Finally I have seen a red kite in Essex. Well I am about 90% sure that it was a kite. I was driving on the M25 yesterday between Bell Common Tunnel and Waltham Abbey when a large bird of prey glided across my vision. There was no way that I could take my eyes off the traffic to get a better look but the whole "feel" of the sighting was of a kite rather than a buzzard and I think that I have seen enough of both in the past few years to trust my judgement on that.
I haven't been posting much due personal matters but still have my eyes open. One thing that has struck me is the eastward spread of birds of prey. I have seen buzzards over Havering-atte-Bower but the big suprise in the past month as been a red kite over the M25 near Stapleford Abbotts in Essex. The skys still look empty by Chiltern standards though. A nice little spot last week was a goldcrest during a visit to Kew Gardens. I have downloaded the Merlin app which supposedly identifies birdsong. I have had little opportunity to try it out but a quck test in the garden showd that it correctly told me that I could hear jackdaws and a robin. I look forward to using it on the coast to see if it can distinguish the various waders for me.
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