Red Kites on Sheppey?

KentYeti · #1 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 09:34 AM

I am rather annoyed with myself. Because I'm setting myself quite high standards with my newly found bird photograpahy I am deleting a very high percentage of everything I take.

Including a photo taken a week or more ago at Capel Fleet when I was partly disguised on the footpath bridge over the dyke, (Yetis can never get fully disguised!).

Quite often an afternoon can see a succession of Marsh Harriers passing by: they seem to use the field edge and/or the dyke as a route marking.

That day was no different. And the flights included one bird with a particularly big wingspan and what looked like a forked tail. That I put down to one of it's legs hanging behind it. Although it was rather wide for a leg! It's head was a different colour to a Harriers as well, but I didn't switch my brain on in time to think about that.

My shot was 3/4 head on, and being in dull weather it soon got deleted after I got home.

Never thought for a moment that there could be Red Kites on Sheppey. Until reading various reports last night, when I think it was from Oare Marshes, (just across the Swale from Capel Fleet), that someone reported seeing one quite recently I think.

Maybe they are getting there now and what I saw was not an unusual sighting?

Or maybe I've just got it wrong.

But I will write out one hundred times, (and Yetis write very slowly), "Do not delete photos before being sure of that the subject is".

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 09:49 AM

They're certainly spreading well, and more and more seem to be being spotted in the south-east, so it's likely the bird you saw was a Red Kite.

It looks like you're over there a fair bit, so keep an eye on recent sightings, and eyes open in the field, I'm sure you'll get one there again soon

Nige

pressld2 · #3 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 10:15 AM

Ukwildlifeo (Neil to his friends) saw one last year at Stodmarsh near Canterbury so they have made it out to mid and east Kent. He also thought it was a marsh harrier when he pressed the shutter but realised what it was when looking at the picture later on his computer.

Dave P.

KentYeti · #4 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 01:45 PM

I'll pay more attention in future guys.

And no doubt Snake, who lives on the island and knows it, and it's wildlife vastly better than I will ever do, will let us know if he's seen one there.

Still damned annoyed with myself. Checked both my back up hard drives and it must have been deleted before I backed that day's photos up. It was quite a good photo. Close up. I only deleted it as I thought, "Marsh Harrier, only keep those shots in near perfect lighting conditions".

Yetis can act really stupid sometimes.

snake · #5 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 02:25 PM

Hi Bryan,
It's quite possible that you photographed a Red Kite along Capel fleet. Although not a regular sighting I do see the odd one now and again.
The last one I saw was back in January, it was quite a long way off but I did manage a poor pic of it.

I also heard of another sighting at Elmley just a week or two ago so keep your eyes peeled, you might be lucky.

nigel_b · #6 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 05:53 PM

Do a google search for "recover my photos" or something.

I've a utility on my PC, which I am not at right now, which can scan a memory card for deleted photos and let you bring them back.

All is not lost unless you have stomped a load of new photos over the top of it.

ellen h · #7 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 06:15 PM

Red kites have been seen this week(tuesday) over Leigh on Sea-just across the Thames from Sheppey,so they are definitely around

ellen

alge · #8 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 07:14 PM

Two have been roosting for a few months about 8 miles south of Sheepy up on a spur of the north downs, fingers crossed they will do more than roost. So they are certainly in the area.

KentYeti · #9 (**permalink**) 15-04-2011, 09:01 PM

Many thanks one and all for the responses. Reasonable chance it was a Red Kite then. But for me it will only count when I have a photo of it!

I'll be at Capel again as soon as the sun returns. And when I start there again I'll make very sure I ID every photo before deleting them.

I may try one of the programmes I found on GOOGLE. But I've re-formatted that card a good few times since I took that photo.

And just for Snake. Got my best shot of the Short Eared Owl last week, (10th April). Yes. It was still there! Took your advice and had my head, face and hands covered with camo stuff. And I was lying on the footpath between the footbridge and the road. So it came quite close to me. Got some netting as well but still working out how to cover myself with it and still be able to take photos! LOL! Many thanks for the advice.

PS. Hope you had a great holiday.

Cheers,

Bryan