Red Kites

Over the past few weeks we have passed by this place Ashburnham Place and seen Red Kites so it seems they have moved in and I suspect started looking for nesting sites. Plenty to choose from so they will start to have an effect on other birds and creatures nearby. There are pheasants aplenty and they present a dish of roadkill along with other things at this time of year.
They are magnificent to watch and fly at quite low level. Will we regret their arrival?
Not looking forward to the parrakeets which threaten to drift further south as I think they really do upset our natural small birds.
So,are Red Kites bad news?

 

Hi Jenny. Lucky you. Speaking as not only as a gardener/horticulturist and a Dr, of plants sciences. I consider this a wonderful event. Sadly over the years mankind has in simple terms. 'Cocked up the system'. Now perhaps creationmay be striking back.

 

I see them almost daily Jenny, not only around the area of my garden but out and about too. The numbers are quite high here. Although they are protected they are often shot by farmers supposedly because they take lambs, but these birds are carrion feeders mostly, preying on rodents and small birds from time to time.

I don't think they will have much effect on the wildlife around you and I think you have a lot more to fear from the parakeets. I assume you are referring to the Ring Necked parakeets? My mum used to breed them and other parakeets thirty or so years ago and they are amongst the most destructive of birds.

 

We have a few Red Kites here, haven't seen any problems with them taking anything there shouldn't

As for taking lambs, if a lamb is not well or injuryed then they may be taken, normally a lamb will run back to mum or mum call lambs back and then all bunch up together when danger is about

 

Red Kites have been breeding in West Sussex for about 10 years and have somewhat slowly moved into East Sussex and are now more frequently seen here. This follows the reintroduction programmes in The Chilterns and elsewhere. The Sussex population mainly came from offspring of the reintroduction individuals in The Chilterns. Prior to that there were only few individuals in the whole of Britain, in Wales. They had been persecuted almost to extinction. It is good to read your report, @Jenny namaste that they are around Ashburnham. I am not surprised.

The recent success of this species has been magnificent. Red Kites are primarily scavengers feeding on carrion. They can kill small rodents but, although large they are not very strong and are unable to kill anything larger than a small rabbit. Reports of them killing lambs are unfounded, though they will feed on dead ones.

So the answer to your question, “will we regret their arrival “, the answer is no IMO.

 

Wow!! Delighted to read that the red kites have spread as far as Ashburnham.

As others have said, the numbers had dwindled in the UK to a few breeding pairs in central Wales by the 1980s. My father was part of the team that monitored them, so we would go to the (secrets) remote areas, and admire them from afar. Then they were reintroduced to the Chilterns in the 1990s, soon after I moved there. It felt as if they were following me, and making me feel at home .

They are stunning birds, and true masters of flight. You can loose hours of time, imagining riding on the thermals with them...

Although they have a huge wingspan, they prefer to have the easy life, and will eat roadkill, bird strikes (where a bird has flown into a window) etc, as well as taking small rodents. So they are helpful contributors to the environment, and certainly a positive addition!!

 

They are a common bird here as well. Theres one that has a habit of sitting on my tv aerial, quite a nice sight when returning home from somewhere. Happily, they are increasing in number here, along with quite a few other bird species.

 

thank you all for your informative and reassuring replies. Ashburnham has a magnificent Orangery in which 2 of the oldest Camellias in England still grow. They do lovely soups, cakes and modest lunches so, a good reason to visit and watch them at the same time.

Christian Retreats, Prayer, Conferences, Volunteer, Sussex | Ashburnham Place

 

I have fond memories of retreats at Ashburnham Place.
It was there that I prayed about my relationship with my now husband - I wasn’t sure if he was the “one” for me. I received reassurance from God that he was. 26 happy years on, and just the “A” name makes me smile!!

 

I’m impressed!

 

Hehehe!
Well, as an 8 or 9 yr old, I was able to tell the “JIZ” of a red kite at a distance, when my father could only make out that it was a large bird of prey. I’ve just got a connection with them - there’s no other way to describe it. I see one, and my heart leaps for joy!

 

I've never seen a red kite I dont think, and parakeets dont sh*t on my car either.