23/04/2023 Duncombe Park, North Yorkshire

Black Kite: This brown bird of prey with five-foot wing span and acrobatic flying skills is a close cousin to the red kite is abundant in Europe. However, the warming climate is believed to be leading the bird to expand its territory to the north.This bird has made its home in the beautiful surroundings of Helmsley and seems to be attracted to the shows, possible attracted to the bird activity or the scraps of food that may be left behind? Who knows, but it makes for a pretty reliable twitchable seemingly wild black kite. 

Duncombe Park is one of Yorkshire's finest historic houses and estates, and home to the Duncombe family and is home to a collection of exotic birds of prey including Stella's sea eagle, grey eagle buzzard, burrowing owls and a wide range of other birds of prey including black kites.

Fortunately all their captive black kites are accounted for and they aren't missing any.

Some folk are questioning the origins of the bird and although I'll leave these questions t the powers that be it looked pretty wild to me. 

Red Kite: Well, at least that was the plan, as the bird didn't arrive for the first show keeping us waiting until the second show before making a short fly past right over the main field and over Duncombe Park.

The wait paid off. 

Red kites were much more showy and occasionally came in over Duncombe Park giving some excellent views.