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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Red Kite between Swindon & Marlborough (1 Viewer)

Steve B

Active member
I have seen Red Kites many times before, usually in Wales and occasionally in Oxfordshire, but this morning I saw the first one I can remember seeing in Wiltshire. It was circling over the Ridgeway south of Swindon and being tracked closely for quite a time by a Buzzard who clearly wasn't happy to see it around.
 
You may be right Nick, but the 2006 RBBP report (published last month in 'British Birds') says "Wiltshire two pairs bred, one fledging two young, two pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred".
 
Hi, I saw one yesterday - 6th July - as I came off the M4 at the Wootton Bassett jnctn. There's a layby there just as you come off the big r'bout and I stopped and was able to watch it for about 2 minutes as it rode up on a thermal, it then peeled off and cruised down towards the beginning of the chalk by Lyneham. I think Nick is probably right - there's probably quite a few around here and people will start reporting them; wonder who's going to post the first photo of a Wilts Red Kite? regards Pete
 
While driving from Marlborough towards Broad Hinton past Rockley yesterday (19/01/10) I spotted three kestrals, 1 female hovering above the roadside and a male in a tree, a buzzard and a red kite circling over a field. Couldn't stop to get a photo unfortunately.
 
Red kites are now seen regularly in North-East Wilts. In my patch near the Berkshire border they were uncommon visitors until about six months ago. Now they turn up almost every day and, I believe, bred on the Crowood Estate last year. Usually, you don't see more than three at once, so I was surprised yesterday to see 15 circling and weaving over the edge of woodland at Eastridge near the B4192 road.
 
Hi Steve
They have been 'creeping' down the M4 corridor for sometime now with birds seen regularly. You can normaly see them most days at Faringdon plus Barbury & Membury quite often. I have seen them over Swindon Town Centre.

regards

Merlin
 
They seem to be spreading along the M4. Lambourn seems to be the source. There were regular sightings in Shrivenham in autumn 2009. Hopefully they will become established north of Swindon where I live.
Sid
 
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