[Misc] Red Kite Sightings

[Surf's Up]

I saw my first East Sussex Red Kite the other day, hovering over the A27 by the Ditchling turn off, presumably looking for an easy road kill meal. Wonderful to see. Any other sightings? I guess they're relatively common in the Sussex countryside?

 

[AmexRuislip]

Have been spreading down the M40 corridor for years, slowly moving south

 

[mune ni kamome]

Took me a while to work out the “Ditchling” turn off. Hollingbury Asda I guess

 

[BrightonCottager]

I've seen a pair of buzzards over Preston Park on 2 occasions.

 

[cardboard]

Loads at Arundel over the hills above the wetlands centre

 

[ozzygull]

See them all the time in Reading,

 

[Taybha]

They're fantastic to watch on the hunt , we have quite a lot here and some have realised the roads are easy pickings swooping down to spook off the crows and maggies for a easy meal , i will try and take some camera phone photos of them as they must be roosted up quite close as i see them daily , along with a huge whiteish owl early mornings .

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Have been spreading down the M40 corridor for years, slowly moving south

You can spot them from the M25 now.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

There are a small group that live on the Angmering Estate. They apparently have a hunting range of all the way to Sompting. I've seen them flying high over Durrington heading East.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

All the time in Petworth. Red kites and Buzzards always having set too's with crows. Never see the same between Buzzards and Kites, both are pretty territorial. One Buzzard regularly on the fence post just out side our place. Red kites don't seems to perch as much. Easy to distinguish in flight, Kite more colourful and has a forked tail, the buzzard has a stockier body.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Loads at Arundel over the hills above the wetlands centre

The Downs between Burpham and Amberley in particular there are a number of them who I believe nest in Angmering Woods. Last time I was up there there were a pair of Red Kites and Buzzards circling in the sky above just about tolerating each other's presence.

 

[AmexRuislip]

You can spot them from the M25 now.

They're after all the carrion, which is in fact motorists, who've wasted away over the years, waiting in traffic.
Seriously they're nice to watch, but are a distraction when doing 70 mph

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

I am currently staying, despite my name, in West Berkshire, and they are commonplace here. As posted above, they do seem to like chasing magpies away from roadkill. Despite seeing them every day, it is still a thrill to see one gliding overhead.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

They're after all the carrion, which is in fact motorists, who've wasted away over the years, waiting in traffic.
Seriously they're nice to watch, but are a distraction when doing 70 mph

Fortunately, I'm mostly a passenger nowadays, on the motorways, so have lots of time to see them.

 

[Kneon Light]

Both they and buzzards are far commoner in Sussex than they used to be.
Lots near Arundel but also seeing them in Crowbrough from time to time now.

 

[Mtoto]

I think they are all the result of a project to re-introduce Red Kites organised by the RSPB about 20 years ago not far from High Wycombe. It was only a few dozen at most to begin with and it's been an astonishing success - they've been spreading along the motorway network, feeding off the roadkill, ever since.

Must be 15 years since I first saw one of them, on the M4 near Wycombe. Nearly crashed the car because it was such a surprise - I thought they'd been extinct in England for centuries. Then about 30 seconds further down the road, there was another one, and two more 30 seconds after that. Fantastic to watch, but I'd been wondering why they hadn't made their way around the M25 and down the M23. Now it seems as though they have.

 

[spence]

There's even a Black Kite. Didn't know that

 

[AIT76]

They appear to have reached Hampshire now - saw a pair over Old Winchester Hill quite regularly over the summer.

Absolutely magnificent birds.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Last 10 years has seen a huge increase in Buzzards around Sussex. Often see them on A27 at hollingbury, North of portslade/mile oak and adur Valley, and lots north of the Downs, but I haven't seen any red kites locally yet.

I'll keep looking

 

[banjo]

Perfect weather for them.