I took the bus from Oxford to London yesterday morning and saw 20 Red Kites on the strech of M40 to High Wycombe. This was surpassed on the return trip in the afternoon with a count of 41. Absolutely superb views from the top deck as some of the birds are quite close to the road.

Thanks Sid, though I doubt National Express will do detours (I don't have a car)

I've seen Kites over that village before, but, not having seen any up to that point on this trip, was looking at the sky rather than the roadside verge and missed the local signs.

Mike Chorley wrote:

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Sightings started over a small modern-looking village just north of B4009 but after Oxford services. (Tetsworth? Postcombe?)

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Mike the B4009 is J6 on the M40 that's where I normally go off and see the Kites in the fields over and around the village of Lewknow a couple of miles further south than the two villages you named. Those two are accessible if you go off at the services and drive down the A40 parallel to the m'way - plenty of places to stop.

Trip to London last weekend. Pleasantly surprised when our coach driver chose the M40 ( M1 has been the route of choice now it's a non-stop route)

Thought it might have been too late in the day but managed a total of at least 29 from just north of the B4009 through towards London. Included 10 together just north of marker M40 B58.00 and 1 bird on the ground in the middle of a field. The first time I can recall seeing this

Sightings started over a small modern-looking village just north of B4009 but after Oxford services. (Tetsworth? Postcombe?)

Return trip WAS via M1 so couldn't recheck for landmarks. Highlight was a Little Owl perched in the top of a tree in the glorious afterglow of sunset, just north of Rugby

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 9th of March 2010 12:13:06 AM sp.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Tuesday 9th of March 2010 12:14:01 AM

sid ashton wrote:

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Down in the Oxford/Witney area for the last two days - not a lot of time for birding but couldn't help noticing the spread North and West of the Red Kites. It seemed as though each time I looked to the skys there was one flitting by - only seen the odd one over that area in the past. The other point of interest to me was the number of Muntjac deer around - in the two days I had five sightings the first next to the Oxford M40 services and the final one in the garden of the B&B as I was having breakfast yesterday

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I can confirm this, my brother lives in Witney and we went 3 weeks ago and saw Kites to the North of Witney, he said this is definately a recent range expansion. When will they be a GM breeding bird I wonder?.
Cheers Ian

Down in the Oxford/Witney area for the last two days - not a lot of time for birding but couldn't help noticing the spread North and West of the Red Kites. It seemed as though each time I looked to the skys there was one flitting by - only seen the odd one over that area in the past. The other point of interest to me was the number of Muntjac deer around - in the two days I had five sightings the first next to the Oxford M40 services and the final one in the garden of the B&B as I was having breakfast yesterday

Rob Smallwood wrote:

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Saw one from the Euston - Mcr Picadilly train on Wednesday around 3:30 somewhere north of Berkhamstead - first I've seen from the train and presumably part of the same population?

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Presumably Rob, as Berkhamstead and Lewknor appear to be only about 30 km apart as the Kite flys.

Saw one from the Euston - Mcr Picadilly train on Wednesday around 3:30 somewhere north of Berkhamstead - first I've seen from the train and presumably part of the same population?

Ian Campbell wrote:

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Going to Oxfordshire this Saturday for 3 Days so look forward to seeing the Kites. Must say Sid, (see last post), I can't understand anyone going to Lewknor and not calling at the Leathern Bottle, a fantastic pub if anyone is ever in the area, mines a pint.
Cheers Ian

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Ian I don't think that they would have been open at 0830

Going to Oxfordshire this Saturday for 3 Days so look forward to seeing the Kites. Must say Sid, (see last post), I can't understand anyone going to Lewknor and not calling at the Leathern Bottle, a fantastic pub if anyone is ever in the area, mines a pint.
Cheers Ian

Made my 6 monthly visit to the Oxford area and was amazed by the number of Red Kites in the M40 corridor between Banbury and J 6. I easily counted 20 birds over or next to the motorway. Then there were more than usual at my coffee stop at Lewknor

Yesterday I again stopped off at Lewknor (J 6 M40) and had a coffee watching the birds flying about above my head - I think that someone must be feeding them in their garden of one of the nearby houses - fancy having one of those on your bird table!!!!

