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Oxfordshire Kite

On Bank Holiday Monday, driving between Ducklington and Aston in Oxfordshire I had my most westerly sighting of a red kite so far. I have seen buzzards often enough west of Oxford but never a kite. There was a deer carcass beside the road about a mile further on. I don't know if it was intentionally heading for it but it was flying steadily in one direction not circling as they usually do. I had a better look at the carcass driving back that evening and it had been well picked over with the ribs showing.

A few miles down the road in Bampton the swifts were very noisy but it seemed to be the same small party of about eight chasing each others tails around the village.
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