Looks a bit rare and exotic for North East Leeds :D , Don't know whats going with the crow , but it was giving the bird of prey plenty of harassment , anyone know what it is ??

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0001-01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0002-01.jpg

Looks like a Red Kite to me. They are being reintroduced bacck into the wild after numptie gamekeepers and farmers damn near wiped them out.

There are a couple of famous sites in the UK where they managed to hang on, 1 not far from me. They really are beautifull birds.

Yup its a Red Kite , introduced at Harewood house a few years ago and now spreading , I live about 5 miles from Harewood and I will try and get a closer photo of it now . It was really beautiful and ever so graceful .

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/redkite/index.asp

I know 2 of those green splodges on the RSPB site. I really must get out more with the camera, damn work.

This is what it looked like , they have a wingspan of 175-195cm :eek:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/redkite/gallery.asp?type=v&id=/Images/redkite_1_tcm5-16841.mov

Oh yeah, they aint small birds :D Their talons ain't exactly blunt either as my old gauntlets will testify to.

Mind you I like all the birds of prey, though I really want to see and photograph an Osprey, which reminds me, I must got o Loch Garten at some point with an 800 mm lens :D

They are all over the place now ! :)

Great shots :)

Oh yeah, they aint small birds :D Their talons ain't exactly blunt either as my old gauntlets will testify to.

Mind you I like all the birds of prey, though I really want to see and photograph an Osprey, which reminds me, I must got o Loch Garten at some point with an 800 mm lens :D

You could always go to Rutland water, they have breeding pair there too ! ;)

Thats a point, I'd forgotten that, cheers. Obly down side is its not as scenic :D Not that teh distillery has anything to do with it you understand :D

And another , gives some perspective to the wing span


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0003-01copy.jpg

Thats a point, I'd forgotten that, cheers. Obly down side is its not as scenic :D Not that teh distillery has anything to do with it you understand :D

Hehehe, yeah, i think i will have to plan a trip to both next year when they are back, i dont have 800mm lens, will have to get the 2* converter for the 100-400 ;) or borrow my mates Sigma 800 !

And another , gives some perspective to the wing span


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0003-01copy.jpg


They are fantastic to watch, i dont have to drive too far to see the kites round here :)

also saw on in oxfordshire yesterday... also being harrased by a crow O.o

They are fantastic to watch, i dont have to drive too far to see the kites round here :)

I walked out of my back door to see this one :D
Gonna try very hard to get a closer picture now , I was amazed how graceful it looked , and a 1.4 TC converter looks likely now ;):D

I've flown with them in Oxfordshire, beautiful big birds.

Hehehe, yeah, i think i will have to plan a trip to both next year when they are back, i dont have 800mm lens, will have to get the 2* converter for the 100-400 ;) or borrow my mates Sigma 800 !

Don't get the 2* convertor for the 100-400. Its crap. Honest. :(

Much better off with the 1.4, much much sharper, but obviously not as long.

Cheers

Ian

Beautiful birds, beautiful pics!

I love the pic of the single kite and single crow, where it looks like the crow is copying the kites "stance".

Wannabe a kite, anyone?:D

I've seen crows "pretending" to be buzzards in France too, when you get close enough they stick out their beaks and Mr Crow is back:D

Alcazar

Not sure whats going on here , but looks like handbags at 10 paces :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0006.jpg

Don't get the 2* convertor for the 100-400. Its crap. Honest. :(

Much better off with the 1.4, much much sharper, but obviously not as long.



That is very good advice.

We get buzzards here all the time - fantastic looking birds, just a bit difficult to get close to. Last weekend I was driving down the road with a bunch of other cars in front and behind me and sitting on a fence post was this beautiful looking bird of prey. I nearly hit the car in front as everyone was straining to look at it. The bird was sat there as if to say "I'm king around here". Fantastic.

Don't get the 2* convertor for the 100-400. Its crap. Honest. :(

Much better off with the 1.4, much much sharper, but obviously not as long.

Cheers

Ian

Yeah i know ! ;) 1.4 is a bit flakey too in low light as you lose the AF, well until i get a 1d anyway ! ;) LOL

not a bird fan really and never seen a kite before but damn,that looks a bloody impressive bird and some great pics there to show how wonderful these birds are...weve got loads of seagulls here if anyones interested lol