Red Kite

Red Kite - Ray Braim

Last week we hosted a special afternoon and evening for members of Foto-Buzz, a fairly new online photographic group run by Andy Rouse. They spent some time photographing both our mammals and owls, but the highlight for me happened at around 5pm...

Whilst moving on from one area of the reserve, we spotted this red kite above flying very low. Red kite sightings are still quite rare in this area, and I normally see perhaps one or two every year.

This year however I have seen one, possibly the same one, half a dozen times already.

Red Kite - Ray Braim

Last week this red kite put on an awesome display. For a good fifteen minutes he was flying very low over the reserve in front of the second car park. He was giving the herons a bit of grief, and getting a bit of grief from the crows, but the best thing was watching him pick up fish that we put out for the herons on the fly, eating it whilst in the air, and then going back for more!

I didn't have my camera with me, and refused to run back to get it... there was no way I was going to miss seeing this. Luckily foot-buzz member, and friend of the Centre Ray Braim was on hand and managed to get these great shots in very difficult conditions.

I will keep my eyes open for if the kite returns, regular feeds for the herons may well attract him back in, and who knows... in a few years we may have very regular visitors or even a resident on the reserve.