Black Kite

A visit to The Patch this morning saw a few Common Scoter off shore, a few Red-throated Divers moving into Hythe Bay, a few Starlings arriving and 2 Peregrines greeting them.

At The Point I spent a few minutes with BM where a single Velvet Scoter fling into the bay was the highlight.

I parked at the ARC and had just reached The Willow Trail, when a call from Patrick telling me a large raptor was flying around the lighthouses that was probably not a Marsh Harrier. I went back to the car and drove down to the gantry, where I set up my scope and scanned the lighthouse area, immediately picking up a large raptor being mobbed by a Raven. I was pretty sure it was a Black Kite but the view was very brief as the bird dropped behind the the trapping area bushes. A few minutes later it appeared by the switching station being mobbed by a Peregrine where it showed its self to be a Black Kite. I was joined by MH as it made its way past the power station up towards the reserve, where it flew over the reserve centre then over the New Diggings and the ARC. As it came over New Diggings I drove quickly up the causeway pulling up (my apologies to the lady driving the camper van that I cut up)  just in time to get some shots of it as it crossed the ARC. I drove to the car park where I watched it fly over the water tower towards the airport. Very many thanks to Patrick for the call!

Black Kite over the visitor centre

 Black Kite over the ARC

As the bird disappeared I stopped to chat to SB,MH, MT and PT when I should have dashed back to Plodland and got Black Kite on my garden list.
Later an hour staring out from Plodland I recorded 3 Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a Little Egret, c1000 Lapwing and c200 Golden Plover of note.