Kites

minktrapper

What kind of numbers and where ?

OpenYourEyes

East side of the country, mostly Wicklow, a few in Dublin and a handful in neighbouring counties. Numbers? Not many, I'd guess less than 200, maybe less than 150, but that is a guess.

minktrapper

I saw one at the game fair in Birr. It was flying around the trees there. I thought it was part of the fair itself. Flying 15/20 ft above our heads. The very same as a kite.

cameramonkey

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

East side of the country, mostly Wicklow, a few in Dublin and a handful in neighbouring counties. Numbers? Not many, I'd guess less than 200, maybe less than 150, but that is a guess.

I would say there are a few more than 200 judging by the numbers breeding particularly in Wicklow, if you look at the photos from the tagging the numbers are big. I have seen kites in wexford. They are also breeding in North Dublin and Down.

griffin100

Driving close to Glenealy in Wicklow yesterday and there were 8 red kites circling in a group overhead - great to see.

Del.Monte

Yet again coming home on the train this evening two Red Kites right beside the railway just south of Rathdrum - fantastic if too brief a sight. Earlier in the day I saw and heard three Buzzards near Wesley College in Ballinteer. I'm something of a lapsed birdwatcher and so it's really great to see so much wildlife without even trying!

Incidentally, I came across this interesting video on YouTube tonight while looking for Buzzards - is there anything that a Heron won't try?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73d1exi0RJY

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Del.Monte wrote: »

Incidentally, I came across this interesting video on YouTube tonight while looking for Buzzards - is there anything that a Heron won't try?
]

I'd handle a Buzzard any day over a disgruntled Grey Heron.

axe2grind

Robert Jealous Airplane wrote: »

I'd handle a Buzzard any day over a disgruntled Grey Heron.

Ah yes, but would a Grey Heron try a disgruntled Robert Jealous Airplane? :pac::D;)

dodderangler

Robert Jealous Airplane wrote: »

I'd handle a Buzzard any day over a disgruntled Grey Heron.

I'd handle a disgruntled heron over a srameen anyway

dodderangler

minktrapper wrote: »

What kind of numbers and where ?

Not really all to wise to post locations of kites considering the amount that have been found dead from poisoning or being shot etc in past few years.
It's a shame as they really aren't a danger to anything but rats and frogs.
They're more scavengers than hunters. I know of 2 definate areas you'll see at least 5 in a day but they don't do any harm. They're beautiful birds to see in the wild soaring as they do. With that forked tail they're beautiful birds. Hate hearing of them found dead from humans killing them. And we all know who is doing the damage. They won't take pheasant poults or pheasants full stop. Or any game bird except maybe quail which are not released for hunting. They're scavengers more so than anything.
That's my input on them.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

axe2grind wrote: »

Ah yes, but would a Grey Heron try a disgruntled Srameen? :pac::D;)

dodderangler wrote: »

I'd handle a disgruntled heron over a srameen anyway

I'm not sure how to take that.

Base price

dodderangler wrote: »

Not really all to wise to post locations of kites considering the amount that have been found dead from poisoning or being shot etc in past few years.
It's a shame as they really aren't a danger to anything but rats and frogs.
They're more scavengers than hunters. I know of 2 definate areas you'll see at least 5 in a day but they don't do any harm. They're beautiful birds to see in the wild soaring as they do. With that forked tail they're beautiful birds. Hate hearing of them found dead from humans killing them. And we all know who is doing the damage. They won't take pheasant poults or pheasants full stop. Or any game bird except maybe quail which are not released for hunting. They're scavengers more so than anything.
That's my input on them.

Regularly see Kites near my Mother's house in NCD where a re-introduction program took place a number of years ago.

dogmatix

Beautiful sunny afternoon last Sunday, so I went for a walk in the woods behind Avoca. Was rewarded by the sight of at least 5 red kites circling slowly over the south end of the town calling to one another. One of the birds suddenly plunges down to land ever so gently on a nearby tree - the tree barely moved. Such a gentle landing for such a large bird. Kind of made my day it did.

bolgbui41

We had our first sighting of a red kite at home here in 2009. Started seeing them more frequently around the fields from around 2011. We found and reported evidence of a nest in the woods below the house in 2014, and suspected there was at least one other elsewhere in the woods. Today, a new record: seven kites could be seen at the same time gliding around the fields on either side of the house. Two were clearly as juveniles, and three as adults - the others were not identifiable from were I was standing. They were flying relatively low, with one passing no more than about thirty foot above the roof of the house.

I'd only ever seen red kites in books before 2009. It's just incredible to to see them making themselves at home now. And luckily, unlike in other parts of the country, the farmers here (including my own family) don't see them as threats. Honestly, I could stand and watch them all day.

cameramonkey

bolgbui41 wrote: »

We had our first sighting of a red kite at home here in 2009. Started seeing them more frequently around the fields from around 2011. We found and reported evidence of a nest in the woods below the house in 2014, and suspected there was at least one other elsewhere in the woods. Today, a new record: seven kites could be seen at the same time gliding around the fields on either side of the house. Two were clearly as juveniles, and three as adults - the others were not identifiable from were I was standing. They were flying relatively low, with one passing no more than about thirty foot above the roof of the house.

I'd only ever seen red kites in books before 2009. It's just incredible to to see them making themselves at home now. And luckily, unlike in other parts of the country, the farmers here (including my own family) don't see them as threats. Honestly, I could stand and watch them all day.

What part of the country are you in?


General area I mean, not specific.

bolgbui41

North Wexford. Less than 15 kilometres from Avoca, so I image that's where they came from originally

fred funk }{

Almost see them daily in South Wicklow at this stage.

Mach Two

Any Kites in the S.W..

Birdnuts

Mach Two wrote: »

Any Kites in the S.W..

Not likely - even buzzards are still pretty scarce in the likes of Kerry