Milvus milvus - A feast

This week's blog is devoted to a single species.  The Red Kite (milvus milvus). 

This bird came close to extinction in the UK, but a successful nurturing and reintroduction programme has brought this magnificent creature back to our skies.  Gigrin Farm at Rhyader in Powys, mid-Wales, is a farm where a feeding programme was started some years ago on the initiative of the family farming there.  Within the last decade, the RSPB persuaded the farm to develop a centre open to the public.  Red Kite are now fed daily at 1400h UTC and visitors are catered for.  The farm is also a rehabilitation centre.

The wing-span of a Red Kite is 140-165cm.

The site http://gigrin.co.uk contains all the relevant information.


Now feast your eyes!

Pity about the wing-clips used for ID.

In-flight catering

I'd have preferred a better image, but I did catch this one eating on the wing.

Evasive action