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The Birds Of South Gloucestershire          Black Kite - milvus migrans

 

Black Kite is a medium sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.  It is widespread throughout the temperate and tropical regions of Europe, Asia and Australasia but not found in the Indonesian archipelago. European and Asian birds are migratory moving to the tropics in winter, but races in warmer regions are resident. In the UK Black Kite occurs only as a wanderer on migration and these birds are usually of the nominate race.

 

There have been two Black Kite reported from S. Gloucestershire;

 

2010: (1)

One was seen on the salt marsh at Severn Beach around 09:55 on March 18th. It was watched by two lucky observers and was seen to leave the salt marsh being mobbed by Corvids and Buzzard drifting east over the station and Orchard Pools. (K Bainbridge, S Hale)

 

2009: (1)

A presumed adult was watched on the 26th May drifting out of St. Catherine's Valley. It was first seen around 06:00 at a height of about 25 metres over the track between Halldoor Lane and Nailey Farm at approximately ST: 776 720 south and west of Marshfield. It was last seen leaving the valley heading in a generally north-north-westerly direction towards West Littleton. This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species for S. Gloucestershire. (J Mackenzie-Grieve)

 

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