ditchman Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 just been watching one of my shooting areas...as the birds are slowly returning to the places i shoot on......i have a wood/spinney with a mixture of conifere ash, horse chestnut...a nice warm wood that is good for a roost shoot now and again.... To my dismay i have watched a kite circling low over the spinney...and i am wondering if it is looking for a place to nest........do any of you know what conditions / trees / areas a kite likes to nest in....or arnt they fussy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I saw a Red Kite yesterday in Norfolk. I was on my way back from mawthers. Breeding pairs in the county are now really starting to increase. Last year the official record was eight breeding pairs but the general concensus is there's more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I guess they will be from birds reintroduced in the Nene Valley. Kites have made their way down the M40 to the M25 and around past the A1 at South Mimms. See one or two every evening now on the way home from work. I saw a Red Kite yesterday in Norfolk. I was on my way back from mawthers. Breeding pairs in the county are now really starting to increase. Last year the official record was eight breeding pairs but the general concensus is there's more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I saw a Red Kite yesterday in Norfolk. I was on my way back from mawthers. Breeding pairs in the county are now really starting to increase. Last year the official record was eight breeding pairs but the general concensus is there's more. i dont know about 8....i rekon there is a heck of a lot more than that..........on one of the places i go to north of norwich..i have seen 4 together and up near cromer on an area i shoot always see 2 or 3......and here in cantley there is one floating about over my roosting wood........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 i dont know about 8....i rekon there is a heck of a lot more than that..........on one of the places i go to north of norwich..i have seen 4 together and up near cromer on an area i shoot always see 2 or 3......and here in cantley there is one floating about over my roosting wood........... I agree with you. After I spotted the Kite yesterday I rang the fella who writes the Raptor section in the Norfolk Bird and Manual Report and told him of my sighting. This is where I got the "eight breeding pair" news from. Last year ,very close to where I made my sighting yesterday the local blacksmith saw five in the sky at one time. There have been numerous sightings along the B1149 Holt to Norwich Road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splitstop63 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 beautiful looking birds and a pleasure to watch this week we have had several what appears to be eagles circling our house they are way too big for hawks massive wing spans we live opposite a farm and since ploughing and drilling it the eagles have returned B) there were 6 circling our house one day this week the pigeons were darting in every direction possible NO Garden birds to be seen but a fantastic sight to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Most likely buzzards. beautiful looking birds and a pleasure to watch this week we have had several what appears to be eagles circling our house they are way too big for hawks massive wing spans we live opposite a farm and since ploughing and drilling it the eagles have returned B) there were 6 circling our house one day this week the pigeons were darting in every direction possible NO Garden birds to be seen but a fantastic sight to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I'm out of the game right now, due to a hip replacement. From my bed I can see the chimneys of the next houses over the road, with all the pigeons resting up, preening, mating, cooing at 6.00am and generally winding me up!! I can also see 1 or 2 Red Kites soaring about, often low over the buildings. The pigeons take NO notice, as they don't of buzzards. So I don't think you need worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbietherimmer Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I saw a Red Kite yesterday in Norfolk. I was on my way back from mawthers. Breeding pairs in the county are now really starting to increase. Last year the official record was eight breeding pairs but the general concensus is there's more. According to this http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/redkite theres over 500 pairs in england and wales alone and thats not including scotland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) I'm out of the game right now, due to a hip replacement. From my bed I can see the chimneys of the next houses over the road, with all the pigeons resting up, preening, mating, cooing at 6.00am and generally winding me up!! I can also see 1 or 2 Red Kites soaring about, often low over the buildings. The pigeons take NO notice, as they don't of buzzards. So I don't think you need worry. Kites don't usually predate on anything larger small mammals (voles, Mice, small rabbits) carrion and worms is the mainstay and will follow the plough like gulls do. My mother has one which visits he r garden in Glos. and she puts dead chicks out for it on the bird table. The other birds generally ignore it. Interestingly they spread along the main road networks following the road kill trail...Up the A40 from Oxfordshire to Gloucestershire is a particularly well defined route. As for Buzzards we get loads around this area and always have...never seemed to suffer much from the Myxi introduction of the 50,s. Only last week there were 14 ( yes fourteen!! ) soaring on a thermal above my house. ! Edited March 21, 2014 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I agree with you. After I spotted the Kite yesterday I rang the fella who writes the Raptor section in the Norfolk Bird and Manual Report and told him of my sighting. This is where I got the "eight breeding pair" news from. Last year ,very close to where I made my sighting yesterday the local blacksmith saw five in the sky at one time. There have been numerous sightings along the B1149 Holt to Norwich Road. Saw one at Burnham Market last summer and another near Brancaster... plus two at Fakenham.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 According to this http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/redkite theres over 500 pairs in england and wales alone and thats not including scotland. I think that's an underestimate, last Monday coming back from Leeds Bradford airport I must have seen over a dozen before I reached the A1saw 3 together in poole alone. