glasfryn
cleaning up cat sick
the Short toed Eagle
rare here
likes snakes
Morden bog near Wareham Dorset
Last edited:
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Its arrived
- Thread starter glasfryn
- Start date
the Short toed Eagle
rare here
likes snakes
Morden bog near Wareham Dorset
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Is that an Adder in its mouth? Possible candidate for next seasons "Hardest Creature" competition?
skipper734
Registered ruffian
These are not supposed to be around here yet. They were't last year, now they are keeping the enormous bunny population at bay. Then the flocks of Buzzards clear up the bits left.
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Just the one is it?
West Hoathly Seagull
Honorary Ruffian
There was a Short toed Eagle reported on Ashdown Forest recently. Unfortunately I was away, so couldn't go and look for it. Yes as you say, Norman Potting, the Adder is one of its main prey items, of which we have quite a lot on Ashdown Forest, and the location in Dorset will have quite a few. Its usual habitat is Spain, so by NSC rules, it must be a flair bird. Eagles are beautiful birds; why our dear friends from Selhust had to adopt them I don't know. As for Red Kites, there are a few in West Sussex. They breed near Chichester, but the best place to see them is the Burgh above Arundel, though Mum and I saw one on Ashdown Forest recently. Their mainstay in the UK is mid-Wales (where I have just been watching them as it happens), where they breed in the wild, and the Chilterns, where they were introduced in the 1990s and have been a great success story. The Sussex ones may have moved down from there, though I suspect they've come from Chichester, where they were also introduced.
Also a couple of Red Kites round Truleigh Hill. I saw them 3 weeks ago and checked on google and they have been there a few years apparently. When walking the Ridgeway 5 years back they were aplenty. I expect them to spread and breed fast along the South Downs.
As an aside just booked into West Hoathly campsite for later this summer and had the booking confirmed by a Will Buckley. Must be his summer job!
readingstockport
New member
These are not supposed to be around here yet. They were't last year, now they are keeping the enormous bunny population at bay. Then the flocks of Buzzards clear up the bits left.
Slightly unlikely as Red Kites tend not to kill anything. They are almost entirely carrion eaters surviving mainly on road kill now.
Peter Grummit
Well-known member
Which is why you invariably see more than one if you travel up the M40, through the Chilterns. Saw one over the M4 last week too.
Would like to see the short-toed eagle though.
PG
West Hoathly Seagull
Honorary Ruffian
Now we know why his hamstrings are so fragile; all that lugging around of farm machinery. Also, are the club that tight on wages that players need to moonlight? No, seriously, Will is the son of Tom, the long-time farmer there in Hook Lane. While you are there, you would be most welcome to visit us in St Margaret's Church; even if you don't attend a service (which we'd love you to), you can help yourself to tea and coffee and enjoy the view of the Downs from the terrace above the churchyard. The Cat Inn is worth a visit too (it now has a friendly landlord, though the food is a little pricey), as is the Priest House Museum. There is a great curry house too at Turners Hill, the Tarana, though you might struggle to park there.
readingstockport
New member
So would I. I had 7 kites over my front garden last Saturday afternoon. I live about a mile from the RFC stadium on the south side of Reading, near junction 11 of the M4. It's not unusual to get home from work to find one sitting on the roof.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
We have friends living in Didcot that we visit on a regular basis, & there are always red kites hovering around their garden.
readingstockport
New member
The amazing thing is that only about 15 years ago or so they were so rare that we used to pull over to the side of the road near Henley to watch them. 20 years ago there were about 20 pairs in the entire country, almost all in central Wales. Then they introduced them to the chilterns about 20 years ago and since then they have exploded in numbers. I work in basingstoke and regularly see them here and I've seen them over the centre of Farnborough about 1 mile from the airfield.
I can see 20 now whilst cycling in between Reading and Henley
skipper734
Registered ruffian
[h=3]Diet[edit][/h]The red kite's diet consists mainly of small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, young hares and rabbits. It feeds on a wide variety of carrion including sheep carcasses and dead game birds. Live birds are also taken and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Earthworms form an important part of the diet, especially in spring.[SUP][10][/SUP]
As scavengers, red kites are particularly susceptible to poisoning.[SUP][11][/SUP] Illegal poison baits set for foxes or crows are indiscriminate and kill protected birds and other animals.
It's a Raptor, why would it bother to soar if it's main diet is roadkill. Obviously they go for what is most convenient, the road is like a MacDonalds to a them, but you wouldn't want to eat there everyday.
readingstockport
New member
For the same reasons buzzards do. I did not say they do not occasionally kill, but their diet is mainly carrion.
readingstockport
New member
Incidentally, I tend to take the RSPB http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redkite/index.aspx and dedicated Red Kite educational sites as slightly more reliable than wikipedia.
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 72,378
Anybody else open this thread assuming it to be about racing pigeon GB11?
Kneon Light
Well-known member
The Short Toed Eagle over the Ashdown forest is the first ever recorded in Sussex and only the 3rd or 4th ever recorded in the UK.
Is still around and was hunting snakes near Gills Leap Car Park this morning.
Watched it for an hour on Sunday and although distant managed anok record shot:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/113705216@N08/14247203290/
Is still around and was hunting snakes near Gills Leap Car Park this morning.
Watched it for an hour on Sunday and although distant managed anok record shot:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/113705216@N08/14247203290/
Blues Rock DJ
New member
you missed a trick there op....should have read...'The Eagle Has Landed' ?