Red Kites in Shropshire

DXP55 · 6 Jun 2022 at 19:42

Out in front garden and looked up at what I first thought was a Buzzard but as it circled round at chimney top height it was a Red Kite-
I have seen them down by Oxford but never seen one in Shropshire.
Effortless flight just riding on the breeze.

ps -after a bit of searching it seems as though it was a juvenile -had a lot of grey in it - we get loads of Buzzards so we know their shape and this seems definitely a Kite. -

At the time I was out the front it was because UPVC window man was here and as soon as I pointed he said Kite as well.

Not seen a sparrow hawk or barn owl since we have been here or even bats all of which we had at old house.

DXP55 · 6 Jun 2022 at 21:41

[FnG]magnolia said:
I am a plonker

Are you really

DXP55 · 7 Jun 2022 at 12:43

Thanks for the videos lads - it was certaijly a Kite - Can't miss the eurofighter on it's backend.

DXP55 · 8 Jun 2022 at 16:14

Gixer said:
Work buddy of mine had some great pics of the Peregrine on an electricity pylon close to the river Test. You probably have the odd sparrow hawk around too. Have a few here in Sholing. One caught a pigeon and sat ripping it's head off on my front lawn. It only managed to eat the head before a cat disturbed it. No idea why it started on the head first though, has to be more meat elsewhere on a pigeon I'd think.

Seems to be a thing with predators -Our cat always starts at head and works down -He had a big frog last night but just ate the head.

I think we had another one today soaring high but after looking at videos again I am not so sure as the tail looked smaller than those in video but it did have the V shape..