Go fly a Kite!!

While I'm over in the west of the UK it seemed an ideal opportunity to catch some Red Kite action. They are still a rare sight in East Anglia but, of course, Wales is a stronghold.

So we headed of to Rhayader in mid-Wales to see the feeding time at Gigrin Farm. For a Bank Holiday Monday it was reasonable weather and improved through the day though it was very hazy and the views not as good as they could be.

Gigrin Farm is well set up for viewing the Kites (the feeding can be watched online) with car park attendants etc. We were warned that the fine weather meant that the Kites might be later than usual but went down to the hides and found a good place.

At 3 o'clock the tractor came to put out the meat and then we waited. There was a single Red Kite in a tree (number 99) and gradually other Kites started to gather in trees, gliding down from the hills, but no feeding. After 45 minutes or so the farmer popped in to say sorry for the delay but they were waiting for a Crow!!!!! Apparently the Kites won't feed until a Crow has shown that it's safe.

Sure enough, after another 20 minutes or so, a Crow came down and soon after the sky filled with Red Kites, soaring and gliding before swooping down to the meat. Some landed on the ground to feed. Others mobbed the Crows. It was a beautiful sight and incredibly hard to photograph and enjoy at the same time! I got lots of pictures of a patch of grass with a wing tip!!

I chose this photo as it shows a variety of the behaviour. I'm sure others could and will have taken better photos but this captured the atmosphere for me. It was an awesome spectacle to watch.

After that we decided to end the day with a drive along the Elan Valley to see the reservoirs and dams. What a wonderful place. Must go back again to do some walking.

It's almost the end of my summer holiday and I've got that usual deflated sad feeling that comes when good things are coming to a close. I've had a real blast this last 3 weeks or so and really don't want to go back to reality. But I know that feeling will only last a while and new good things are to come.