Kites in Dorset

AndyC · #1 (**permalink**) 31-05-2009, 09:28 AM

Somehow, until this year, I had managed to go 20 years since last seeing a kite. However over the last few months I have been seeing one regularly around Wareham in Dorset. How widespread are they along the south coast?

Andy

PeterD · #2 (**permalink**) 31-05-2009, 09:55 AM

Hi Andy
I have never seen them around the Portsmouth area. I know that there is a Red Kite population in the Chiltern area which are doing very well. Apparantly the farmers are helping by providing food for them. The furthest I have seen them range towards your direction is Oxford. This are the nearest spot for the birds - unless anyone knows any different

Peter

Adam Cheeseman · #3 (**permalink**) 31-05-2009, 11:19 AM

In springtime, there is quite a large movement of non-breeding/young resident birds, and there is also a small influx of birds from the continent. They are regularly reported from Dorset and south coast counties further eastwards, but less frequently westwards.

Cheers,

Adam

LynM · #4 (**permalink**) 31-05-2009, 12:28 PM

There are occasional sightings of them in the county, mostly towards the coast, but not exclusively. One was seen near Abbotsbury a couple of weeks back, close to where OH and I saw one last year. Also one near to West Bexington around the same time. I have also seen one at Cerne Abbas a couple of months back and also on the outskirts of Sherborne....but that was a long while ago!

If you check out the Dorset Birds website and click on 'sightings' on the top menu, you will find there are at least 11 separate sightings through May alone, including an unprecedented 10 from various sites last Sunday.

However......you can never be certain of one, it's definitely a case of being in the right place at the right time!