CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE  RED KITE  KIND.

 At the last LROS  meeting I was talking with friends  and having told them as to where to visit to see the Short Eared Owls , they put me onto a site for Red Kites where the previous week they had seen in excess of one hundred of these birds, apparently a local land  owner was putting out food and attracting large numbers.  So having got my directions as to how to find the birds, on the first day without rain and not over bad light I headed for the area hoping the local gent was going to feed them. On arrival I parked in the gateway as instructed and looking into the field to my right could only see  a number of pheasants on the ground all over the field , the field being about ten hectares, I then picked up my bins and the pheasants in fact were Red Kites, I have never seen  Red Kites roosting on the ground like this anywhere before, all patiently waiting for the food and calling, I the noticed Kites in the trees, on the roof tops of houses, it started to feel like a Hitchcock Film but all the birds were Red  Kites, I started getting some images but only when downloading did I find  that I had made a mistake in my settings but still managed to salvage some  acceptable images,I will obviously have to have another visit but this time check my settings more carefully. I would have gone back anyway, who could resist seeing that many birds all together.

Birds were continuously flying in even as it was getting darker but the attraction of the food kept them coming.  I would estimate the numbers seen on this first visit being in excess of sixty.

I then decided on Sunday the 16th to have a second try which unfortunately turned into a bit of a disaster. On arrival I parked in a gateway to have my packed lunch all the time keeping an eye on Kites in the field and landing in trees. I the thought I would have a drive up the road to see if we had any more birds in the trees an unfortunate decision  as whilst driving up the road into the sun, I managed to hit a pothole and burst the front nearside tyre, this I had not seen due to being dazzled so it was a case of finding somewhere reasonably level, parking up to change the tyre, this being a new car all I had checked was that I had the fitting to unlock the locking nuts ,I had found this previously in the glove box, so I went for the jack after undoing the wheel nuts, I put the jack in place and returned for the handle to wind the jack up, could not see it, I had a look in the handbook and had another look for the handle, this is when panic set in as it was missing, luckily a gent turned up to walk his dogs who had a similar handle for his jack and bless him helped me change the wheel. 
Needless to say Toyota have had an ear full this morning and have promised to deliver said missing handle directly.

I have had six visits to see the Short Eared Owls Owls to date and have seen up to three birds on three occasions, but no images as yet, I will keep visiting.

Red Kites on the Ground.

This bird was in the field some 200 metres from my gateway vantage point, as soon as I got out of the car, any close birds flew farther up the field, it was noticeable that birds would not fly over me once I had taken up my position at the gate.  cannot remember having ever seen these birds on the ground before. Very difficult to get  a good focus over the distance and the birds being on the ground.

Even farther away. 

Not much closer.

After this I concentrated on the birds flying and landing in trees.

This bird landed in the tree  but was virtually a shot into the sun.

A  quick move to a different location within the village  but still reasonable numbers  of birds.

Then back to my original position as I could see more birds moving in.

Then the tree started to fill up, some images of the birds coming in later in the post. Tree is about  140 metres  away and a case of sticking the lens out of the car window.

Another tree starts to get its visitors, this tree is much farther away.

Same tree  as above but this bird landed  on the highest point with two others.

I the moved back to the other position but unfortunately this meant shooting towards the sun, this tree is on the boundary of the land where the gent feeds the birds.

The following are a few flight shots but nothing special as the birds would not come close, in fact they appeared  to avoid coming towards me.

These are some of the birds circling in, more out of shot but wonderful to see, this image from my second visit when I saw in excess of eighty birds. The birds were continuously calling  as they circled in.  What a sight an sound.

This image from my first visit, this time we had in excess of sixty birds.

This time a slightly closer bird but image taken with lens out of the window.

Several birds observed chasing each other and this was prior to the food being put out.

Another pair having a chase but the light was really going and I had to head for home.

Thank you for your visit and I hope you have enjoyed  your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images

To my  far away birding friend, please either give me a call yourself or get someone else to call to say you are well.

John
Thanks for the telephone call, glad all is well  and  your getting better, will talk again soon, John