As we drove through Buckinghamshire we saw many Red Kites. They were introduced to that county nearly twenty years ago and are thriving.
Red Kites were widespread throughout the British Isles until the 18th century but were almost wiped out by gamekeepers who thought wrongly that they preyed on game birds.
In fact they are mainly scavengers and helped to clear the filthy rubbish in the streets of mediaeval and Elizabethan London. They also feed on small mammals, rabbits, fledgling rooks and gulls and occasionally worms and frogs. Their flight is graceful and apparently effortless and they can soar for hours over feeding grounds which include refuse tips. The kites which children fly took their name from these beautiful birds.
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Beautiful sky shots, and I love the graceful look of the kites soaring about...interesting info on them also..
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and how wonderful to see so many Red Kites. It is the most beautiful thing to see these birds flying above us. Such grace! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Always appreciate it very much.
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteSydney - City and Suburbs
Great post and photos on the Red Kites.
ReplyDeletegood captures...I always love the Big Brids that soar overhead.
ReplyDeleteEaglesbrother
A very pretty and interesting journey through the skies
ReplyDeleteVery nice sky shots. Birds added more features on the interesting sky.
ReplyDeleteLovely capture of these soaring birds in your beautiful skies ;-)
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
What lovely shots! Must be nice to see all the red kites soaring in the sky.
ReplyDeleteI would love to get some shots of kites, they are wonderful to watch, very aerobatic. They are now well established quite near here on the Blackisle but the most I've seen (about four and I was thrilled)was when I was at a dog show at Harewood House, near Leeds.
ReplyDeleteTo see so many at once must have been great - even through a car window.
sehr schön !!
ReplyDelete:-)
Thank you all for your nice comments. I'm always thrilled to see these graceful, magnificent birds and have actually seen them soaring in the skies near our house. Our county is close to Buckinghamshire so it's not surprising that they have travelled. I'm still hoping to get a clear shot of one . . . ;-)
ReplyDeleteLovely shots of red kites-I didn't know that about kites getting their names from the birds. I don't think I have seen one. I have seen quite a lot of buzzards though. I love seeing birds of prey. Down here I think it is kestrels that you see-though I could be wrong! Thanks for your teaching comment-I agree!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky are you? To see so many kites at one time is great. We were lucky enough to see a pair when on holiday in the Black Isle a few weeks ago which were flying near our cottage most days, but I'd be so thrilled to see 18 at once.
ReplyDeletejabblog, thanks for visiting my blog. Sculpture by the Sea is a temporary exhibition at Tamarama that runs for about three weeks, every year. You can touch them and can climb on some of them. They have security people wandering around to ensure that they aren't damaged or vandalised at night.
ReplyDeleteYou really did a nice job putting together all these lovely sky shots. Very well done for Sky Watch. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.
ReplyDeleteFantastic photo's Janice. We have some huge feathered beasties here on the Wolds of North Lincolnshire. We are told that these are buzzards. Having seen one on the ground a few months ago I realized just how huge they are. Did not venture out of the car. We NEVER leave home without the camera now.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I didn't know the children's kites were named after a bird, lol.
ReplyDelete