Taking a walk today I thought about taking the bins but decided that I was unlikely to see anything interesting. Naturally, while walking along the edge of Cowcroft Wood I saw a hawk silluetted against the sky. No markings but swept back wings like a swift. I walked on wondering what it was (I have never been good on the smaller raptors). Glancing back I saw it again, this time heading down towards Bottom Lane and the River Chess. A few minutes later the red kite that swept across in front of me in all its glory was instantly identifiable. A couple of minutes with a field guide once I was home settled the identification.
Once upon a time you could find me birding on the Thames marshes almost every weekend through the winter. For various reasons I am now seldom able to travel to good birding sites. I am lucky, however, to live in the beautiful Chiltern Hills and this blog is to document the birds that I see on my own patch.