A full circuit of Farmoor reservoir number 2 (just under 3 miles) produced of note ONE Common Sand. As expected all of those Black, White Winged Black and Yankee Terns were of course long gone but always try to see what's around when I'm down there.

Returning from Dorset via the A34 we debated taking a detour via the M40 to see the kites but decided against it as the weather was so poor. However a single bird crossed the A34 at the Ridgeway so we were well pleased.

My brother has had them over Kidlington and Oxford city centre.

The Red Kites are getting closer - had 4 this evening over th M40 just South of Warwick Services. Yesterday I stopped off at Lewknor (J 6) and had a coffee watching 14 flying about above my head - didn't need bins . A good place to stop to get great views if you are going down the M40 - just off the motorway.

Also managed an hour after work yesterday at Farmoor Reservoir - approximately 40 Sand Martins taking insects over the water and two White Wagtails amongst the Pieds. Had Red Legged Partridge, Chiffchaff and Green Peckers in the field that backs on to Blenheim Palace opposite the office that I was visiting. So quite a mixture and my first summer visitors.

My curiosity got the better of me re the number of Red Kites around the Oxford area and spoke to a lass at the Chilterns Conservation Board who told me that there were originally 90 birds released in the early 90's and now there are estimated to be 400 breeding pairs. Perhaps some will come our way

PS to get the biggrin I had to type colon biggrin colon

-- Edited by sid ashton at 19:52, 2009-02-27

Following on from Ians report of Red Kites on the M40 earlier in the week - I was down that way myself yesterday and today. Found lots of the beauties - 12 in 2s and 3s in the fields to the right of the motorway heading away from the Oxford services towards junction 6 where I turned off toward Watlignton on the B4009 - all along this road there were lots of the birds with 8 at Lewknor, 18 at Shirburn and probably 10 over Watlington village. Many of them were perched in trees quite close to the road and so the views were brilliant.

On the way back today I spotted another 3 birds as far North as junction 10. So it looks as though they have really spread in the area - does anyone have any indication of the current population?

Yesterday I stopped at the Oxford Services on M40 at 0730 - probably too early for Kites so no sign even from the grassy bank - but found several through Kingston Blount more toward Chinnor on the the B4009 from J6 M40 - couldn't find the road to the Ridgeway so just parked in a layby and waited.

Later in the day (after work) went to Farmoor Reservoir near Oxford and found a Dunlin (looking remarkably like a Curlew Sandpiper - as a local had reported), Turnstone and Ringed Plover - always seems odd to find these species so far in land when we are used to seeing them on the beach. There were also c.15 Black Tern - half and half young and adult some still in really dark plummage.
There was also a leucistic (same as pale!) Black Headed Gull sitting on one of the markers - couldn't get too excited about this but as one of the locals I met was enthusiing about it thought I'd better have a look!!




-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:48, 2008-09-17

-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:52, 2008-09-17

Thanks chaps - I shall give both sites a bash, time permitting.

Cheers

Sid

Turn off at J6 and go 2 miles or so E on the B4009 to Kingston Blount and find the road leading up to the Ridgeway. Great viewing spot looking up at the Chiltern escarpment and when you've finished you'll be back on the motorway in minutes.

Hi Sid,

Travelling northbound on the M40 recently I logged c30 Red Kites from the motorway. Called into the services near Oxford (not sure if these are accessible southbound) and had Kites flying low over the car park. You can climb a grassy bank behind the car park and get a good vantage point to scan. A sweep round produced another 8 Kites.

Cheers, John

I have a job in the Oxford area this week - can anyone please suggest the furthest North where I may possibly find Red Kites without straying too far off the the M40.

Sid A



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 8th of April 2013 10:29:24 PM