Red Kites - South East England?

[VeegasRS6]

All,

I holiday regularly in Wales (climbing and hiking - so some pretty remote places) and have got used to the sight and sound of red kites around, but over the last few weeks I've heard what is the unmistakable sound of a Kite over the fields behind my house in East Sussex and I'm sure that I can see them at quite a height, circling.

I'm aware that the population of them is growing nationally, but anyone else know if they are spreading into the South East? SWMBO thinks I'm going mad and need my ears/eyes checked.

Cheers

Steve

[Gargamel]

VeegasRS6 said:

All,

I holiday regularly in Wales (climbing and hiking - so some pretty remote places) and have got used to the sight and sound of red kites around, but over the last few weeks I've heard what is the unmistakable sound of a Kite over the fields behind my house in East Sussex and I'm sure that I can see them at quite a height, circling.

I'm aware that the population of them is growing nationally, but anyone else know if they are spreading into the South East? SWMBO thinks I'm going mad and need my ears/eyes checked.

Cheers

Steve

Nothing wrong with you.

There is a very large Red Kite Population centered around the Chilterns in Oxfordshire, however they have been spreading out over the last five years, I see them regularly in South Surrey now (nr Farnham) and I have seen them all across the north and south downs on occasions.

[anonymous-user]

My parents are in a Chilterns village and the kites are overhead constantly.

Much of it started from a Cafe in Stokenchurch - http://www.chrissmotel.co.uk/

But seriously - http://www.chilternsaonb.org/about-chilterns/red-k...

[prand]

These were re-introduced into the Chilterns at the end of the 80's. I remember seeing the odd one hovering over the M40 and being quite impressed. Now they are everywhere. A huge success by any measure.

I live in Berks, and there are so many around where I live that although is a great privilege, you tend to get a bit blasé about them being there. I've seen a couple of dozen at least following a ploughing tractor, a few often swoop over our house (in town) when we're having a bbq to see if anything's going spare.

I'm sure they could spread around the country without much problem, they seem to inexplicably be able to survive in pretty high concentrations in any rural or urban environment, certainly compared to any other bird of prey, so there must be enough to scavenge from, or smaller wildlife to eat, as they aren't out and out hunters.

I remember a quote (from Shakespeare?) who described London as "a city of kites and crows", possibly from happily living off the rubbish in the streets. So they certainly can be common, if not a pest.

My wife doesn't like them. She thinks they hover about and look like vultures. They used to eye our daughter up in a rather suspicious manner when she was in the garden as a baby. I think they are great, though I wonder what impact to the overall ecosystem is having them spread widely.

[Stig]

I took this shot about a month ago in my back garden. It was like a scene from 'The Birds'! There are 11 of them in this pic.

To say they're a success round our way (S.Oxfordshire) is an understatement.

[Animal]

Used to live in Chesham, South Bucks, and saw them daily.

[medieval]

Seen near Newent in Glos as well recently - seeking new hunting and breeding grounds I guess


Beautiful looking birds as well

[viscountdallara]

There are plenty around East Anglia.
I'm based in Stowmarket, and spotted my first around 10 years ago.
Numbers are growing. I see them regularly.
On Sunday, I took my son to college at Easton in Norfolk.
I spotted 6 in total, over one field. ( terrible photo's not included !! )

[PinkRinse]

I have noticed more and more on my journey to & from Steyning to Eastbourne

[nessiemac]

We have them down here in Camberley in Surrey as well, regularly flying over the house.

[mike62]

Regularly see them in and around Basingstoke.

[Buzz84]

I regularly see a couple flying over Horsell Common in Woking

[mrsshpub]

We see them daily in north Bucks.

[FrankAbagnale]

LOADS in Oxfordshire. I think they're a magnificent animal and great to watch.

I was told they almost became non existent in the area but were purposefully reintroduced a few years ago and the plan went a bit too well. The numbers swelled beyond imagination.

[mikeyr]

Loads down between Southampton and Winchester too - seen 6 or 7 in one go before!

[NorthernSky]

As already mentioned, there are flocks hovering around the Wycombe/Chilterns area, probably feeding on a mix of roadkill and Charlies/Dennis Kebab meat left over at 3am in the town centre of Wycombe.

[silverfoxcc]

Woodley nr Reading has a good colony, max i saw was 13 circling one day, and they are getting more common over Bracknell

[otolith]

Loads of them over Reading way, but have seen increasing numbers of them round Swindon this year.

[rxtx]

I've seen them around Herts for as long as I can remember, probably all the fields (and rodents) available. We regularly see them hovering above the A120 to the east of Standon.

[VeegasRS6]

thanks all, I'll be telling the OH to do one, the next time I hear the Kites.