Red Kite Milvus milvus
An aerial artiste formerly known as: Fork-tail, Crotch-tail, Puttock and Gled, Glead, Greedy gled. The latter three from the Saxon glidan meaning to glide.
Perhaps the most bizarre folk-lore reference (of any bird perhaps) I can find is related in Rev. TF Thiselton Dyer's 'Folk-lore of Shakespeare' of 1884 who states:
A curious peculiarity of this bird is noticed in “Winter’s Tale” (iv. 3), where Autolycus says: “My traffic is sheets; when the kite builds, look to lesser linen” - meaning that his practice was to steal sheets; leaving the smaller linen to be carried away by the kites, who will occasionally carry it off to line their nests.[257] Mr. Dyce[258] quotes the following remarks of Mr. Peck on this passage: “Autolycus here gives us to understand that he is a thief of the first class. This he explains by an allusion to an odd vulgar notion. The common people, many of them, think that if any one can find a kite’s nest when she hath young, before they are fledged, and sew up their back doors, so as they cannot mute, the mother-kite, in compassion to their distress, will steal lesser linen, as caps, cravats, ruffles, or any other such small matters as she can best fly with, from off the hedges where they are hanged to dry after washing, and carry them to her nest, and there leave them, if possible to move the pity of the first comer, to cut the thread and ease them of their misery.
Well, now look here, I accept there was no Netflix then, or even Youtube. But spending your time stitching up Kites backsides? I mean how bored have you got to be?
Joking apart this most beautiful and majestic bird was persecuted by gamekeepers and land-owners to near extinction in this country. When I was young (a while back now) they were so rare if you wanted to see one in the UK the nearest suggested place was in mid Wales, on a landfill site. Today, following increased protection and prosecution investigations by the likes of the RSPB and others this species is becoming more common and seeing them in many parts of the country is now frequent.
Perhaps the most bizarre folk-lore reference (of any bird perhaps) I can find is related in Rev. TF Thiselton Dyer's 'Folk-lore of Shakespeare' of 1884 who states:
A curious peculiarity of this bird is noticed in “Winter’s Tale” (iv. 3), where Autolycus says: “My traffic is sheets; when the kite builds, look to lesser linen” - meaning that his practice was to steal sheets; leaving the smaller linen to be carried away by the kites, who will occasionally carry it off to line their nests.[257] Mr. Dyce[258] quotes the following remarks of Mr. Peck on this passage: “Autolycus here gives us to understand that he is a thief of the first class. This he explains by an allusion to an odd vulgar notion. The common people, many of them, think that if any one can find a kite’s nest when she hath young, before they are fledged, and sew up their back doors, so as they cannot mute, the mother-kite, in compassion to their distress, will steal lesser linen, as caps, cravats, ruffles, or any other such small matters as she can best fly with, from off the hedges where they are hanged to dry after washing, and carry them to her nest, and there leave them, if possible to move the pity of the first comer, to cut the thread and ease them of their misery.
Well, now look here, I accept there was no Netflix then, or even Youtube. But spending your time stitching up Kites backsides? I mean how bored have you got to be?
Joking apart this most beautiful and majestic bird was persecuted by gamekeepers and land-owners to near extinction in this country. When I was young (a while back now) they were so rare if you wanted to see one in the UK the nearest suggested place was in mid Wales, on a landfill site. Today, following increased protection and prosecution investigations by the likes of the RSPB and others this species is becoming more common and seeing them in many parts of the country is now frequent.
kite in the sky
True aerobatic masters, a spectacular sight as they soar and float, that obviously deep-forked tail twisting elegantly to control direction. I am lucky where I live to see them daily, that distinctive whistling call alerting you to their presence.
It is on sunny days where their plumage appear best, but to photograph them isn't too easy as they are nearly always against the light. But when they turn against the sun as here it is worth the wait. And the aching arms as you hold a heavy lens tracking them for ages waiting for that moment.
It is on sunny days where their plumage appear best, but to photograph them isn't too easy as they are nearly always against the light. But when they turn against the sun as here it is worth the wait. And the aching arms as you hold a heavy lens tracking them for ages waiting for that moment.
in the sunny sky
undersides are the easiest to capture obviously as they're above you, but for the 'top side' it helps to get some elevation as here, climbing a small hill gives you a better chance
colours
as above using a small hill frequently haunted by them has given a nice view of that lovely plumage
juvenile and a story
this is a poor picture of a beautiful juvenile, but it is here because there is a personal story of misery gloom and failure, and then a little something, for what it's worth.
I knew a pair of Red kites were dumping their kid in a large area of wet heath while they went off hunting to get his supper, you know to stop it whining! Near constant calling gave all this away.
Every cautious approach within a couple of hundred metres led to him flying off to another rock much farther away. And me getting a photo is far less important than bird welfare every time, so I would withdraw. Unlike many I won't harass any bird, let alone something as beautiful as this. It is a privilege to be able to see them.
Anyway, this went on for a few days, with me trying to use my landrover as a hide on the road as I knew he sometimes perched fairly close to it. Even then he was really alert, and no doubt his parent was watching me from on high too. He knew I there. So, I withdrew to leave him to his tea when it arrived. Like I said the bird always comes first.
So, it was a matter of camo up and settling down before he arrived and hoping he would pick a nearby rock. After an hour or so he did turn up, but choose to settle out of sight over a low rise! There is a reason I don't play the lottery! After a while, a passing car put him up and I got a second chance of where he might settle. Well, it was just in sight through some scrub but yup, miles away. He never got closer over three hours, so I crawled away to pick off some ticks at home.
