I could tell our second trip to Wales in November was going to be a bit chancy with the weather. Even the week before the forecast was showing there was going to be heavy winds. When we set off last Saturday morning we didn’t realise we had perhaps missed the worst of it.
As we wended our way across the Midlands, through snow, conditions gradually improved. By the time we got to Powys it was bright sunshine. Judging by the bits of trees scattered around the worst of Storm Arwen had already passed through.
As usual lots of Kites to photograph.
The weather on Sunday was better still. It even felt warm in a few sheltered spaces.
There’s nowhere quite like Wales. The scenery is to die for and it contains some incredible wildlife.
Ever since I set the business up some 14 years ago I’ve been visiting the Kite feed at Gigrin in Powys. It never fails to impress guests and this year was no exception. The speed of the birds test the resolve of any photographer. However we had a good group this last weekend and they did well. Another trip at the end of this month will bring different sightings and different memories.
I was sat in the study yesterday when Mark up the road messaged he’d walked out onto Sheringham golf course and was looking West. I guess he could half see the reported White tailed Eagle in the distance circling over a heat haze ridden Cley. He thought it might come our way.
The morning was one of those semi-murky days where the sun never quite manages to break the clouds. A still day, full of promise of raptors circling upwards and moving along the North Norfolk ridge. I’d already been down to the sea earlier. There were things moving; long lines of Scoter, a few Gannet and Red throated Divers. A lone Sand Martin zipping its way West was the pick of the bunch and my first for the year; but after an hour or so I decided to go home and put a few final touches to the NNNS AGM that was taking place by way of a Zoom meeting in the evening.
There were four White tailed Eagles scattered around Norfolk yesterday. It was likely at least one would work its way over West Runton. When I got Mark’s message I decided to sit for a while at the lounge window and see what would fly over. I’ve seen quite a few White tailed eagles around Norfolk over the years. Two graced the airspace over the garden where I used to live in Northrepps and I’ve even seen one from the north end of Water Lane where I now live in West Runton … but they are always nice to see.
I didn’t have to wait long before a Red Kite circled above and it wasn’t long after it was joined by another, then another and finally a fourth. A Sparrowhawk also joined the throng. It would have been inconceivable 40 years ago to have a group of Red Kites hanging around the Norfolk coast but these days spring wanderings such as this are more or less expected. Still, they are brilliant to see.
What with Ospreys being introduced into coastal North Suffolk, and White-tailed Eagles into West Norfolk the county could turn into raptor central.
One of the Eagles did work it’s way along the ridge pasts Felbrigg and I probably would have picked it up from the window … if I hadn’t been back on the laptop! Even as I post this the following morning there’s another Kite outside my lounge window. Glorious birds.
On the recent tour to Wales we managed to find two ‘Spirit Kites’. Red Kites with a recessive colour gene. Beautiful blue eyed embodiments of the true spirit of Wales – wild and gorgeous – the country of dragons and kites.
Our Wild Weekend in Wales last weekend saw us photographing Red Kites and Bottlenose Dolphins in Wales. Don’t you just love these birds. The photo below is not a composite … just happened like this!
There’s something about Red Kites I just love. I remember the very first time I saw one. They weren’t as prolific as they are now. Taking a holiday into Wales to see one was the only real chance I would have. It took my breath away. High above Tregaron bog, it was carrying a snake. I could make out the outline of a forked tail and the still live whipping tail of the reptile; the whole thing reminiscent of a flying dragon.
We watched around a hundred and fifty to two hundred Kites on our recent tour to Wales (details here). No dragons but some wonderful photographic opportunities.
As we sat between mountains among the melee of Red Kites on our Welsh Tour an old friend came to visit us. Like a spectre emerging from the masses the White Kite made an entrance; bold and brash this bird. Quite at ease among his Red brethren he came to feed as confidently as the others. A genetic disorder, leucism, pales the birds plumage giving it a magical appearance. A magical bird in a magical setting.
Last weekend the Wildlife Tours and Education trip to Wales enjoyed some great weather. Chough, Peregrine, Dipper, Redstart, Pied & Spotted Flycatchers, Wood Warblers and even a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were all on the agenda as well as many more species.
There was a time when there were very few Red Kites in the UK. I estimated we saw around 250 or more through the weekend including this one which twisted and turned in front of us among many others. Red Kites are just the best.
Letter From Norfolk 
