The Beautiful Red Kite is Chased Off by Crows.

Late in the afternoon, I was chatting with Carole on the garden decking. We were interrupted by a commotion. The overexcited sound of crows. Almost in panic. 

In the distance and coming towards us was a cluster of the carrion above a Red Kite that seemed to lazily twist and turn from the harassing carrion. Almost as though the raptor could not be bothered.

As it passed above the garden, I was able to grab the camera and take some multiple shots. As usual, after about twenty-five photo shots, I selected the ones I thought best. It was rather high and I used the computer to magnify.

It was taken on my Nikon D3100 at 300mm. I'm still toying with the notion of buying the Nikon P900. It has a range of 10,000mm. I can't help wondering how such a camera would have captured this fine bird in flight.

Working Between Chatteris and Manea with Raptors Above.

I cursed my bad luck for not having my camera with me, but I was at work. The day before I was coming out of the village of Manea when I saw a Red Kite flying very low over the rooftops of two houses. I could make it out so clearly and was very excited to see a Red Kite in Manea. There are plenty of Buzzards and Marsh Harriers. But this was my first Red Kite in this particular vicinity. 

I got out my mobile phone and tried to get a photo shot, but the raptor caught the wind and was too far gone and could only be made out as a tiny dot.

The today, I was about five miles out on the other side of the village close to Chatteris when I saw another Red Kite. I can't say if it was the same one, but it may have been. I checked the van mirrors and nothing was coming along the country road. Once again, I tried my mobile and again the bird caught the wind and sped off. I managed to get this shot and one can tell the Red Kite by the shape of the tail.

When I talk to the Fenlanders, they are all adamant that they never used to see this many birds of prey and it is only over recent years that these Raptors have started to come back in numbers. There have been sighting of Sea Eagles in Norfolk - the next county that has a border is only six miles from this photo location. Perhaps Sea Eagles in a year or two?

Giving You The Red Kite Bird of Prey

My wife and I were driving home from Whittlesley a few weeks ago. We were coming to the end of the roads leading out of the village of Coates towards the T-junction of the A47, where the right turn takes us towards our town of March. It is very rural with farm fields in every direction as far the eye can see with the odd scattered farm house here and there.

As we neared the T-junction there is a set off traffic lights and I caught it on red. There was a line of trees across a field to the right and I was looking up into the clear blue sky. Usually there is an abundance of crows and ravens but this solitary bird had a different flight signature and my interest was immediately pricked.

My wife Carole was next to me. I mentioned the way the bird moved and she replied, with confidence, that it was indeed a bird of prey. Our traffic lights turned green and pulled out and swung right onto the A47 and drove to our town of March. As though on cue, the bird of prey began to descend for a landing by the line of tall conifer trees ahead of us. Its flight path was across a field to our left, across the road ahead of us, and into the field on the right. Its white head stood out and we realised it was a splendid looking Red Kite.

Just before the line of trees was a telegraph pole and we watched, in awe, as the beautiful bird lowered its talons to land upon the telegraph pole. It was like watching a plane coming in to land with it’s under carriage dropping down. The view was majestic and fantastic, especially the yellow coloured talons as the grabbed the side metal strut at the top of the pole where the cable passed by.

A fleeting moment and then the car was further along the road towards March with the passed line of trees obscuring the view when I looked in my rear view mirror. Carole and I were whooping with delight and saying how great it would have been to capture such an image on camera. The creature gliding down before us and we coming level as it had just passed over displaying talons as land apparatus for the telegraph pole. It was a fine little moment as we continued home.

A Buzzard or Red Kite?

Again, the Hawk came. To be fair I'm not sure if it is the same one but I suspect it was. I think I'm beginning to know a hawk from a crow or seagull because of the way they flap their wings and glide. Hawks, of all kinds, like to glide and circle. There is a definite signature to this. As I sit in the garden and look out over the fenland, all manner of birds fly over. Swifts, swallows, finches and sparrows. There are also larger blackbirds, crows, rooks and ravens. But then something catches your eye. The strange flap of the wings even if it is a long way off. It catches your eye and makes you stand to attention and lend more intense scrutiny. Sometimes it is a trick of the eye, but usually it is because there is something different. The same thing happened today. Carole and I were siting in the side garden for a couple of hours. We chatted away enjoying the summer afternoon. Then suddenly...

Upon down loading these photos, I'm now wandering if this bird belongs to a falconer. I'm sure there are bells and lace on its talons - or Jesse's as they are commonly known. If so then this is a tame one, but there are so many flying wild. The buzzard population in the Fens as increased by 500% plus since the 90s decade.

It may have something to do with the EU ruling concerning pesticides. Farmers used to lay certain types of poison for rats and mice. Hawk and owls often eat such creatures and become poisoned to. Since scrutiny was paid to this, the populations have began to dramatically increase.

Marsh Harrier Over the Fens?

Wow! At last...

Every time I go out looking for owls or buzzards. They never show. This week, while at work on the refuse lorries I've seen Barn Owls and Buzzards every day. When I take Sasha, our pet German Shepard, for a walk with camera ready, none of the birds of Prey show up.

Then just a moment ago, I was sitting in the garden with Carole. My son Robbie and the Grandkids are down and the summer is coming along nicely after a storm. I'm looking out at the Fens from my side garden and as I'm sitting there all relaxed, a distant bird flies across the field. I can tell by the way it circles that it is no crow or raven.

"Christ," I say, as I run indoors to get my camera, babbling to Carole that I've seen an owl hunting over the Fens. She goes out for a look while I grab my camera. I use the zoom lens but it is some distance but the multiple shots are targeting it well. When I put the disk into the computer and magnify, I find its a Marsh Harrier and that it has something in its talons.

Look at the various shots. There is something clutched in the bird's talons.