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Thursday 12 July 2007

10-07-07 Red Kites

Female "16" she looks as though she is looking right at me but she was actually a long way off
digiscoped Nikon 4500 through Kowa 823


Tuesday we decided to go over for the nesting Kites walked to the viewpoint , Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper along the path sides got my eye on this Butterfly convinced it was something new to me till I looked it up another Meadow Brown much more defined shape in the hind wing and bolder pattern on the forewing
I presume this is a fresh individual, I have made a note to look at all Meadow Browns I see ,There is lots of Holly in this area but could find no Blues around them .
At the view point I set up the scope and scanned in the hope of picking out one of the chicks sitting out in the open but no luck the Female paid two visits and the young could be heard calling ,she flew out and settled on a nearby tree and I digiscoped some shots the camera was telling me not to take them as by now it was late afternoon and the light not good but I tweaked this one up showing the wing tag “16” and the bird in a majestic pose it was some way off but I am more than pleased with the shot ,with digital you might as well go for it and see what you get, sightings of other Kites to the West & South with also 4 fledged Kestrels testing there flying ability , called in at Shibdon pond a good number of Common Terns on the platforms the chicks taking advantage of the pantiles for shelter coming out for a walk around and popping back out of sight ,this is a good area to visit drop the shoppers off at the Metro Centre/Ikea (brownie points assured )and have a walk around the board walks and open areas there was lots of plants new to me.

This Meadow Brown was much brighter than the others around
This Tufted was just below the hide at Shibdon thought it was going to be an Otter as it bubbled around underwater before showing
Great Burnett
Not sure if this is fully open, garden escape perhaps ... Shibdon
My thought at the moment is Marsh Willowherb ,flowers they give good views and you can photograph till its dark if you want and they never fly off ( die off yes) but they are still hard to I.D.

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