Riding with Red Kites!

pjh
pjh Posts: 204
edited November 2007 in Road beginners
Cycling this morning between Southwick and Bulwick and found myself with about a dozen red kites for company :D

What an amazing sensation to be out in the countryside without another human being in sight, gliding along with such wonderful birds of prey for company.

Mind you one took quite a close interest in me (had a bit of a swoop down towards me) which gave me a bit of start for a second! (Maybe it was my red helmet he was after :wink:)

Does anyone else get to cycle in the company of such beautiful wildlife regularly?

It's great to be .....

Comments

  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    ! saw some in April in the Elan Valley in Wales - or at least I'm told I did. I'd never heard of a Red Kite til then.

    I generally see lots of sheep and cats on my rides, and I think both are great.
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    A big flock (?) of them around Chinnor in the Chilterns - came across 6 of them on the road last summer tucking into some tasty roadkill. As we approached, they took to the wing with one of them taking the roadkill with them while I prayed they didn't drop it on us on the way over. Quite a sight!

    Don't like the way the circle over me when I'm grinding my way up Chinnor Hill, although it encourages me not to stop!
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • pjh
    pjh Posts: 204
    Haha me too Bronzie .... while my first thought was wow ... when one got quite close to me hovering almost directly overhead I felt distinctly nervous ... like a rabbit 'in the headlights' ... so to speak.

    Does have the advantage of making you pedal faster .... which is a bit stoopid since I'd never outrun one :wink:

    It's great to be .....
  • Max_Man
    Max_Man Posts: 185
    I see lots of rabbits on my loop ride, the earlier I go the more I see. A few months back I left my evening ride a bit late and went out just before it got dark, half way round I'm riding next to a river and in the distance noticed a bird hovering then swooping, it was massive, I managed to get quite close being nearly silent and got to watch an owl hunt mor maybe 10 minutes. It was great to watch.
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    pjh wrote:
    (Maybe it was my red helmet he was after :wink:)
    Nah, he wanted a better look at that brand new Assos Airblock jacket! :D

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    there was a little rat scampering along the roadside this morning when i was out
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • mountaincarrot
    mountaincarrot Posts: 26
    I don't much ride with them - but I hang glide with them in Wiltshire!

    (The vultures in the Pyrennes are quite something too!).
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    There's plenty of them in the Chilterns, heading north from Henley on Thames and I've seen a couple south of the M4 on the Bershire/Hampshire downs. Buzzards getting more common in these parts too.
    Was riding today up toward Hannington, near Watership Down and there were 6 Roe deer in a group in the field - often see hares in the spring here too.
    Not quite the same as seeing Lammergeyer vultures circling in the Alps - yet to see one in the south downs anyway!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    Bronzie wrote:
    A big flock (?) of them around Chinnor in the Chilterns - came across 6 of them on the road last summer tucking into some tasty roadkill. As we approached, they took to the wing with one of them taking the roadkill with them while I prayed they didn't drop it on us on the way over. Quite a sight!

    Don't like the way the circle over me when I'm grinding my way up Chinnor Hill, although it encourages me not to stop!

    My sister lives in Thame and I know Chinnor Hill well :shock: there are loads of Red Kites around that way.

    Its great to see foxes, even pheasants, cats, whatever, when out for a ride, makes you feel part of nature.

    When the Red Kites start to circle we always do the " Are you SURE they aren't Vultures?" joke :lol:
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    One of the big plus points of riding a bike is all the wildlife and scenery that you see. We saw Dippers during the Etape du dales, Red Kites over near Boroughbridge and Deer on Boltby bank. One of the things I really like to see is the trout swimming in the local rivers, I try not to get too close to them.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Saw two fallow deer in a wooden area near where I ride one of my 'loops' every other day, lovely sight, had to look twice, just fantastic.
  • bossman13
    bossman13 Posts: 106
    pjh wrote:
    Maybe it was my red helmet he was after :wink:)

    try a new saddle, or some assos cream for that..
  • Richie G
    Richie G Posts: 283
    I've got quite a keen interest in wildlife and it's great to see how well the kites are doing. Round here (Leics) it's rare that i don't see a Buzzard or 2 when out on the bike; they were a rare sight 15 years ago! Had a Weasel run accross the road near Frolesworth in the summer :D

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