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gedney Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 My local wood is a winter roosting site for kites with 40 -50 in sometimes ,a pair nest in there every year ,the nest is in an oak tree ,about 30 feet up despite the trees being thinned out last year they still returned, they look like they are about to lay as the pair have been sitting in the nest tree for about a week ,if you didnt know wher e the nest was you would here the chicks in a few weeks time ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 personally I'm pleased to hear of these sightings, they were almost extinct in Britain with only a few pairs in Wales, whereas they were once common, even in London where they fed mainly on carrion which was plentiful, don't think they are heavy predators of game with as fisherman mike pointed out feeding on small mammals and probably in Norfolk road kill pheasant, beautiful bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Kites don't usually predate on anything larger small mammals (voles, Mice, small rabbits) carrion and worms is the mainstay and will follow the plough like gulls do.My mother has one which visits he r garden in Glos. and she puts dead chicks out for it on the bird table. The other birds generally ignore it.Interestingly they spread along the main road networks following the road kill trail...Up the A40 from Oxfordshire to Gloucestershire is a particularly well defined route.As for Buzzards we get loads around this area and always have...never seemed to suffer much from the Myxi introduction of the 50,s. Only last week there were 14 ( yes fourteen!! ) soaring on a thermal above my house. ! I know little but thought that the road vibrations imitate rain bring up the worms and the voles are in higher numbers on the verges to eat all the worms,,, that then attracts the raptors to eat the voles etc......? Road kill really? A bit maybe....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingo15 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 We are inundated with them round here. More common than pigeons. They are constantly soaring over the rooftops of most of the housing estates round here. Not that im complaining I love the sight of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Saw one at Burnham Market last summer and another near Brancaster... plus two at Fakenham.. Good raptor watch point at Choseley drying barns on the hill. You can see for miles. I got a Black Kite there a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I've got old Moss Taylors "Birds of Norfolk" I'll read up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch2 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) the kite ise a great bird to look at, i was working in castle douglas last year. i am sure there is a feeding station nearby, think if i remember right there is more kites in that area than buzzy, but correct me if im wrong!! anyway it is a really nice bird to look at in the sky. i even got to watch a buzzy trying to have a pop and at at half the size and the buzzy was well and truly the top dog!!!, a old keeper nearby reckoned he has seen the kite bringing down pigeons!!!!!! Edited March 22, 2014 by fletch2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 A few years ago the B T O or some body similar brought 3 or 4 down to the estate where I worked on the Norfolk Suffolk border to try and introduce then In the area as we had a lot of fir woods on the place, they fitted transmitters on them to keep a eye on them , they kept in the area for 2 or 3 years but I think now there gone , lovely birds with forked tails it was a privilege to have them on the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I know little but thought that the road vibrations imitate rain bring up the worms and the voles are in higher numbers on the verges to eat all the worms,,, that then attracts the raptors to eat the voles etc......? Road kill really? A bit maybe....... Reasonably sound theory except voles don't eat worms Malc..moles do...Most road verges are too dry to support large populations of earthworms. If you travel up and down the A40, A429, A436, A424 et al however from June/ July onwards after the poults are released there's a dead pheasant every 1/2 a mile. ! Im sure they are using these main routes to spread regionally. I even saw three picking at a badger carcass on the side of the A361 near Shipton 3 winters ago. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallshort Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Went up the "kite trail" near Kirkcubright last week and there were loads of them! One flew just about the car for half a mile fantastic to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinribz Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Theres a pair of red kites just between dover and canterbury was sat having a pint outside the local last week and sat and watched them floating over the vilage houses and gardens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) Brillant birds , they took their time reaching Norfolk , but its great to see them breeding in the county. In 20 years they will be as common as buzzards if other parts of England are anything to go by. One problem though please , please do not feed them dead chicks in the garden. At the moment they are not a problem for gamebirds so whats the point of teaching them to feed on chicks. A few years ago I was called to a free range poultry farmer who had a pair of kites taking his young poults. This is a rare habbit. It turned out someone in the village had been feeding them all winter on dead hatchery chicks so when they stoped feeding them in the spring the kites turned their attention to the very young poults ,though the problem was cured by hanging a number of plastic feed sacks around the rearing field . The kites did not like that at all on a windy day. They are still a rare bird in Norfolk ( we have perhaps 30 resident at best and probably less ) and though up to seven can favour some roost sites they are absent from large areas of the county. In the West of England huge roost sites can build up where they are being fed giving a false idea of the true numbers across the countryside. Edited March 23, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Here in S Bucks/N Oxon is Red Kite central. They were released on the Getty Estate some 20 years ago. First batch were Swedish kites and all went swimmingly until winter when they all migrated away - Swedish kites fly south for winter!!! Next batch were Spanish stock from the Pyrenees - they stay put. the rest as they say is history. Sixteen years ago if we saw seven or eight it was grand - forty or fifty is now the norm. Staple diet is road kill or worms etc - local cricket square is tops after a night of rain. Definitely carrion eaters - best waste disposal service going. Nest in tall trees and the nest is a real messy job - never know what you get in it from Tesco bags to teddy bears. Catch them on a sunny day and the red colours are really spectacular - knocks Mr Boeing into a cocked hat for flying skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.