Red Kite!

I needed to take yet more beach photos today so this time we went to ST.Mary’s.
After the photos were taken I quickly checked the wetland, Moorhen, 2 Greylags and a few Teal were on the water.
Chiffchaff and Skylark were in full song this morning and I had great views of a Willow Warbler in the bushes around the wetland, which was also in full song on a branch near my head.
On the way home I thought I would check Arcot Pond quickly as I hadn’t been there in a while, I’m so glad I did.
I was watching a single Canada goose on the pond when the coots began calling very loudly and the Oystercatchers lifted off and flew away calling, this all pointed to one thing, a raptor.
I looked up and saw a Red Kite- Patch tick!, fly low over the pond before drifting over the fields next to the A19.
It stayed over the pond for about a minute and I had time to see its fork tail and surprisingly pale under side of its wings.
It didn’t stretch its wings out fully so they were slightly bent inwards and were a lot darker than the rest of the bird.
After seeing it go towards the road I ran back to the car and we followed it. When I got out it had disappeared over the A19. I waited for a while but only a Buzzard flew over.
That’s when I started doubting myself, but it must have been a kite it had that forked tail and rusty colouring.
I got home and found that Steve Holliday had text me saying he had seen a Red Kite fly over his house 5 minutes before I had it over the pond. Yes! Conformation.
I presume it is the same bird that was at Prestwick Carr the other day.
I’m on a role with good Fridays after seeing those 2 Common Cranes last year and now getting a bird I didn’t ever dream of getting on the patch, the highlight of my birding year so far!

82 - Red Kite