Red Kite (RSPB)
Red Kites were re-introduced into England in July 1990 in the Chiltern Hills. They had been wiped out by by persecution but the re-introduced birds were breeding by the next year. They are a wonderful sight over the hills, easily reached by the Metropolitan and Chiltern lines.
However, I have seen them occasionaly in Brent, usually singly and high in the sky and last week asked on Twitter about sightings.
I had many replies with up to 6 seen over Northwick Park, but usually two and others seen in Wembley (by someone on their way to the Coldplay Concert), Sudbury Town, Alperton, South Harrow, Preston Road, Barn Hill, Fryent Country Park and even Wembley High Road.
You will sometimes see them mobbed by crows. Keep your eyes open and Tweet (no joke intended) @WembleyMatters to say where you have seen them.
It would be wonderful if we had our own breeding pairs in North West London.
12 comments:
Saw one red kite a couple of months ago flying over Rokesby Placec
Red Kite now regularly seen in Wembley, over Rokesby Place. Was previously seen many times in Sudbury. I think s/he moved over this way! Very beautiful.
They are a beautiful bird, and although they are often quite high in the sky you can easily recognise them by their V-shaped tail.
We first saw one, circling above Kingsbury Station, early in 2020. Then it was just occasion sightings, but they have become more frequent. Now we see one most days, and sometimes several times in the same day.
For a few weeks earlier this year we saw a pair of red kites, flying together.
Look out for them if you see lots of birds suddenly flying about in different directions. It may be because a red kite is circling silently high above, hunting for a meal! They do not usually stay long in the same place, but glide on the air currents.
As well as the Kingsbury Station and Kingsbury Road area, I also saw one flying just above the treetops in Barham Park a couple of months ago.
Red kites are definitely regular visitors to Wembley, and if you've not seen one yet, I hope you see one soon.
Red Kite seen over Barham Park early this afternoon, scaring the pigeons!
Now see them frequently fly over my back garden in Meadowbank Road, Kingsbury.
I have been watching their growing range spread from Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve in Oxfordshire, along the M40, over the M25 and into NW London since the early 90s. They were re-introduced into the English countryside from that reserve in 1989.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Rowant_National_Nature_Reserve
Common to see one over Preston Road. Saw him/her many times now
I think I saw one yesterday during the Easter Sunrise Service on Harrow Hill. It glided on stiff wings to the branch of a tree and settled. The wings were pointed, curved backwards like those of a swift, and the tail was forked. I assumed it was a falcon of some kind; it never occurred to me that it could be a kite.
Just saw one fly over the house in Kingsbury near Eton Grove Park being chase by some
Gulls.
I used to live in Hillingdon and would leave out raw meat which they would
Come down to collect; so welcome the sight in Kingsbury.
Yes I've seen them this winter over Kingsbury. Previously only young birds in later spring early summer. A wonderful uplifting sight.
3 Red kites regularly swooping around Wembley central and Wembley Park this month.
Seeing them over my garden in Kenton and just saw one now.
Saw one circling quite low over Quainton Street open space in Neasden, on the 26/6/24. S/he landed in a tree and then took off again, flying around Press Road and near the roundabout. I’ve seen raptors fly high over Wembley, Neasden and Willesden for about 5 years, but assumed them to be Buzzards, until a spell in Chesham (where they are seen in droves and flying very low), made me realise otherwise. I hope s/he returns— it would be nice to have another raptor in the local area, amongst the Kestrel(s). Such a lovely colour and iconic forked tail too.
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