Next day I tried the same thing but deeper into the heath. He duly arrived and at least sat in sight, but again way off. At least he was oblivious to my presence. So, even though the distance was terrible, I took a few record shots. I gave him an hour or so before one of his parents called and he flew off. I called it quits for this yr. I went home and picked off some more ticks.
I knew a pair of Red kites were dumping their kid in a large area of wet heath while they went off hunting to get his supper, you know to stop it whining! Near constant calling gave all this away.
Every cautious approach within a couple of hundred metres led to him flying off to another rock much farther away. And me getting a photo is far less important than bird welfare every time, so I would withdraw. Unlike many I won't harass any bird, let alone something as beautiful as this. It is a privilege to be able to see them.
Anyway, this went on for a few days, with me trying to use my landrover as a hide on the road as I knew he sometimes perched fairly close to it. Even then he was really alert, and no doubt his parent was watching me from on high too. He knew I there. So, I withdrew to leave him to his tea when it arrived. Like I said the bird always comes first.
So, it was a matter of camo up and settling down before he arrived and hoping he would pick a nearby rock. After an hour or so he did turn up, but choose to settle out of sight over a low rise! There is a reason I don't play the lottery! After a while, a passing car put him up and I got a second chance of where he might settle. Well, it was just in sight through some scrub but yup, miles away. He never got closer over three hours, so I crawled away to pick off some ticks at home.
Next day I tried the same thing but deeper into the heath. He duly arrived and at least sat in sight, but again way off. At least he was oblivious to my presence. So, even though the distance was terrible, I took a few record shots. I gave him an hour or so before one of his parents called and he flew off. I called it quits for this yr. I went home and picked off some more ticks.
birthday treat: a kite on a stick
Well we all get older, and to mark this steady decline every year we get a birthday.
To celebrate mine I decided to wander over to Loch Ruthven, carrying of course all that heavy gear, to see if I could get any pretty pictures of duck lit by the winter sun. Well, doh! I hadn't realised the south of the loch is in deep dark gloomy shadow most of the day in winter - ho hum. The ducks of course knew this and were basking in the sun on the other side of the loch. Too far off to even really see.
Now, before you ask, I didn't walk around to that side because of course the ducks would be against the bright low sun and that wouldn't be any use for what I wanted. So I took the flask out, made a cuppa, and nibbled a biscuit whilst watching the distant specks posing and posturing in the lovely low warm sun. My life sucks sometimes, still it was a chocolate biscuit ! ....................
To celebrate mine I decided to wander over to Loch Ruthven, carrying of course all that heavy gear, to see if I could get any pretty pictures of duck lit by the winter sun. Well, doh! I hadn't realised the south of the loch is in deep dark gloomy shadow most of the day in winter - ho hum. The ducks of course knew this and were basking in the sun on the other side of the loch. Too far off to even really see.
Now, before you ask, I didn't walk around to that side because of course the ducks would be against the bright low sun and that wouldn't be any use for what I wanted. So I took the flask out, made a cuppa, and nibbled a biscuit whilst watching the distant specks posing and posturing in the lovely low warm sun. My life sucks sometimes, still it was a chocolate biscuit ! ....................
.............
So time to wander home again, a plan forming in my mind to read a bit of 'Birds Britannica' on the sofa with a fresh pot of Earl Grey.
Half-way back and the whistles of Red Kites could be heard. A pair were performing and occasionally dropping into a garden (peanut feeder perhaps!). I watched this for a while but they were way too far off to get any pictures worth having. So I just watched. Then one settles on a post, looking lovely in the low afternoon winter sun. She was still way off though, so it became a matter of slowly creeping forward, pause, get a few 'insurance' pics, wait, slowly creep forward again, pause...... repeat, repeat. Eventually it seems like a half-decent picture might be within reach. Creep forward, ever on, fearing all the time that a passing car might send her up.
..... closer... take a few ... closer. She can see me but she's also paying constant attention to the flying parent. Eventually, something drives her off, perhaps I had reached some limit to her tolerance, or one of the whistles from above told her they were off somewhere else.
I would have preferred to have got closer (use a macro perhaps), but on that open road it wasn't going to happen. Still, the incremental creep, snap, creep... method has worked and,I do have least have a few pictures, made pretty by the bird and the sun.
It made up for the quackers! A chocky bikky and a red kite, what else does one desire on a birthday?
So time to wander home again, a plan forming in my mind to read a bit of 'Birds Britannica' on the sofa with a fresh pot of Earl Grey.
Half-way back and the whistles of Red Kites could be heard. A pair were performing and occasionally dropping into a garden (peanut feeder perhaps!). I watched this for a while but they were way too far off to get any pictures worth having. So I just watched. Then one settles on a post, looking lovely in the low afternoon winter sun. She was still way off though, so it became a matter of slowly creeping forward, pause, get a few 'insurance' pics, wait, slowly creep forward again, pause...... repeat, repeat. Eventually it seems like a half-decent picture might be within reach. Creep forward, ever on, fearing all the time that a passing car might send her up.
..... closer... take a few ... closer. She can see me but she's also paying constant attention to the flying parent. Eventually, something drives her off, perhaps I had reached some limit to her tolerance, or one of the whistles from above told her they were off somewhere else.
I would have preferred to have got closer (use a macro perhaps), but on that open road it wasn't going to happen. Still, the incremental creep, snap, creep... method has worked and,I do have least have a few pictures, made pretty by the bird and the sun.
It made up for the quackers! A chocky bikky and a red kite, what else does one desire on a birthday?