Vocal Voices

by **Workingman** » 06 Jul 2017, 13:14

Going down the Brum for the meet I had a while to wait and then the coach was late, so I went for a walk. Just as I got back to the bus station entrance I noticed two red kites flying over a building. The were hovering, swooping, gliding, feinting a dive and then back to hovering again. I stood there for a good few minutes mesmerised by their antics.

As I turned to go into the station I accidentally bumped into a local enforcement officer:

"Sorry, I was looking at the rooftops, it's no wonder they call them red Red "Kites".
"That's what they are."
"I know, Red Kites."
"No, just kites."
"Eh?"
"If you look closely you can see the tethers. They are 'kite' kites."
"Oh **** I am losing it big time."
"Some people call them bird scarers...."

In my defence they were extremely lifelike.... from a distance.
:oops:

by **meriad** » 06 Jul 2017, 13:35

that story does make me giggle - so the thing I'd be doing
:lol:

by **TheOstrich** » 06 Jul 2017, 14:04

Love it!

Actually, I wouldn't have immediately discounted a red kite sighting - they have been seen on the edges of the city (Kingsbury Lakes, Tamworth way) and also lone sightings in the Selly Oak / Weoley Castle areas in recent years.

Someone reported a flight of 4 red kites over Gillingham here the other day, on the town Facebook page. Fat chance! :roll:

There aren't any in this area. They were probably kestrels, which are reasonably common up on the Chase.

by **Workingman** » 06 Jul 2017, 14:17

Ossie, it was Leeds. There was a Red Kite breeding programme at Harewood House just north of Leeds. They are now quite common over woodlands and parks right into the city centre, so to see a couple there did not surprise me.... well, not till I knew the truth. :lol: