15/02/2025 Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, Powys

Red Kite: After my previous visits to Gigrin Farm, way back in 2012, and I felt that I knew what to expect, but I didn't expect this beautiful white kite. 

This leucistic, or "white", red kite is a regular visitor to the Gigrin Farm feeding station. With its stunning and striking coloration being caused by a rare genetic mutation which prevents normal pigmentation of the feathers resulting in predominantly white or pale plumage. Since the eyes and bare parts (bill, cere and legs) retain their normal colours, it is not a true albino.

Just like the last time I came here, I was feeling the pressure of the challenge that capturing any photographic opportunities. Its so hard to just concentrate on one bird! 

Grigrin Farm offers a wide selection of hides all offering a different perspective and catering for all types of audiences. From ground lever hides, tower hides, panoramic hides and photographic hides. 

I chose the later, which offers a larger unrestricted window to point the big lens out of, and a bigger hoide to move around in. It was great. This cost £30, well worth every penny!

When the tractor comes close with its trailer full of kite food the swarm of kites descend right in front of the hides, its such a thrill to witness, a real wildlife spectacle. Hundreds of wild Red Kites are fed at Gigrin Farm every day of the year.

Red Kite: Once the main swarm of kites have swooped down catching the bits of chicken and then flying away without landing a few birds remain and even land on the ground picking up the scraps.

In the 1980s, anyone who wanted to see a red kite had to make a dedicated pilgrimage to a handful of locations. Today, it is a daily sight for millions of people.

In just a few decades, the red kite has been brought back to the UK, and we are now home to nearly 10% of the world’s red kite population. This could be the greatest species success story in British conservation history.

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. 

02/07/2022 Bwlch Nant Yr Arain, Aberystwyth

Red Kite: On Monday Marc Hughes found a black kite at the the red kite feeding station at Bwlch Nant Yr Arain. It came in after the main red kite feeding frenzy and spend the rest of the afternoon around the area. 

This week I have taken some work in Shrewsbury, and was situated around an hour and a half away from the black kite, so I thought id try my luck and waited until 3pm when the feeding starts. 

When I arrived out was pouring down and the area was shrouded in low cloud, I didn't think we would see any kites let alone the black kite if it turned up.

Bwlch Name Yr Arain is a forestry Commission visitor centre situated high above the Melindwr (Watermill) Valley with panoramic views of Cardigan Bay and The Cambrian Mountains.

 

It was designed to give the small numbers of red kites a helping hand and to encourage them to gather together, a natural pattern of behaviour for kites.  These days 100’s of kites gather for up to 2 hours prior to feeding.

Siskin: Eventually the rain cleared and the clouds lifted, almost like a miracle as it seemed to happed daed on 3pm, feeding time. 

Well over 200 red kites came swooping down to feed, but no black kite. We waited and watched the skies hoping the bird would make an appearance, but no, not today.

Despite the dip, it was a great lotted day out. This place is, in my opinion miles better then Gigrin Farm. The main reason being is that you can get closer to the kites and you aren't restricted to sitting in a. hide so you can get al all-round view and wider shots of the birds. 

Also this place is FREE!

Lesser Redpoll: IHats off to Marc, some folk are simply get lucky and others hard work pays off. Mac is a quality birder and did well to find the black kite.

'll defiantly be back to this red kite feeding station, maybe next time I'll bring Autumn with me. 

01/01/2012 Grigin Farm

Red Kite: A one off trip on new years day really dull damp day best of a million shots.