Bird of prey near Kenilworth, Warks (1 Viewer)

[princesslizzykins]

Hello, can anyone help?

We were driving past wood and farmland earlier today near Kenilworth, Warwickshire, enjoying the buzzards, kestrels and sparrowhawks when we saw a bird that we couldn't identify.

No pic I'm afraid but he/she stuck around long enough for us to get a description. Here goes...

Smaller than buzzard, larger than peregrine.
Brown - possible darker markings underneath.
Circling like a buzzard over crop field, quite low, for some time but had shallow M-shaped wings rather than straight across.
Wings quite wide.
After some time, he/she tucked the wings in (a little like a peregrine) and went into the woodland across the road, not at great pace though.

Any ideas??

 

[Stuart Darbyshire]

Probably a Buzzard holding its wings like this http://www.ospreys.org.uk/raptorscapes/

 

[AllanM]

I've watched several Buzzards flying like this over the last few days. When in folded wing mode they seem to appear much smaller than they actually are. To me anyhow.

 

[princesslizzykins]

That sounds like the most sensible suggestion. We would love for it to have been something else but I reckon you're right. We just haven't seen them flying in that way before!

Thanks for such quick responses, we will definitely use you again!!

Lizzy and Jack
xx

 

[esmondb]

How about Red kite, if not a buzzard?

 

[d.steeley]

Hi, my Dad lives in Kenilworth so I am around that area quite a lot. I'll keep a lookout for the bird if you can be more precise where you saw it.

Cheers

Dave

 

[markspirito]

I work close to Kenilworth, ( Canley in Coventry ) and only last week had a Red Kite fly slowly over our warehouse , ...could be the same one ??

 

[stevethehydra]

Description of the OP's bird sounds much more like Common Buzzard than Red Kite, which has a significantly bigger wingspan than CB so is unlikely to be seen as "smaller than buzzard". Interesting that you saw one there though, I lived in that area 10-12 years ago and saw plenty of buzzards around but never a Red Kite - presumably they are straying north from the ever-expanding Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire population?

 

[MTem]

Is there anywhere in England & Wales now where red kite is not a regular if infrequent visitor now?
Saw 2 just driving around Worthing area in West Sussex on Wed..... and there's one around where I live (SE Surrey) - reportedly part of a pair breeding nearby.

Great to see and something I never imagined back in the day when a trip to deepest Wales was the only option.

 

[AllanM]

Red Kites are present in very good numbers in Herts. where I live and I see them most days. Often have one gliding over my garden. Great to see,never tire of watching them.

 

[skatebirder]

When I moved to Hampshire 20 years ago I don't think I expected to have Red Kite on my garden list and my "seen from the office" list, but now I expect at least one or two to pass over each year. It's good to see some success stories in the avian world - Red Kites, Ravens, Peregrines and especially Firecrests are now almost common on my local patches, which wasn't the case until quite recently.

 

[coaltit]

red kite

When I moved to Hampshire 20 years ago I don't think I expected to have Red Kite on my garden list and my "seen from the office" list, but now I expect at least one or two to pass over each year. It's good to see some success stories in the avian world - Red Kites, Ravens, Peregrines and especially Firecrests are now almost common on my local patches, which wasn't the case until quite recently.

yes its nice to Know these birds are around now, along with cetti,s warbler and more and More sightings of little egret here in derbyshire.

 

[markspirito]

Description of the OP's bird sounds much more like Common Buzzard than Red Kite, which has a significantly bigger wingspan than CB so is unlikely to be seen as "smaller than buzzard". Interesting that you saw one there though, I lived in that area 10-12 years ago and saw plenty of buzzards around but never a Red Kite - presumably they are straying north from the ever-expanding Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire population?

I tend to spend a lot of time looking upwards !, had an Osprey last spring also over the warehouse in Canley

Mark

 

[d.steeley]

Red Kite reported over Brandon Marsh today, not a million miles away from Kenilworth.

Dave

 

[MTem]

Just to prolong the tangential discussion even more I was at a wedding reception yesterday near Pangbourne, Berks and we were treated to a red kite circling low overhead. Then some loud-mouthed 'mature' woman pipes up "Well I know they're pretty but there are now so many of them I think they're reaching pest proportions and somebody should start controlling their numbers (i.e. shooting them)", and another says "Yes I agree one swooped down in front of me the other day while driving to grab a road-kill rabbit - I nearly had an accident"

Both Daily Rail readers I have no doubt.......
I despair - I of course couldn't keep quiet but was so angry I just suggested they think more carefully before making such stupid statements. How could few thousand (at most) of anything in the UK be 'pest proportions'?
Shows what we're up against though..

Sad, sad

Mick

 

[Nutcracker]

Any Marsh Harriers in the area? That's another possibility to consider. Hunting low over crop fields fits their behaviour well.