Wildlife Spotting

I flew at Booker from 1977 until 2007, plus 1 flight last year. By the way, we would prefer it if you could use the other species pictures to make separate spottings of the Buzzard and Red Kite and just using links to those spottings in the description, in order the comply with the requirements in our FAQs http://www.projectnoah.org/faq, and then remove them from this spotting. It helps to keep our database tidy. Thanks in advance.

Looks like a Harrier to me with the long narrow wings and long tail, the darkish colour suggesting Marsh. Eagles have thicker wings and shorter tails. Lots of juveniles with variable plumage in June. @ Lenny, confirmed sightings of Black Kites are regularly reported in the UK in June and in 2014 first 2 weeks there were several in South-east England as well as in Scotland. Most of the reports are in a band from Kent, through Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Northumberland, so just to the east of the Chilterns, but also one in Walthamstow, London and another in Nottingham, so they are quite likely in the Chilterns. In recent years Black Kites have been recorded in UK in all months except February but that could change as two have already been reported this year. I used to fly gliders over the Chilterns regularly and was able to study the Red Kites soaring techniques at close range. I still fly with them in the mountains north of Madrid, where they are joined by Black Kites, various Vultures, various Eagles and White Storks.

Red x Black Kite hybrids have a partially forked tail which this bird obviously lacks.

This is probably a Black Kite. It's the only remotely similar bird of prey found in England in June.

Some of the photos are of different species.