[Reader]

Today was a piece of pure pleasure for Ros & I. I had hoped to go Gigrin Farm today after the Red Kite but it all hinged on whether Ros was feeling better today. I needn’t have worried. The cold she had been suffering with had all but gone and the weather forecast was for a bright sunny day. That was it, Gigrin Farm, Rhayder, he we come!!

There was a little bit of unfinished business to do on the way as I was going to try again for the Hawfinches at Wyre Forest. Some of you might have read my Birding Report entitles “Mud, mud, glorious mud”. Well whereas the other day I got caught in torrential rain, today was sunny and bright with hardly a breath of wind about. Unfortunately the seven reported Hawfinches weren’t playing ball and after an hour and a half’s wait, at the site they had been recorded, we bade farewell and continued our journey into Mid-Wales. Whilst at Wyre Forest we were treated to close ups of Great spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Bullfinch plus a few Buzzards drifted across the horizon.

Everyone I know, from the Midlands, goes to Gigrin Farm along the A44 through Leominster. Not me. I always choose a route that I find one of the most pleasant drives in the country. The scenery is fantastic with rolling hills, clad in various trees of differing shades of colour. The grasses seem greener here and there is a multitude of colours splashed all along the route. Add to this some of the nicest villages and single houses around and you begin to realise why I choose to go via Cleobury Mortimer, Clee Hill (one of the best high viewpoints in the midlands), Ludlow and finally Knighton before rejoining the A44 nine miles outside Rhayder at Penybont. Today was extra special as the sky was a brilliant blue with a few puffballs of white clouds. The sun bathed over the countryside and the colours of the land were sparkling. It was a sheer pleasure to be out driving on a day like this.

On the way we stopped briefly at Clee Hill to take a couple of photos of the view. As soon as I got out of the car I could hear a Skylark above my head. It took ages to locate, as it was so high up, but eventually I added the bird to this years list. Would you believe that I hadn’t seen one yet this year? The views were breathtaking as to the left you can see for miles, right across Worcestershire, and to the right the view goes on for miles across towards Ludlow and onwards to the Welsh hills.

We moved off and just over an hour later we were looking at our first Red Kite, about seven miles outside of Rhayder. The hill to our right held at least a dozen Raven and three Buzzards all using the updraft from the hill to good effect as they wheeled and swerved to the backdrop of a cloudless, blue sky..

Rhayder was reached at 11:30am and we stopped in the car park for a salad that Ros had prepared for us. After finishing our meal we sat and drank in the scenery. White clouds scudded across a pale blue sky and Buzzards, Ravens and Red Kites were all in playful moods. The Ravens flew in pairs and were ascending together until peaking out and dropping down like stones whilst at the same time twisting and turning before pulling out of the dives at the last minute. The Buzzards were doing something similar but instead of ascending to a great height they would just drift along with their usual grace and then, as if by telepathy, both would fold their wings and go into a stoop before they, too, pulled out of their dives at the last minute.

The valley before us resounded with the sounds of the buzzards mewing and the Ravens cronking as well as a chorus of various tones from Rooks, Crows, Jackdaw and Magpie, all eager to get on the promised feast. Buzzards and Raven were circling and playing before settling down on nearby trees.

The Red Kites really put on a show. The pairs that flew together did so at different heights. The one’s above would drop down towards its mate. As it approached, the other Kite would turn upside down and present its talons towards its mate. Every now and again there would be a brief grab and a slight twist by both birds before they broke off. This was all before the feeding had begun at 14:00 hours.

Ros and I decided to go to the hides early so we could get a seat. Prior to that we got to talk to one of the chaps that run this place. I told him that I was hoping to get a good shot of one of the Kites and he went on to tell me that one Kite had been rescued on New Years day. Somehow it had gotten tangled up in string and had been left hanging from a tree. After treatment it was soon back to good health and was released, but apparently it lacked confidence to catch its food on the wing, much preferring to land and eat its food on the ground. He told me that you couldn’t mistake it as they had clipped a large tab, with the letter E on it, to its wing. He thought that that bird was my best chance of a good close up photo, and he was right. This bird did land and I got a couple of cracking shots of it.

