[d.steeley]

Hi all, my wife and I have a rare day off together on Friday and we have decided to visit the Chilterns so that we can have a good walk and also see the Red Kites. I have looked at the various web-sites dedicated to Red Kites and the Chilterns but don't know which of the recommended sites would be the best one to visit. Perhaps someone on BF has local knowledge and could give us some advice. What we want is to have a good walk (5-10 miles) through lovely countryside and the chance to see plenty of birds including Red Kites. We would also prefer to park in a designated car park rather than on roadside if possible.

Thanks in advance for any information you can share.

Dave

[Nick Tanner]

Stokenchurch is a good bet, you can park in the village and walk the lanes around it and you will have incredible views of kites, a good walk is to the village of Ibstone which is about 2 miles, you could extend it and do a circular walk via Christmas Common or Cadmore End, either way takes in the rolling hills of the Chilterns and eye level encounters with kites, there is also a library in Stokenchurch that has a leaflet on kites in the Chilterns, they were very helpful to us, about 3 years ago; I would wish you good luck but you won't need it

Nick

[d.steeley]

Thanks for the reply Nick, sounds good.

Dave

[RobinD]

Another option is around Aston Rowant nnr. Park in Cowleaze Wood car park - you can admire the sculptures while looking for Crossbill and Siskin then loop round to Aston Rowant.

ATB

Robin

[d.steeley]

Thanks Robin, this also sounds attractive. I may follow up both suggestions. Crossbill would be a new bird for me, are they likely to be about or would I need to be very lucky to see one?

Dave

[RobinD]

Originally Posted by d.steeley

Thanks Robin, this also sounds attractive. I may follow up both suggestions. Crossbill would be a new bird for me, are they likely to be about or would I need to be very lucky to see one?

Dave

I haven't been this winter but have had them in previous years, usually high up along the rides in the wood. Listen to the call before you go to help you find them!

ATB

Robin

[d.steeley]

Friday 20th February.

Thanks for the information folks. I also did what I should have done in the first place and look for any similar threads. I found a couple that were also provided useful info. Decided to head for Watlington as our first stop; parked in the free car park and had a look around but nothing about so headed into the village to find a café. Didn’t find one but did notice a Red Kite flying over followed quickly by several more. We had good views when we returned to the car park. Then headed to the Garden Store at Studely Green and saw lots of Red Kites whilst enjoying our coffee. Then onto Aston Rowant NNR where we walked from the viewing area along the side of Beacon Hill and down to the M40 underpass. Again, lots of Red Kites and a couple of Buzzards. After lunch we parked in Cowleaze car park and walked to the new ‘bird hide’ overlooking the valley. When we got there it was actually a goat shed. Followed the path that contours the hill and saw lots of Red Kites again, sometimes in groups of up to 30 at a time. At times the sky seemed to be full of them wherever you looked. I even had 10 in my binocular view at the same time. Also saw Coal, Great, Blue and Long Tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Wren, Green and GS Woodpecker, Kestrel and Buzzards. Finished off with a circular stroll around the woods from the car park and saw a male Muntjac Deer. Alas no Crossbills seen or heard. An extremely enjoyable day and only just over an hour from home. We can’t wait to return.

ATB

Dave

[RobinD]

Sounds like a good day!

[d.steeley]

Yes, we had an excellent day thanks. We are planning to visit again around Easter. One thing puzzles me though. How can the environment support such a large number of Red Kites. Do the locals put out loads of food for them? Are there any species missing from the area that you would normally expect to see there because of the concentration of RKs. I wouldn't like to be a small vole on the Chilterns, short lifespan I guess.

Dave

[RobinD]

Hi Dave,

Some people do feed the kites but this is discouraged as the food put out is often too 'good' for them. Kites need the bones and bits to get enough calcium. There have been instances of chicks with brittle bones because then have been fed processed meat put out to help.

Supplemental feeding has a negligible effect on the kite population and is not at all necessary in the Chilterns where there is an abundance of natural food. Kites are opportunists and scavengers and the majority of their food consists of carrion and earthworms although they will catch small mammals up to the size of a young rabbit.

The Chilterns was chosen as a reintroduction site because of the diversity of habitats and lots of sunken lanes that provide a steady supply of roadkill pheasant and rabbit.

I am not aware of any species missing species due to the kites. Coupled with the kites return has been a spectacular population explosion of Buzzards and a gradual return of Raven in the Chilterns, which are the other two large scavengers and there is no shortage of other corvids. There are also plenty of small mammal predators, Owls, Kestrels, stoats, weasels and also polecats so I don't think the predators are depressing rodent populations or these wouldn't be present.

ATB

Robin

[d.steeley]

Thanks for the reply Robin, very interesting. It also surprised me how quickly the RKs disappeared once we began our journey back towards the Midlands from M40 juntinon 6. We get the occasional sighting in Warwickshire but perhaps the environment is not as suitable as the Chilterns. I wonder if they will spread out as far as the Cotswolds, as it is not that far from the Chilterns and seems a very similar habitat.

Cheers

Dave

[RobinD]

Hi Dave,

They are spreading well now with breeding into north Oxfordshire and down into Wiltshire and Hampshire and across to Bedfordshire with a couple of outlying pairs in Surrey/Sussex. In another ten years I suspect the Chilterns and East Mids populations will be continuous and Kites will be throughout the Cotswolds and spreading southwest. With a globally declining population, this can only be a good thing!

ATB

Robin

[d.steeley]

Hi Robin, yes I think it is an exciting prospect and one to look forward to. I really must visit the Northamptonshire birds soon.

cheers

Dave