Holiday 2023 - Dalbeattie, near Dumfries, Scotland
Each year we choose a different place in the UK to stay while on vacation. In the past we have visited various places such as the Lake District, the Peaks, New Forest, Norfolk Broads, Isle of Mull, South Wales etc. We even visited the Scottish Highlands and the Cairngorms last year, and enjoyed it so much that this year we chose to return to Scotland, this time to the Lowlands, in Dumfries and Galloway.
Part 5 - Red Kite Feeding Station - 13th June
On Day 5 already! We were on holiday for just a week, and that week was flying by (pun intended!) After a very busy day yesterday exploring the Forest of Galloway which was followed by a chaotically busy evening Moth Trapping, we needed an easier day today!
Todays trip was a short drive Bellymack Hill Farm, located just to the North of Castle Douglas. I did mention in Day 4's post that the Forest of Galloway was picked as a secret location to reintroduce Red Kites after they were persecuted right across the UK.
This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world's longest-running protection programmes. It has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. - RSPB
That 'long running protection program' includes several feeding stations located in key areas across the UK, of which Bellymack Hill Farm is one
The feeding station is basicaly a site that puts out food for the birds at the same time each day, and so they have learnt to return to the same place each time for an easy meal. This in turn has attracted an audience of bird watchers and photographers, eager to get a closer view of this fantastic bid of prey.
We know there are plenty of Red Kites here, all week we have been able to see individuals flying high overhead. But this was an opportunity to get some much better and closer shots.
The feeding station puts out food at 2pm everyday. We had a nice (and much needed) lay-in, and then after a sharp lunch we set off, to arrive at the Farm at around 1pm. This would give us some time to get a decent place to sit and to make sure the camera settings were correct
Even now at 1:30pm, there were already loads of birds here. Some circling high in the sky, some others were perched in a line of trees at the far end of the field
Finally, it was time for the main event to start...
The lady below wandered out into the middle of the field with a bucket full of er... meaty sustenance
don't ask me what it consisted it off!
Don't ask me why she felt the need to wear a bobble hat in the middle of a 28C summers day either!
Anyway, once she arrived at the wooden platforms in the middle of the field, she flung the food out for the Red Kites, who immediately swooped in to help themselves to a free lunch
The wide pictures just don't do the sight justice. Truly spectacular!
Although I did my best to take as many pictures as possible... I went for the 'spray and pray' technique.
This means I managed to take 400 pictures in the space of 20 minutes, in the hope that 3 or 4 pictures might work out ok!
I actually managed a bit more than 4 decent pictures, so instead I'll sit back and let the images do the talking...
After about 15 minutes of utter chaos, and birds swooping in left right and centre, it started to calm down again. Some of the birds landed on the platform to pick out any odd bits that had been left behind
And then I spotted a random Greater Black-backed Gull passing by, on the lookout for any scraps
By this point the majority of Red Kites had left and returned to their own territories, there were just a few birds left circling high above our heads
I've already mentioned this to several people in comments/posts on here, and also to the people I've told about our holiday... these feeding stations are well worth a visit. The views are amazing, and its a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
Afterwards. we headed to the accommodation, where we spent the reast of the afternoon looking through the hundreds of pictures we took, and we'd managed to get some decent shots
and you know what? I think I managed a couple of reasonable pictures today!
All names confirmed and checked via Wikispieces
Further Research from UK Moths and NatureSpot
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Wow these are some really great pictures of the red kite. I have never seen so much of them in a flock. Usually I only see 1 or 2 here in Austria.
Hey... thanks for the compliments, it means a lot coming from such a good wildlife photographer such as yourself. It really was an amazing sight.
At one I had to put the camera down and just experience the view in front of me... I think we become so obsessed with getting the shot we forget to actually appreciate what we are seeing!
What a fantastic way to see so many kites at one place, they are gorgeous. Your photos are incredible. I have seen only once a red kite flying above my head. Here, in Bulgaria we have feeding station for vultures, I would love to visit some day.
It really was a spectacular sight! And thank you... there were so many birds flying around it was hard to try to focus on just one!
The feeding site for Vultures would be awesome to see as well.... what species is there?
!LUV
The feeding site is for Eurasian Griffons and not far from my home, some 50 km away, The Egyptian Vulture is nesting.
Oh wow, had a quick look on wikipedia, they are impressive and imposing birds, would be be awesome if you were able to get pictures!
Hubby saw once six of them, flying above our home. It was spectacular.
And the Egyptian vulture who nests not far from here - there is live cam in the nest. This is the link
https://webcamsbg.com/webcam-gnezdo-egipet-leshoyad-live-online-kamera-na-jivo.html
@nelinoeva, @dannewton(1/5) sent you LUV. | discord | community | HiveWiki | NFT | <>< daily
! help(no space) to get help on Hive. InfoI cannot believe that there were so many of them!
What a sight to behold!
It truly was!
Not far from your neck of the woods actually, just the other side of Dumfries. It'd be well worth a trip down to see them and I'm sure you'll get some good pictures too!
Yeah I will check it out and see where it is.
Used to love seeing them soaring when we lived in Bucks.
Yep they're pretty widespread these days. We even see the odd one up here in Lincolnshire, always makes my day when I spot them high up!
You got some great shots. I've not seen more than about 3 kites at a time around here, but then I don't think anyone is feeding them. I've not got a decent photo of one yet, but I've not really been trying. I'm just happy to see such magnificent birds.
!BEER
Cheers, 'twas worth the effort getting up to Scotland just to see them. They are fantastic, and it's great to see they are bouncing back from the brink.
Absolutely wonderful images Dan. I really need to experience this. I am really loving these shots mate.
Cheers Brian... it was very chaotic, but well worth the effort getting up there.
Thoroughly recommend going to one of these places if you happen to be in the area, you'd be guaranteed in getting some good shots. I did have a look online to see where else you could go, and it appears the best places are in their strongholds which are Wales and Southern Scotland (Link to some places)
@dannewton cheers for the link Dan, appreciated. Got a busy few months ahead so this might be something for 24. I'm really wanting to do the NC500 next year, so possibly could add a visit to one of the Scottish locations. But will have to see. I am really in awe of some of these mate. Beautiful photography. Just one question, was it noisy?
er yep... not close by unfortunate but do-able with a bit of planning
Dumfries is just over the border, so maybe something you can do on the way to the NC500 perhaps?
They were vocal birds, but not as noisy as you might have though
I must say i've never seen that many red kites in one place before , good to see that there are still that many arround.
Makes it easier to get some decent shots although where to aim the lens to many options , but you surely managed to get some nioce shots there.
It was pretty chaotic as they put the food out, and you end up just taking as many pictures as possible and hopping for the best. After 20 minutes it calmed down, and it was easier to pick a bird and follow her as she soared high up in the sky
What an awesome bird. I've never heard of a feeding station but what a great idea. Holy smokes you got some fantastic shots. When snapping away, it's always a thrill when you take a look at them later on and you realize you've captured some great images.
That was one of the top #featheredfriends posts I've seen in a while.
I'm going to congratulate you right now on winning this week's contest, at least in my eyes.
I'm going to vote now, that should be easy. 😁