The Blog No 7 Wild Wanderings
Red Kites and other stories :
05-03-2023
In a brief sunny spell this week I was sitting musing on things in the base when I became aware of some noisy crows. They were squawking aggressively and on looking up I noticed about 4 individuals harassing a large bird . At first I thought the bird at the centre of their attention was a buzzard. But on looking more attentively I spotted the forked tail which confirmed to me it was a Red Kite. We have had Red Kites in this area for about four summers now,usually in singles, but last year we had a group of four.
The Red Kite , when seen , is a wonderful bird, with its forked tail and its red and white plumage. Their wingspan is a bit larger than the Buzzard and their flight is much more clumsy with its slow flapping wings . But on occasion it can be as nimble as the Kestrel, when it hovers motionless in the sky. The Red Kite is not a very strong bird, which is surprising for it size, and cannot carry very large prey as others like the Kestrel and Buzzard . So the Kites main diet is road kill or injured or damaged small birds and some mammals. They can also feast on dead carcasses EG. Sheep, Lambs or calves who have become victims of bad weather ,particularly in the hard winter months. Sometimes feeding in groups on a big find. This is why Kites are becoming more frequently seen on farms specializing in live stock. But the harvest time on arable farms can also attract Kites , who can be seen following the tractor or harvester very closely, not unlike seagulls. They will take injured small Voles ,insects and worms. This adaptable diet is why the Red Kite is making a remarkable recovery in numbers from almost near extinction in the 1850's
Waste recycling sites are another venue the Red Kite will visit. It great to see them here, keep your eyes peeled for them in your area ,once seen never forgotten.
We also have a few other birds of prey resident around us. The Sparrowhawk needs no introduction and is regarded now as a garden bird, and it is included in most garden bird surveys of the RSPB for instance. I think everyone who regularly feeds their community of birds will have seen this visitor quite often. But it does draw a lot of dislike as well ,particularly if you witness the swift capture and demise of a Blue Tit or Sparrow. The event does hammer home the shear fight to survive and how harsh and cruel nature can be. I can understand this demonizing of the Sparrowhawk, as it is so efficient at what it does, and its not a pretty scene to witness. But if I can draw attention to the fact that all Birds of prey operate in the same way, people just don't witness the Buzzard with a kill,or the Kestrel plummeting onto a Blackbird, or some other unfortunate.
A thing I can say for certain is if I post a photo of a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel ,the Kestrel photo will get many more likes than the Sparrowhawk. Again I can see why. When most people witness a Kestrel it is gently hovering over a field , or deftly swooping high and low, or sitting gently on a fence. The plumage of the Kestrel is also quite beautiful and adds to this air of quiet gentleness. But the Kestrel and the Sparrowhawk both operate in the same way to survive, and the poor old Sparrowhawk draws a bad press.
I do admire and love the birds of prey and I also love the Yellowhammer or Greenfinch. They all struggle to survive and hope to return home to live another day.
I love all wildlife, but with the Birds of Prey and other predators their beauty is different ,and to quote a line from W B Yeats.
With them 'A Terrible Beauty is born'
RJM
