I was over in Norfolk on the beach near Holkham Hall and saw one over the trees. Didn't think that they had extended their range that far. Look forward to them reaching the north west of England in due course.
Many years ago, in the dark days, I stood vigil over raptor nests in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It lifts my heart a bit to think that I had a very tiny part to play in the successful expansion of the bird’s population.
In mid-Wales there were only a few pairs nesting back in the 80s and despite all the work done to protect them they didn't seem to increase in numbers. I think the genetic pool might have been just too small because once they were introduced to the Chilterns, they really took off (sorry!). I think only one of those introduced birds was from Wales, the rest from Sweden. I can remember seeing them along the M40 but not really anywhere else, then they starting appearing further afield (they have also been introduced at a number of other locations around the island). As mentioned they are common in Surrey, but what has been more interesting to me is the natural spread of buzzards. Ten years ago when I saw buzzards over the North Downs I thought I was imagining it. Now I see them almost every time I go walking. I usually hear them first. Kestrels are a far rarer site.
I was over in Norfolk on the beach near Holkham Hall
they've been up there a couple of years now; if that's one part of the world that needs a raptor (more than a few marsh harriers), it's there. I've never cycled around so many rabbits/hares/pheasants etc on the road.
I live about 10 minutes from Norfolk, and have been here about 5 years, we get loads here and it seems to have increased year on year.
I do think the barn owl and smaller hawk population seems to be dwindling though and this is backed up by a few local gamekeepers, so not sure if the two are related at all.
As for pheasants, we have so many estates here breeding them and the gamekeepers in places can be lazy, putting the feed for them next to the road, plus in the words of my daughter when Trump was voted in "Americans are they as stupid as pheasants..?"
We are amok though with rabbits, hares and muntjac deer at the moment, part of the fun of commuting by bike in Norfolk is having to learn the "road-kill bunny hop" so that you don't have to constantly swerve around them..
I live about 10 minutes from Norfolk, and have been here about 5 years, we get loads here and it seems to have increased year on year.
I do think the barn owl and smaller hawk population seems to be dwindling though and this is backed up by a few local gamekeepers, so not sure if the two are related at all.
I don't think so, kites go for carrion and are opportunists not "hunters" as such (though i have seen one with a massive snake once) they would impinge on the corvid population if any. We do seem to get far more skylarks and lapwings since the reintroduction
There are plenty of kites around the Peterborough area - there's something just off the southbound carriageway of the A1 at Junction 17 that has them all circling around - we keep meaning to go & investigate.
You also see plenty around Stamford/Oakham way too.
On my local rides north of Peterborough and generally west a bit, I see quite a few kites, less buzzards & the occasional barn owl if you get the time of day right.
