs ago - buzzards say 15 yrs ago. In the south oxon area Faringdon they have learnt how to 'raid' BBQ's - alot of people have lit the BBQ and left the meat out whilst going back in to fetch booze etc and the meat has gone. My fear is they fly low and slow over people - putting them at risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 In a way it is a problem we get them come in in numbers like that Dunkield and I don't know if you've got the same but we have next to no Kestrels or sparrowhawks they seem to just leave when the Kites are about. They mix quite well with Buzzards and a few Sparrowhawks but we see no where near the numbers of Kestrels that we used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 In the sky above Waddesdon stud (Bucks)there were 18 and 2 sitting in a tree right next to the road on Sunday-fantastic sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Blimey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAULT Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 see them nearly everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) I think the problem with these re-introduction programmes is that they don't seem to be able to spread out from the introduction areas. They all stay local and consequently seem to need feeding, as we're all so clean these days that there isn't enough natural food for them, as they are scavengers and don't kill much food. I remember when me and Beretta drove down to Hampshire for the Beretta World comp last year, there were dozens along the M40 round Stokenchurch. The only natural Red Kites in the UK (not introduced) are the Mid-Wales population and I think they suffered from the same problem. They were brought back from extinction in Mid-Wales, but wouldn't seem to expand out from there as the population grew. Odd ones must wander, as I've seen a couple of wing tagged ones over the years in the North-West, near Warrington, but they never seem to get established away from the introduction areas. Lovely birds Edited January 26, 2011 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I think the problem with these re-introduction programmes is that they don't seem to be able to spread out from the introduction areas. They all stay local and consequently seem to need feeding, as we're all so clean these days that there isn't enough natural food for them, as they are scavengers and don't kill much food. I was about to post exactly the same thing Chard, the local ones to us were reintroduced close to Stokenchurch, they have slowly, very slowly started to spread further afield. My mate has seen one near Stockbridge and there are as Spaniel say down as far as Newbury now, but that has taken years - but the bulk of them seem to have stayed put. So although they are still stunning to look at you can't help feeling there is an inbalance with so many concentrated into a relatively small area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I was about to post exactly the same thing Chard, the local ones to us were reintroduced close to Stokenchurch, they have slowly, very slowly started to spread further afield. My mate has seen one near Stockbridge and there are as Spaniel say down as far as Newbury now, but that has taken years - but the bulk of them seem to have stayed put. So although they are still stunning to look at you can't help feeling there is an inbalance with so many concentrated into a relatively small area. Agreed. I support re-introduction programmes to help struggling species make a comeback, but I can't help feeling that this programme is becoming a bit overdone. What's going to happen if the locals stop feeding them, for instance? They wouldn't survive, at least not in anything like the numbers that there are presently. I can't help thinking it would have been better to feed the few original introduced pairs for a while to encourage them to stay and breed, but then phase out the feeding, to see if it encouraged them to spread out quicker.. Dunno, I'm sure the RSPB must know what they're doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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