Red Kite chasing Kestrel

Pete Collins · #1 (**permalink**) 13-07-2007, 10:39 AM

A few weeks ago I went for a walk near Hambleden, near the Thames in the south of Buckinghamshire - a great place for seeing Red Kites. At one point on my walk, I saw two birds flying downhill across a field, one very low to the ground and the other a little way behind it and a bit higher off the ground. My immediate reaction was to assume they were both Red Kites as I'd already seen so many of them that day, but then I realised the first bird was far too small and I realised it was a Kestrel. It was clearly being chased by a Red Kite! The Kestrel turned sharply a couple of times as it flew low over the field, trying to shake off its pursuer, and eventually managed to reach the sfety of some small bushes in a hedge, where the much larger bird couldn't get it.

I wondered why the Kite was chasing the Kestrel - has anyone any suggestions? Is this a known aversion between the species? I know Kites and Buzzards seem to share habitat quite hapily, as I've seen them in the sky together several times - in fact I'd just seen them together over the same field where I saw the Kestrel.

Chiltern Chris · #2 (**permalink**) 13-07-2007, 12:50 PM

Hi,

I’m lucky enough to see kites most days and various birds are often mobbing them. Normally carrion crows but I also seen them being mobbed by many other birds including a kestrel once and sometimes even LBJs – David and Goliath style. Mostly they just fly off but occasionally they don’t turn the other cheek, or wing and have a go back at the bird that’s mobbing them. It’s not very scientific but from casual observation the kites can just get fed –up with being mobbed. Maybe the kestrel had been mobbing the kite for too long and the kite had just had enough and was giving the kestrel a bit of its own medicine. As you say the kites and buzzards seem to tolerate each other, maybe it’s because the buzzards normally soar at a higher altitude than the kites. It’s almost like air traffic control with the buzzards at least twice as high as the kites.

Hambleden is a good place to watch them as some of the valleys are quite quiet and the kites often roost in the trees on the valley side. I love watching the kites but last week I was between Stokenchurch (close to the original release site) and High Wycombe and saw about 40 – 50 kites circling very low over a garden close to the M40. Obviously someone has been feeding them regularly and although the sight was impressive and almost overwhelming as I went under them, it looked totally unnatural and wrong. It felt like having released the birds into the wild they were now being used. Seeing kites soaring over a patchwork of fields is a thing of beauty, but this gathering just looked awful to me. Also in the long term it doesn’t help spread the population’s natural range if too much food is left out for them.

Chris

Pete Collins · #3 (**permalink**) 13-07-2007, 01:12 PM

Thanks for your reply, Chris.

Yes, I've seen birds (usually some members of the crow family) mobbing Kites (and I've seen them mobbing Buzzards, too). As you say, it could just be the Kite got fed up with it and retaliated - it certainly appeared to be intent on doing some harm to the Kestrel.

I walked near Stokenchurch quite recently (I was walking the Chiltern Way, as I was when I saw the Kite and Kestrel at Hambleden) - I didn't see as many as you did, but I did see at least 20 Red Kites as I scanned the skies, the most I've ever seen. Most of them were in or over hay meadows that had just been cut - they seemed attracted to them for some reason, several of them flew up from the freshly cut hay as I went by.

I saw on TV recently that people have been asked to stop putting food out for the Red Kites in the Chilterns, as it is believed to be hindering their natural dispersion. I hope they continue to spread, as I live towards the Northeastern end of the Chilterns and they are nowhere near as easy to see here as in the South Bucks and Oxon part of the Chilterns. They are definitely getting here slowly - the nearest to my home I've seen them is about a mile away at Whipsnade, while a couple of neighbours say they have seen them from their gardens. I really look forward to the time when I can see them regularly from my garden, they are my favourite bird and I think they are magnificent.

Pete

Chiltern Chris · #4 (**permalink**) 13-07-2007, 10:30 PM

I’m also disappointed by their slow spread north. I used to live in Stokenchurch and saw kites over my garden every day. Now I’m nearer Wendover and only see them occasionally over the house, although they are regularly seen daily over Princes Risborough and Chequers. They’ve also spread across the Chiltern dip slope south towards Reading and I often see them in Emmer Green on Reading’s outskirts. It may be that they prefer the field structure of the dip slope rather than the open downland towards Whipsnade or the beech woodlands along the escarpment and that’s what’s keeping them in the south.

Cheers, Chris

mikebrown · #5 (**permalink**) 13-07-2007, 11:02 PM

Last time I was down in South Bucks (last Winter) I even saw Red Kites over chalfont St. Peter, which is fairly close to the London border.

Mike Brown

Pete Collins · #6 (**permalink**) 14-07-2007, 09:22 AM

Thanks for your comments Chris and Mike.

I've not seen them at Chalfont St Peter when I've walked there a couple of times, but have seen them a few miles north of there, just the other side of Chalfont St Giles.

They have certainly spread south towards the Thames, I've certainly seen them fairly close to Reading and Henley (I recently walked the Chiltern Way, part of which goes through that area). I'm sure I heard (but did not see one) a couple of years ago near Denham, within the M25.

I have walked near Wendover several times, and often drive through it to get to other parts of the Chilterns (it's about 25 minutes drive from where I live). I've seen Red Kites a few miles south of there, near Great and Little Hampden. They also seem to be doing well north of Wendover (and therefore north of the Chilterns) in parts of the Vale of Aylesbury - I've seen them over a school in Waddesdon, and up to 5 or 6 of them over the adjoining estates of Waddesdon and Eythrope Park, as well as several over places in that area.

I've seen them twice east of where I live (Kensworth, a village just behind Dunstable Downs and close to Whipsnade Zoo), including at Pegsdon, which is a small village close to Hitchin, pretty much at the most north-eastern point of the Chilterns.

Pete

za64 · #7 (**permalink**) 29-08-2007, 05:18 PM

i see them all the time in slough, burnham and maidenhead.
also seeing lots more sparrowhawks than usual.

za

Ann2 · #8 (**permalink**) 29-08-2007, 05:40 PM

It can't be long before you see red kites over your house Pete. I've seen quite a few at Dagnall, I think they are being fed there. (I don't live at Dagnall but work takes me there sometimes.)

Are there any more "locals" on here? This thread seems to be bringing us all out of the woodwork.

Ann