Many years ago in my birdwatching youth
I had a burning desire to visit mid Wales to see one of Britain’s rarest birds …. the Red Kite.
When I eventually acquired a car, I realised that dream and saw my first Red Kite in the upper Towy valley
. In subsequent years, I saw Red Kites on almost every annual trip to Wales but they could still be very difficult to find.
With the re-introduction schemes in various parts of the UK since the late 1980s, the Red Kite population has expanded significantly and they are now considerably easier to see, not least in the Chilterns. I visit the Chilterns on a day trip from Essex 2 or 3 times a year and so I did last Saturday.
I normally leave the M40 at J5 (Stokenchurch) and then travel through Ibstone, Christmas Common, Watlington, etc.
On Saturday, I saw my first Red Kite as far east as J2 (Beaconsfield)
and then saw a further 5 birds between J4 and J5. There could well have been many more but you do occasionally have to keep your eyes on the road whilst driving!
Around the Chilterns I must have seen at least another 30 Red Kites including several over the rooftops of Watlington town centre and a food pass between a male and female displaying pair
. The weather was bright and sunny and allowed a full appreciation of the deep russet red plumage.
Having had an excellent day, the route home was less direct than the usual M40/M25 slog but was to be rewarded with 2 further Red Kites some distance away from the main area that I visited …. one at Sonning Common just north of Reading and one at Thatcham east of Newbury.
Red Kites are clearly thriving in the Chilterns and expanding outwards from that area
. If you haven’t seen one of these magnificent birds and can travel to the Chilterns, you will not fail to see one. In fact if you only see one, it will have been a poor day!
My next Red Kite watching is likely to be mid Wales (again!) in May and then the Black Isle just north of Inverness when I am on holiday in the Scottish Highlands in June. I never tire of seeing these birds.
For those that are interested, here is some information about
Red Kites in the Chilterns and the
Welsh Kite Trust.
Richard