Red Kites galore!

During a recent visit to the mainland I managed to visit a site where Red Kites are fed daily (I visited just yesterday)........one of the most breathtaking things I have ever done. I'm a bit of a raptor enthusiast so this was a really special experience Heres a few photos I took during the visit

Pair of Red kites perched in tree (digiscoped photo)


Typical flight silouette


Dominance / aggression behaviour - one bird flies down to the other, the lower bird flips over onto its back and stretches out the talons. There were many young as well as adult birds and this behaviour helps them establish a pecking order during feeding time


Feeding time - beef and lamb is thrown out for the kites and as soon as the first of it hits the ground they tumble out of the sky towards it, resembling the red arrows plunging into a headlong dive-bomb.....it was unbelievable to watch. Being acrobatic they shoot past the meat and grab it in one foot, then eat it on the wing.


Red kites waiting their turn to feed - at one point there were around 60 of them above us, with more coming down for the food! There were also good numbers of Buzzards, Carrion crows, Rooks and Ravens there for the food too.


And even if there were no kites, kite country itself is breathtaking....

Karl, you swine!! Wow, amazing place with amazing birds. I've only ever seen wild Red Kites twice. The last time was in Berkshire last year when a single bird was flying over a set of traffic lights in a village! Now, to see 60, that would be something else.