I am terrified of all birds, a phobia...

[Bobbisox]

but I have just witnessed the most amazing sight
Two Red Kites, flying magestically overhead, they were beautiful

[Pinkypie]

They are fantastic, they are well known in the Brecon Beacons and they have a Kite feeding sanctuary. They literally throw meat in the air. They come to the same spot from miles away right on time.

Amazing :0)

[Bobbisox]

I believe we have a few pairs up and along the Northumberland coastal area Pinkipie
they are fabulous to watch, so graceful

[milly143]

We have so many of them where I live, they are now being considered vermin by some and they want to cut down the population. They're getting braver too. I often see them hovering very low when someone is cooking and they have been seen to swoop down and help themselves to BBQ food thats left unattended. They are quite a site.

[Bobbisox]

OMG Milly if I ever saw that spectacle, I would head for the hills..:0(

[Chaffinch]

Beautiful birds, I just love them

[DTCwordfan]

Mao Sze Tung was bird phobic as well - he tried to eliminate them in the late 50s/early 60s

[ladybirder]

Yes Milly they do scavenge but they're wonderful wonderful birds.

[milly143]

Oh, I agree. I'm not one of those who thinks they are vermin. I love having them around. And I also like making sure people know my one bird fact. Well it's more of a breaking a common mis-conception - Red Kites are not birds of prey.

[JonnyBoy12]

Your fear is called Ornithophobia, as this is the correct term for a fear of birds.

Do any of you other ABers have any unjust fears?

[qula]

milly, I'm really sorry but reading your statement that Red Kites are not birds of prey puzzled me a bit, http://www.birdsofbri...eatures/red-kite2.asp
They are more known as scavengers, carrion feeders but they do indeed hunt live prey.

[milly143]

What? My one bird fact isn't actually a fact? Oh man. I feel pretty dumb now. I swear a billion times I've heard they are not birds of prey.

[qula]

My link might be wrong though..!

[milly143]

I just googled Red Kite - the first result came up with the heading "Beautiful birds of prey". Ha ha ha. I'm laughing at my own stupidity. I will refrain from trying to be a smart arse again. :)

[saxy_jag]

I find the best way to deal with a phobia is to learn to understand what you're scared of and to see the beauty in it.

I've made myself watch documentaries about spiders and I read about them whenever I can. They fascinate me. I still can't actually handle them, but I don't run in a blind panic from the bathroom anymore when I see one.

[alexanderd]

Bobbi there is a red-kite trail near you. It ends somewhere near Gibside Chapel I believe

[ladybirder]

Milly I was told by a man who was involved in the release of Red Kites at Harewood House in Yorkshire that their favourite live foods are beetles and rats but they mainly take road kill. And of course they get poisoned by feeding on dead rats that have themselves been poisoned.

[wildwood]

I feel for you Bobbisox. My sister has pteronophobia (fear of feathers) and in the 60s it was laughed at. I am ashamed to admit that I was a little sh!t, chasing her with a feather.
I now realise of course just how debilitating a phobia can be.

Good on yer for not blaming the birds and still appreciating them [from a distance lol].