Gigrin Farm & Red Kites

[wheaten]

Spent a couple of days in Wales this week (camping-very cold) and visited Gigrin Farm to see them feeding the Red Kites. Amazing! Over 300 Kites, including the 2 white ones, plus a Buzzard and various other birds swooping down for food. Didn't think I'd enjoy it (especially with 2 dogs, one of which kept trying to jump out of the hide) but it's well worth a visit if you're in the area.
Wheaten

[Chaffinch]

Wow, 300 Kites, I get excited when I see one! Must visit Wales soon

[wheaten]

I was told that sometimes there are over 600 of them feeding at any one time, they come from over 30 miles away! You should have seen the size of the cameras some people were using! I wasn't sure if the dog wanted to see them or if he was just after the food being thrown to them (or he was trying to get away from camping, him and I slept in the car leaving oh and other dog in the tent!).

[sherrardk]

There's also a place on the road to Borth (West Wales) that does red kite feeding - amazing place. Used to see them a lot when we lived in Buckinghamshire and really miss them.

[Buenchico]

Do red kites normally flock together? I've only ever seen solo birds in flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IljvrnpmXjk

[sherrardk]

Hi Buenchico - I've seen them in gangs around the Chilterns (maybe up to groups of four or five). At the feeding place I've been to they just swoop in from all directions and they make an incredible noise.

[Buenchico]

Red kites in 'gangs'?
They'll be getting ASBOs next!
;-)

[welshlibranr]

We go wee them often wheaten, the nearest feeding station is not far from us, not sure if it's the same place, but I really love to see them, it's just wonderful to see them all waiting in the trees nearby, and then swooping in to feed!......well worth a visit!

[redman41]

With so many Kites in such a small area the time has probably come to start culling. If it wasn't for the feeding stations many of them would move elsewhere as there would not be enough natural food to sustain them all.
By culling I mean catching many of them and releasing them elsewhere so that they can hunt for themselves instead of being artificially fed.

[Milvus]

I agree with Redman, artificial feeding is a spectacle but not a good idea for the birds as higher populations than can naturally be supported are generated. Certainly the large numbers of Chiltern birds have been a source of translocation to start other populations in England and Scotland and this is continuing with birds from Rockingham in Northants and young Welsh birds. The welsh colony has had it's line strengthened with Spanish and Chiltern birds. They are carrion birds and will slowly spread out as the population increases. This is certainly true of the Chiltern and Rockingham birds

[milly143]

We have a small green directly outside my garden and I don't know what they were after but about 30 of them were having a massive feeding frenzy on Sunday. You often see them in groups around here (Chinnor in Oxfordshire) of maybe up to 7 or 8 but to see so many swooping down only a few meters away was amazing. Esepcially as we had loads of family round at the time so it was great for them to see it.

[Milvus]

I wonder if one of your neighbours is missing a ham or joint of meat from an outside lunch Millly :)

[milly143]

Lol Milvus. After the initial excitement, I did go upstairs and check the cat was still here and in one piece. :o)

[Milvus]

Your cat is safe Milly, Kites aren't hunters, they can't kill anything of size, they have very weak grip. I read someone recently who described them as Britain's vultures. So if you are down the road at the Aston Rowant nature reserve and stop at one of the seats on the M40 scarp and have Kites hovering near you, perhaps you're not as well as you think you are :(