The tractor arrived with its bucket full of meat. The farmer got out and started to shovel it out of the bucket before spreading the food out around the area. Soon he left. Then the action began. First birds in were not what you would expect but about twenty Pied Wagtails suddenly descended, as a group, onto the meat followed by at least 100 Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws and about twenty or more Ravens. The Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws stayed on the ground to eat their food whilst the Ravens tended to pick the meat up and fly off with it. This brought the Kites into action as they came in diving and harassing the Ravens into dropping their food. As the food was dropped the Kites would dive down to catch it and with a forward move of the talons eat it in mid air. There were Kites everywhere by now. We estimated that perhaps 80+ were in the air around us.

My camera was at the ready and I fired off a few shots. The first shots were of part of the array of flying birds in front of us but as the Kites got closer I tried to capture their images instead. Ros pointed to a Buzzard that had taken a piece of meat and was pulling it to pieces on a hedgerow. The shot was too good to miss so I turned my camera onto him, firing off about a dozen shots before he took off. I am actually pleased with a few of these shots.

Someone in the hide shouted that a Kite was on the deck eating the meat. Straight away I was on the Kite and it was the one with the “E” tab on its wing. My scope was set on a high magnification and I had to take my camera off the scope, as I couldn’t get an image of the whole of the bird in my scope. I changed to a 32x lens, all the time thinking that the Kite would fly off before I had the chance to take a photo of it, but I needn’t have worried. I managed 4 shots before it flew off and one of them I am particularly pleased with.

I had taken quite a few shots and had tended to ignore, to a great degree, what was actually happening in front of us. The problem was that I had forgotten to charge up the batteries the day before and what charge was left had just given up. I had to stop taking photos so I just sat back and enjoyed the spectacle, for that was what it was. Kites were diving in and snatching pieces of meat from the floor and then eating it in mid flight. Ravens were being harassed all the time by many of the Kites and went through a routine of twists and turns trying to shake them off but rarely succeeding. The Kites agility shone through and they nearly always ended up with the spoils. Unusually Buzzards were thin on the ground. What Buzzards were around tended to stay in the distance and the only shot of a Buzzard I had taken was the earlier one. This was very different behaviour from my previous visits where plenty of Buzzards would drop onto the meat and tear at it whilst on the ground.

Soon the feeding frenzy was over. Most of the Corvids had gone and it was left to the Kites to polish off the bits. Their colours sparkled in the sunlight and more of them came near to the hide for a short period. That is when I regretted not having any charged batteries left as these Kites were within 20 feet of us at times. I can imagine having the chance of some superb flight shots but it wasn’t to be.

Soon it was time for us to go. We could have stayed longer but it was a two-hour drive back home and I didn’t want to be late home. As I said, at the start of this post, today was a fantastic day to be out. In the hide it was great to hear parents talking to their children about endangered species and what happens to them if they are not looked after properly. The oooh’s and arrr’s and “ look Daddy, look at that bird” from the children were great to hear. I can’t think of a nicer place to bring children. In the middle of the country, brilliant sun shine and the spectacle of the Red Kite’s, Buzzards and Ravens as well as the many other birds that had competed for the food.

What more could you ask for?

Below is one flight shot of a Red Kite that I managed.

[steve_nova]

John, a really good read and great that Ros is now feeling better.
What a smashing picture that is. It sounds like you had a really great time and I envy you (in the nicest possible way of course).
I hope I can see some when I go down to visit friends later this year. If I do, I will try for some pictures.
Cheers.

[Beverlybaynes]

What an absolutely wonderful day!!

Thanks for taking me along!

[dylan]

I enjoyed the read, sounds like you had a cracking day out John!! Nice photo too.

[IanF]

Excellent report John, I was htere with you - only I wish I really could have been !

That's a smashing photo too.

[jayhunter]

Brilliant John, Ludlow, Clee Hill and Bridgenorth are favourite Haunts of mine. Will have to see if I can reach Gigrin Farm and back in a day. Or, might call for another weekend away in Shropshire surely one of our more beautiful unsung counties!

[Andrew]

Absolutely brilliant read John, glad Ros got better on time or we wouldn't have gone out with you. The tails of the Kite make them the 'Hurricanes' of the bird world.

[Reader]

Glad you all liked the story, I enjoyed typing it up and re-living the day.

jayhunter.

I agree with you about Shropshire, especially around the Welsh border areas.

Regards the rescued Kite. You can read about it in the Gigrin Farm website.
http://www.gigrin.co.uk/

It is highlighted in light blue in the right hand box on the home page.

[kingfisher]

Hi John,

I know of the Kite place you visited, i have been looking at their web site for some months but as yet not had the chance to visit the area as yet.....one day i will. I enjoyed your report and the photos were execellent well done.

