Re: Northern Lapwing Vs Red Kite

[David Rees <>]

Philip

Not long ago the only ones surviving in the UK were the then very small Central Wales population, however those birds are highly 'conservative' and stuck to their area, but with greater sympathy from local landowners they are now doing well and spreading slowly.  Interesting you mention Midsomer murders - it was filmed in the Wallingford area and various other places in the Chilterns - "kitedom' as far as the southern English kite population built from birds from northern Spain is concerned. There are now estimated to be over 500 pairs in this region. It would be hard to keep them out of shots round there, so why not include them in the story! From experience, they are curious birds and will fly down to check you out if you walk in their space and a few birds have become a bit aggressive as people have been feeding them. 

On Tue, Jan 13, 2015 at 8:53 AM, Philip Veerman <> wrote:

I had wondered and thought they were particularly rare. Maybe that is very old information. Various British TV shows (things like Midsomer murders) do like to include them but you can never know if that is genuine.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: David Rees [
Sent: Tuesday, 13 January 2015 8:16 AM
To: John Layton; <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] Re: Northern Lapwing Vs Red Kite

John

In places they are. They were reintroduced into the Chiltern hills NW of London in the late 1980- early 1990s and results were spectacular.  In the Thames valley and surrounding areas they have boomed, making them now the most obvious bird of prey in the region.  They are now a common sight over towns like Henley, Reading, Newbury, Wallingford, Wokingham, Maidenhead, Oxford etc.  The tip at Didcot usually has many,  giving the crows and gulls a run for their money.  The epicentre of 'kitedom' is still the Chilterns -esp between Wattington and Stokenchurch. If you have not seen it  I made a film about them - mostly shot near Wattlington and Newbury - can be seen at  https://vimeo.com/99700520 . 

David

On Tue, Jan 13, 2015 at 7:05 AM, John Layton <> wrote:

Wonderful footage! Are Red Kites common in southern England?

Thank you.

 

John Layton