A Red Kite Soars Beneath the Clouds

"Ah, could I see a spinney nigh,
A puddock riding in the sky
Above the oaks with easy sail
On stilly wings and forked tail..."

From 'The Fens' by John Clare (1793 - 1864)

(The `puddock' - or `puttock' - is another name for the Red Kite, also used by William Shakespeare).


I often see Red Kites soaring along the valley right outside my windows at home in Chesham.  Sadly at the moment I can't afford to buy the camera equipment I would need to capture them in detail and do justice to their beauty, so for now they will continue to taunt me as they glide past on the rising currents in search of prey.