P.S. Hope the new job went well.

[Craig Davies]

Hi John,
Great day you and Ros had at Girgrin. Just wondering whether you have visited the feeding site at Nant Yr Arian?. A little further that Gigrin but a wonderful stop over point on the way to Aberystwyth, Both and the Dyfi estuary. You view the feed over a small lake surrounded by forest and mountains which adds to the intensity of the Kites circling above. I often stop off here on the way to Borth for the weekend. Last year had the added bonus of a leucistic Kite that stole the show. If you happen to pass it pop in and grab a cuppa!

[Reader]

Craig

I'm not sure where that site is but there is another site I have watched them that also has a little known, and little used road that you use to get to it. It is around Tregaron, but the road from Beulah to Tregaron is amazing. Beulah is west of Builth Wells where the A483 takes a dog left to the south. There are many places around there where you can watch Kites naturally, not in the numbers you will see at Gigrin but in some ways more satisfying as they are going about their lives naturally.

I'm afraid you are well out of our way to Wales but we tend to do a lot of birding not too far from you. You live in a lovely part of the world.

We will have to get a meet up soon with all the midland birders as there are a few of us now.

[jayhunter]

So may I take it the best place for Red Kite spotting on the M40 is around Junctions 5/6? I usually come off at Junction 9 and scoot down to my Mother's via the A34, no wonder I have never come across one! Next Reunion at RAF Halton in Bucks I will stay on down until Junction 6 and cut up through Chinnor to Wendover hopefully I may be lucky!

[Reader]

Hey Kevin

Don't forget that there has been a fairly long staying Two barred Crossbill at Hedgerley near Jnct 2. Perhaps you had better start off at midnight - just in case!! LOL

[esmondb]

Originally posted by jayhunter
So may I take it the best place for Red Kite spotting on the M40 is around Junctions 5/6? I usually come off at Junction 9 and scoot down to my Mother's via the A34, no wonder I have never come across one! Next Reunion at RAF Halton in Bucks I will stay on down until Junction 6 and cut up through Chinnor to Wendover hopefully I may be lucky!

Just between jcts 5 and 6 the M40 cuts through the Chilterns. This is probably the best place the see both Kites and Kestrels riding the updraught on the side of the hill.
I've posted a short clip from this point in the videoscoping area, if you want to take a look.

Very good photo John J

[LuBird]

What a great story and great pic! Very enjoyable!

[jayhunter]

Esmondb, How do I navigate to the videoscoping area please?

[esmondb]

If you scroll down to PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGISCOPING & EQUIPMENT from the main forum screen then go into Andy Bright's Digiscoping Forum, it's the bottom forum in this area. The more people that can contribute, the better, of course.

You could also use the search facility and put in my username - I've only made a couple of posts.

[Chris Monk]

Have you come across this book?

The Red Kite

Ian Carter

Illustrated by Dan Powell and containing a series of colour photographs,
this book on one of Europe's most elegant birds follows Roger Lovegrove's
'The Kites Tale' and updates the story. From the struggles to maintain a
native population in Wales the book gets right up-to-date.

Arlequin Press. Hardback;187pp.Illustrations, photos, tables and figures.

£22.50

ISBN: 1 900159 61 9

I have a personal interest as I collated the figures for the status section and table, together with data for other sections from the database of sightings in the English Midlands region I maintained


Best wishes,
Chris

[Chris Monk]

Try these web sites:

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/redkite/default.asp

http://www.gigrin.co.uk/w/

http://www.chilternsaonb.org/

[marting]

Hi John

When I was visiting the in-laws at xmas I found Hawfinch at Ludlow on the other side of the river to the castle. Apparently its a good spot for them, might be worth a try. Next time Im up that way Ill be making a trip to Rhayder.

Martin

[Reader]

Martin

I have heard of that spot but have never tried to find it. Any chance of directions please?

[marting]

Its called Whitecliffe Common (SO506744). Just past the bridge over the River Teme at Ludlow. Have a look in the Hornbeams on the steep slope. When I went there I found them at the top of the slope (bit of a climb). Its also good for other finches and tits. The Alders by the river are also worth checking for siskin and redpoll and its also worth looking out for dipper, kingfisher and grey wagtail. Hope this is of help.

Martin

[Reader]

Thanks Martin. I feel a trip to Ludlow may be coming on soon. I will print this out and take it with me.