I explore the world around me, photograph and write about it
Thanks to everyone who has submitted comments on an old post of mine (http://www.nicklewis.net/2007/10/18/red-kites-in-hampshire/comment-page-1/#comment-3569) about the Red Kite and its gradual spread into the county of Hampshire. The post was the shortest ever posted on this blog way back in 2007 and it has received over 27 comments. I also wrote another post that has received 105 comments which you can read at http://www.nicklewis.net/2008/05/22/red-kites-in-hampshire-follow-up/ Read more
I have in the past hour spotted 2 red kites hovering very low over a field near Monk Sherborne, Hampshire. In fact only 8 foot of the ground and about that distance away from myself. Such a great sighting, I stopped to watch them until another driver came up behind me. Luckily I was only on a country lane just off the A339 from Newbury. Shame I didn’t have my camera as my 200mm would have been all I needed to have captured a great shot!
A little while back I wrote a post or two about the way in which the Red Kite has spread well beyond it’s Chiltern Hills stronghold. If you ever drive along the M40, you will no doubt spot these large birds of prey circling high above the motorway. Take a little detour off the main roads into the countryside around the Stokenchurch area and you can easily go on a Kite spotting tour. Why not stop off on a nice summer’s day (especially right now, as the weather is so nice), find yourself a nice field, sit on a fence and watch the sky? I spent an entire day doing just that in the attempt to capture a half decent shot of at least one of these stunning birds. Suffice to say despite finding some great subjects, I failed to capture anything half decent on camera. Read more
Quite uncanny considering that my last post was about Red Kites, as on my way to work this morning I spotted a very familiar profile. A big bird circling fairly low over Windsor Great park, silhouetted against the bland sky, big wings and a forked tail gave it all away.
The Kite glided low, beating it’s wings, glided some more, cruising along just about oak tree height above the ground. It cheekily broke up a group of crows who then gave it some hassle in return, as if to say “who do you think you are?”.
It isn’t the first time I have seen a Red Kite close to Windsor and then I remembered that I was driving…….
I often blog about Red Kites. Just spotted 3 over Burnham station. I
guess train lines are a good hunting ground for carrion?
Sent from my iPod
Its funny how one very small post I made on this blog earlier this year has sparked off quite a few comments about Red Kite sightings in Hampshire. Thing is this is quite significant and as a member of the RSPB, it is very exciting to see that these splendid birds are living what seems to be a very comfortable existence.
My interest in this particular species goes back many years. Read more