Red Kites galore at Buckenham RSPB - and a year tick!

Feeling the need for some fresh air, I decided to drive down to the railway crossing at Buckenham and take a walk to the old wind pump. As I descended the hill, I noticed two Red Kites perched in an isolated dead tree: as I crossed the railway a third flew into the 'corvid trees'.

The walk down to the hide added distant views of a Whinchat (believe it or not, first of the year!) as well as two Stonechats on the way back. The presence of a marshman strimming the edges of the scrape (why?) and a quad bike on the track to the old mill meant there were absolutely no waders to be seen: lots of the usual hawkers and darters, though.

Driving back up the hill I stopped to admire three Red Kites perched on the edge of Strumpshaw Woods: another birder joined me and we reminisced for a while about trips to Wales back in the seventies to see these magnificent raptors.

Even better: as I pulled over to the 'Little Owl Layby', a Red Kite was perched just a few yards away in the large dead Ash!