Port Meadow: Red Kite

More radiant a raptor in large.

I had fun on Port Meadow this morning: I headed out in the early sunshine, and saw a lot of birds. I'd been hoping to do a loop including the Trap Grounds, but the pedestrian bridge over the railway was closed so I took myself on a different route...

I photographed greylags in flight, swallows catching insects, a backlit magpie, loads of teal on the water, a jackdaw with material for a nest, a rook, a mistle thrush with a worm, and then this red kite appeared! It was quickly mobbed by a crow (which chased it this way and that way), and it seemed most put out to have to flap rather than just soar... I spotted a heron on the Oxford Canal on my way back: it landed on a sunken boat before flapping off into town...

I took loads of pictures, and had a very jolly time. I've linked to most of my favourites above (although there are plenty more of the kite...), but the rest can be found on Flickr (right from here).