Kite Country

The Sandstone Trail - Peckforton

Red Kite, Peckforton, Cheshire - 25th March 2012



Wood Anenome, Beeston, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

The great recent weather lured me out for a decent walk yesterday; I decided to head for the sandstone trail around Beeston, Peckforton, and Bulkeley in North Cheshire for a eleven mile circular route around the Peckforton estate. The walk was a real pleasure with Spring certainly in full swing, the woodlands surrounding Peckforton and Beeston Castles were swarming with Wood Anemones (in fact I have never seen such a display of this species), other woodland plants included Lesser Celladine, Aquilega, flowering Cow Parsley, and fern fronds starting to emerge, Butterflies included 5 Small Copper, Brimstone, 13 Small Tortershell, 7 Peacocks, and 1 Comma, also the biggest Badger set I have ever seen!

Lesser Celladine, Peckforton, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

Migrants included at least 35 singing male Chiff Chaffs, and 2 Blackcaps, other birdlife included 50+ Lesser Redpolls, 1 Crossbill, 7 Nuthatch, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 20+ Siskins, 2 Bullfinches, 1 Yellowhammer, 12+ Common Buzzards, 3 Raven, 2 Peregrine.

Last but not least a RED KITE which appeared over the Peckforton Hills being mobbed by a flock of Crows and Jackdaws and a pair of Peregrines! The bird was viewable for a couple of minutes and enough time for a couple of passers by to get on it before it drifted North.

Bulkeley Hill, Cheshire - 25th March 2012

I managed a few dodgy looking into the sun snaps of the bird which obviously drew most of my attention, but later when back at home looking at the photos of the Kite being mobbed by the Crows there appears to be two birds present one definitely a Red Kite but the other I am not so sure about, does anyone have an opinion? The two birds can be seen in the flock below (you may have to zoom in) and the mystery bird with a lone crow, I know the photos are not the best!