Red Kites at Harewood

Red Kites were re introduced to Yorkshire and specifically the Harewood Estate back in 1999 and this year Yorkshire held over a hundred breeding pairs.

I've been away with work again just north of Harrogate so just had to pop into Harewood to see if I could get lucky and see some Kites. On the drive up Monday I stopped in wet and grey weather and as I pulled into the car park at the Muddy Boot cafe I could see a Kite sitting in a tree and a couple circling over the car park too. I got the camera out but the light was dreadful so today on the way back down in great light I just had to stop again and wasn't disappointed.

Red Kite at Harewood

Red Kite at Harewood Village Hall

Common Buzzard and Sprawk drifted over whilst both Grey and Pied Wagtail flitted about the car park.

I left for the long drive home but couldn't resist a stop at Burwell Fen on the way through Cambridge.
Here I enjoyed brief views of a Little Owl, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel before finding three Short-eared Owls and a Barn Owl to round off a bit of a raptor fest.

To finish the day I watched a very large gathering of Starling display in a smart red sunset over the fen. Fantastic birding!

Roll on the weekend and a bit more action somewhere.