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Red Kite, Walkley

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Just saw a red kite getting mobbed by crows from my living room window in walkley,  (in direction of rivelin) never seen this type of bird of prey in Sheffield before, anyone else? 

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Only ever seen them in Chilterns... amazing creatures. We  did see a bird of prey hovering in the sky over Redmires reservoir yesterday... was fascinating standing watching, it shot down and caught a mouse literally 20 feet from us, not sure what bird it was. Dont know if anyone else has seen any up there at all. 

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5 hours ago, davesiknow said:

Just saw a red kite getting mobbed by crows from my living room window in walkley,  (in direction of rivelin) never seen this type of bird of prey in Sheffield before, anyone else? 

I saw it too, over Rivelin, being harassed by crows.

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Wasn't unusual to see crows mobbing birds of prey (buzzards) in the Rivelin 25 years ago when we used to take the kids for a walk along the valley on a Sunday morning. Usually from the path between the cafe / playground and the S bend looking over the woods at the bottom of Roscoe Bank.

 

We see the same where we live now in France - ie crows mobbing buzzards - they leave the kites (mainly black but some red) well alone. The kites tend to avoid flying just above tree top level over woods / copses where crows are nesting - buzzards do it all the time.

 

7 hours ago, bungleboy69 said:

Only ever seen them in Chilterns... amazing creatures. We  did see a bird of prey hovering in the sky over Redmires reservoir yesterday... was fascinating standing watching, it shot down and caught a mouse literally 20 feet from us, not sure what bird it was. Dont know if anyone else has seen any up there at all. 

Hovering - would be a kestrel.

Edited by Longcol

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I've mentioned before how I often see a common buzzard round here getting mugged by crows, to the extent that they try to actually collide in mid-air.

That is until a second buzzard appears on the scene, and then watch the difference!

For the minute, the crow population seems happy to have a crack at the numerous gulls that have appeared in the last two or three months.

It's like the Battle of Britain sometimes...

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I see Buzzards more frequently on Wadsley Common nowadays, as well as the kestrels that are always there. I haven't seen a red kite there yet, though!

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A pair of Red Kites settled in the Derwent Valley a couple of years ago and were often seen at the top end of the Rivelin Valley. I have seen them at Rivelin Dams but never in Sheffield.

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Seen red kites near Alport Towers a few years ago (~4).

However don't seem to have seen as many birds of prey this last couple of years.

 

I did read that the Derbyshire area was the most 'dangerous' for prey birds when the bearded eagle was visiting.

 

Fingers are pointed at the groups responsible for grouse.

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Guest makapaka

Somebody pointed out a buzzard to me over Walkley cemetery in rivelin.

 

I was amazed I didn’t think we had them in suburban Sheffield!

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Guest sibon
1 hour ago, makapaka said:

Somebody pointed out a buzzard to me over Walkley cemetery in rivelin.

 

I was amazed I didn’t think we had them in suburban Sheffield!

There are quite a few. I often see them circling over my garden 

 

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been watching a pair building a nest just off Twentywell Lane.

 

I read somewhere that they have become the commonest bird of prey in the U.K.

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Raptors are thankfully on the rise again. The Red Kite has made a huge comeback since first being re-introduced decades ago. We stayed near the Red Kite Feeding Station in Wales (Do visit, very cool place!) a decade ago, never seen them before, but there were dozens there. From then on we started noticing them further and further out from there. They are now common in certain areas of the country which is amazing. 

 

Coolest ever spot of a raptor was on the Isle of Lewis though. We stayed in a brilliant cottage overlooking steep cliffs with nesting gulls. All of a sudden even the Bonxies (Skua) took off in a panic. We then saw a Golden Eagle swoop in over the top, the odd thing was that that too seemed to be spooked. And so it was! A White-tailed Eagle was hot on its tail. A Golden Eagle is an impressive beast at nearly 2 mtrs wingspan, but this one got dwarfed by the White-tailed Eagle... absolutely stunning! I wonder if the Peak District will be able to sustain Eagles...

 

If any of you are interested in the cottage (highly recommended!) check out Atlantic Longhouse Isle of Lewis. 

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I have seen it and have taken photo If I knew how to I would post it .

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