kites in the sky

[turlough]

The only birds of prey I see here in my tiny town in south-eastern Sweden are Red Kites (Milvus milvus). They're usually soaring far too high up and away over the forest to get acceptable photos of. This morning however a pair was kind enough to come down low enough I could take these:

Comments

[signoftea]

Great photos! Red Kites are such beautiful birds.

[turlough]

Thank you and yes, they're magnificent!

[full_metal_ox]

You caught the unmistakable outline and, in the top photo, the striking patterning—congratulations!

[turlough]

Thank you very much! I was really happy I managed to capture the markings. Far too often the camera seems to turn them into black silhouttes.

[pameladean]

Really magnificent! P.

[turlough]

They're such beautiful and striking birds.

[cmcmck]

We get them here too along with buzzards and sparrowhawks.

[turlough]

I haven't seen either of those in years. There should at least be buzzards here but somehow it's just the kites that show themselves.

[pauraque]

Oh, how cool! I would love to see a kite someday.

[turlough]

Even though I see them several times each summer I never grow tired of it. Seeing them soaring in the sky is such an awesome sight.

[semielliptical]

Great photos of the neat patterns on their wings!

[turlough]

Thank you very much!

[yourlibrarian]

Ooh, cool sight!

[turlough]

I never grow tired of seeing them soar in the sky!

[kazzy_cee]

I love red kites - they are often seen above my garden here in the UK as there is farmland nearby where they hunt.

[turlough]

So do I, they're such magnificent birds! I wrote that they were soaring over the forest but thinking about it I'm fairly sure they were actually soaring over the string of small hamlets along the small river in that direction.

[shirebound]

Thanks for sharing these great pics, I don't think I've ever seen these birds before.

[turlough]

You're very welcome! When I was a kid they'd almost completely disappeared from Sweden but they've made a tremendous comeback the last thirty years.

[adafrog]

Cool.

[turlough]

They're such fabulous birds!

[jesse_the_k]

They have a remarkably distinct outline -- it's unlikely I'll see any kites in my neck of the woods, but thanks for showing me what to look for

[turlough]

They're probably the only bird of prey I can recognise even from far away!