Red Kites

It’s more or less impossible not to see Red Kites flying overhead while driving on the motorways to the west of London these days. These distinctive birds of prey, recognisable by their forked tails, have become a ubiquitous sight but it was not always so, for they are one of British nature’s great success stories of the past forty years. 

When I was a kid, the bird books all said that the Red Kite (Milvus milvus) had been hunted almost to extinction in Britain, and the only place you had a chance of seeing them was in the hills of central Wales where a few pairs still bred. They’d been a common sight in London in Tudor times, when they were disliked (Shakespeare used the word “kite” as an insult) but tolerated because, being primarily scavengers, they helped to keep the streets clean of carrion (dead animals). In the centuries that followed, though, they were treated as vermin and hunted accordingly, until by the twentieth century they only existed in their Welsh stronghold. 

This changed in 1989, when a rewilding project started in the Chilterns. A few birds (some from Wales, some from Scandinavia) were released — and since then, they’ve thrived, especially along the M4 and M40 corridors. The reason? The motorways, mostly; they provide a lot of roadkill, and as Red Kites eat mostly carrion, that’s why they can be seen soaring above them. 

They have since spread out along the major roads; in the past couple of months, I’ve seen them while driving along the A1 in Northumberland and the A2 in Kent. I even saw one when I went to Spain earlier this year. 

So often do I see them while driving that they have become one of my favourite birds. I have yet to see one within the North Circular, but I presume it’s only a matter of time before I do. 

November round-up

 A pretty good month!

Thoroughly enjoyed the walk along the East Lothian coast as previously mentioned. Also went down to Kent and saw various gulls, plus a male Kestrel hovering over the White Cliffs of Dover.

Then there was the Greater-spotted Woodpecker in Cambridge, seen just because I happened to be looking up. Always worth doing so!

And lots of Red Kites seen along the M40 as it goes through the Chilterns. Usually one or two at the very least, but dozens at this time of year. Wonderful birds with a great story behind them. 

Book-wise, I read Simon Barnes’s Birdwatching with Your Eyes Closed which I enjoyed. Birdsong has always been my (figurative) blind spot and I regretted not being able to download the accompanying podcast although to be fair, the book was published over a decade ago so maybe it’s no longer available! Made use of the birdsong clips already on my iPod instead. It’s a work in progress but I feel that my bird-listening abilities are improving. 

On the home patch, some great sightings in East Finchley. First Redwings of the winter, first Blackcap of the year, Long-tailed Tits for the first time since January and even a Nuthhatch in Cherry Tree Wood, the local park opposite the Tube station. 

On the garden feeder, plenty of Ring-necked Parakeets as per usual, plus the occasional Blue Tit and Goldfinch. 

Phone photography isn’t great (feeder pics aside), but I did get a nice shot of a Carrion Crow near the station.

Smart bird. Who knows what December will bring?