red kite

[wolf]

saw a Red Kite today,my location is just outside croydon,surrey....

 

[redcollective]

They are beautiful birds aren't they? I am lucky enough to live quite close to a release area so see between 1 and 5 most evenings when I go for my walk.

 

[wolf]

yes i agree they are,i lived in reading for a year,there they fly around the town,you can see them flying low over gardens,just like the old days of london...

 

[JonnyP]

Saw my first one near reading comming back from the last full members meet, and then saw another 7 or 8 hunting together, amazing..................Jon (testing testing 123)

 

[gaz_miggy]

what do they look like cuz i think i sin one a few months bk it was bigger that a sparrow halk but smaller than a buzzard hand a deep red brest, know what it was

 

[redcollective]

They look like this:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/redkite/index.asp

If you look for tags on their wings (you may see them flapping about a little on the top surface of the wing), you can identify tagged and released birds by year and region.

http://www.gigrin.co.uk/redkitetags-explained.html

 

[EdS]

hey redcollective where about in the county are you?

 

[JonnyP]

what do they look like cuz i think i sin one a few months bk it was bigger that a sparrow halk but smaller than a buzzard hand a deep red brest, know what it was

I thought they looked slightly larger than buzzards, but not as stocky.....................Jon

 

[Toddy]

An old name for these beautiful birds is Gled. The word still crops up in Scots and Northumbrian place names and old songs Don't know it it's widely used elsewhere.

http://www.pauldfrost.co.uk/redkite.html

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[wolf]

Saw my first one near reading comming back from the last full members meet, and then saw another 7 or 8 hunting together, amazing..................Jon (testing testing 123)

was that in sussex jon?

 

[Povarian]

I've got three that fly over my garden regularly, and I regularly see them from the bedroom window when I get up. :smug; One took a pigeon off the back fence one time (SWMBO saw it) I love to watch them. Somethimes you'll get a stack of them riding a thermal. The nipper counter 29 of them one day.

The re-introduced ones are European Red Kites, and are a little larger than the native ones to be found in Wales.

They've spread quite a way from their southern introduction place of Stokenchurch in Bucks. I had heard that the northern introduction hadn't fared as well, but hopefully they've managed to get thouroughly established too.

 

[jdlenton]

As Provain and some other members of the form I live quite near the ever expanding red kite population of the Chilterns hence my avatar. I love these birds they are so majestic and great to watch the population in the Chilterns now extends from the m4 corridor near reading all the way up the Chilterns escarpment to Dunstable so round hear you cant move without seeing them.
As for the genetic makeup of the birds IIRC the birds in the Chilterns are of Spanish origins and the birds in Yorkshire and Scotland are from Scandinavia.

wolf I believe reading is in Berkshire.

James

 

[AJB]

I work in North Wales and during my lunch breaks (when I got them!) last year I watched a pair bring up a couple of young. And this year they are all still together – it’s great.

Last Thursday, on my way home, one flying at about 30’ stopped the traffic on the M56! I’ve also seen a pair on the M40 not far from London.

AJB

 

[gaz_miggy]

ok so it wasnt a kite any body know they think it may be? bigger that a sparrow halk but smaller than a buzzard had a deep red brest, know what it was

 

[redcollective]

ok so it wasnt a kite any body know they think it may be? bigger that a sparrow halk but smaller than a buzzard had a deep red brest, know what it was

I'm no expert but I do find this interesting as I'm trying to learn my british birds so here goes:
This would be a best guess and nothing more: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/m/marshharrier/index.asp

Marsh Harrier.
Summer distribution might fit, depends when you saw it.
Definately within your size range.
Described (I've not seen one), sometimes, as having a 'reddish' band on the underside.

I dunno. In the right light even reddish-brown can look quite spectacular.

If you are prepared to consider escapees from collections there a few alien varieties which might fit the bill too.

 

[Tony]

We've got a lot of Red Kites around here, driving up north the other week the kids counted 30. Beautiful birds, it's a pleasure driving about and knowing that I'm going to see a bird of prey, if it's not a kite it's a Buzzard

 

[Ditch Monkey]

There are loads of them where I live, I think about 20 breading pairs. Keep an eye out if around junction 6 of the M40.

 

[wolf]

if anyone sees any more sightings around the surrey area,please could you pm me thanks....

 

[Ryan Woods]

We've got a lot of Red Kites around here, driving up north the other week the kids counted 30. Beautiful birds, it's a pleasure driving about and knowing that I'm going to see a bird of prey, if it's not a kite it's a Buzzard

Sorry to interupt all:

Tony,
Please delete some PM's or provide an email address so we/I can contact you. I'ts important.

Regards,
Ryan

 

[stevo]

I saw one last week near the cairngorms in scotland....near newtonmore....pretty damn rare up there!!!!

stevo