Tailless Red Kite

The/A “Tail-less” Red Kite has been seen recently over the north side of the parish after an absence of a couple of years.

If this is the same one it has been seen in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire since leaving Cholsey but appears to be back in the area.

The bird in question appeared to have been hatched without a pygostle (parsons nose) and therefore unable to grow tail feathers. We do not know if it is a male or a female as impossible to tell in the field.

However it survived well and held its own but maybe had problems finding a mate, hence its wonderings.

photo courtesy Alan

A good mix!

Sunny, 21°, light NE.

A relatively quiet hill today. The first Yellow Wagtail of the year dropped in and a Mistle Thrush present. 3 singing Common Whitethroat vying for attention and a Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler nearby.

2 Raven in the area for a time and then flew SW and c20 Fieldfare still around.

The "Tail-less" Red Kite over Station road allotments most of the afternoon.

Mammals: Stoat, Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma and Speckled Wood.

Most photos taken from a distance today.

Red Kite

Yellow Wagtail

 Stoat "running up that hill"

 Raven

Holly Blue

A little quiet.

Misty and overcast with a few light rain showers, 12°, light NW.

Not too much going on today, the hill was fairly quiet.

2 Raven flew south and a single Swallow north, several singing Corn Bunting present and a single Reed Bunting and 3 Yellowhammer.

Good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap in song and a single Common Whitethroat.

A flock of 70+ Fieldfare present out at Lollingdon and the Little Owl seen.

Several Sedge Warbler in at Cholsey Marsh. Per Ed & Alan.

Mammals: several Voles noted but not specifically ID’d.

Thanks to Alan Dawson for photos of Sedge Warbler & "Tail-less" Red Kite and Phil Dyson for the Mistle Thrush.

A quiet Saturday

Cloudy, 10°, light NE.

A Wheatear on Lollingdon hill today. Per Alan Dawson.

A Swallow over the village this afternoon and the "Tail-less" Red Kite over the allotments.

A Grey Wagtail singing by Church road Bridge. Per Richard Broughton.

Female Wheatear above and Great-crested Grebe below. Both photos courtesy Alan Dawson.

Getting Colder

Light Rain and Snow, 3°, light SW.

A Little Egret spent some time in the meadow and Cholsey Brook today.

The “Tailless” Red Kite still present around the village.

Little Egret

Red Kite (courtesy Alan Dawson)

And a the following photos courtesy Bill Nicholls.

 Dunnock

 Redwing

Kestrel