Red Kites

Had to answer your post John as you see my Avatar one of my favourite birds, have had a few flying around here and today a couple of Black Kites flying over but none landing on our field.

Have now got 2 male Nightingales calling either side of our house lovely to hear.

Thank your lucky stars you're not an earth worm ( lumbricus terestris amongst others    )

The Chilterns is a hot spot for RKs.

peedee

Are you staying at Cholsey Grange by any chance? 

Yes, been here a week now. Leave on Sunday.

We here in rural mid wales of course never lost them. They were protected by the Gurkas from Brecon to prevent the egg stealers. 

I recall reading a bit about something like that Fish, when we were in Central Wales. Was it somewhere close to Strata Florida Abbey🤔? Beautiful place I do recall.

We have Red Kites in Yorkshire, mainly slightly North of us here in South Yorks, around Wetherby, Harrogate, but you do see the odd one or two floating around elsewhere. Lovely birds. 

We stayed in Rhayader last year and got the benefit of seeing lots of Red Kites overhead due to the local feeding station. 

We went to the feeding station at Rhayader last year . 15 minutes before feeding time there was about half a dozen kites there. 10 minutes before and there was possibly a hundred. By feeding time there was, apparently, over 300 birds. An incredible sight. During winter feeding it was said that there was regularly about 600 kites.

We occasionally see the odd wanderer around us. I always fear though when they fly off in the direction of those areas managed for game shooting. Too many have been deliberately and illegally slaughtered despite the fact that these birds are essential carrion eaters and feast on the road kill which can be observed along our roads at an horrendous level at certain times of the year due to saturation of birds being released for the guns. Other raptors are targeted too!