Shropshire's birdwatchers all aflutter at influx of beautiful once-rare red kites

From Oswestry and Shrewsbury to Market Drayton and Newport, widespread sightings of the once-rare bird, the red kite, have had the county's twitchers all aflutter.

By the 20th century, the UK's breeding population was restricted to a handful of pairs in South Wales, and in 1903 moves began to protect the bird.

In 1986, the RSPB joined with the Nature Conservancy Council (now Natural England) to boost the population, and over the following decade, the partnership brought more than 100 birds over from Spain, Sweden and Germany.

The project has now become one of the world's longest-running bird protection programmes.

By 1993, numbers had increased to 100 breeding pairs in Wales. In 2006, Shropshire saw the first successful breeding in the county for 130 years.

By 2010, the county population had reached 20 breeding pairs, and 67 were located in 2022.

Traditionally seen circling the Shropshire Hills, in recent years the stunning birds have been spotted as far east as Forton and Market Drayton, crossing the border into Staffordshire.

One pair has been spotted almost daily in Telford, circling the skies above the Forge Retail Park and Eastern Primary.

Shropshire ornithologist Leo Smith says the news is better than enthusiasts could have imagined.

Leo said: "It's amazing really, that the first breeding in Shropshire was only 17 years ago and now they've expanded right over the borders.

"We are still trying to find as many nests as we can, so we're asking people to report breeding pairs or nests they've spotted. As their range increases, they are harder for us to track down."

Nest sites are kept confidential to ensure protection, but Leo is asking for reports of pairs of kites that have been seen together in spring, one seen several times in the same place, or one going into woodland any time between March and June.

Kites are very shy and legally protected and it is an offence to disturb them, but monitoring is carried out under licence.

Last year, 58 nests were found by monitors, with 43 successful breedings producing 67 fledged youth - the highest number yet recorded.

Jan Shields snapped a photo of one of the birds on a walk around Hanwood near Shrewsbury on Sunday.

She said: "There were a pair of kites hunting over a field of oilseed rape on one of the hills to the south of Hanwood.

"It was amazing to watch them actively hunting so low over the crop and then one of them was mobbed by a skylark which looked absolutely tiny in comparison. They show such control when hunting - just a twist of the tail and a drop of the wing.

"I was at university studying biology in the early 1980s and there was great excitement if a sighting of a red kite was reported in the area. I remember having my first good views of one over Borth in the late 90s - such a rarity at the time.

"Having lived in Hanwood for 36 years we used to head to the Stiperstones or down to the Bridges at Ratlinghope in the hope of trying to catch a glimpse of one - we failed as often as we were successful. I never dreamt that I’d be able to watch them on an almost daily basis from my garden.

"Apart from regular views over the house I’ve also seen red kites over the Oswestry bypass and over Forton near Newport so they are definitely spreading out, no longer just a bird of the Shropshire hills."

Red kites' wingspan can be almost two metres long and they can be told apart from their fellow birds of prey by their reddish-brown body and grey head.

Sometimes mistaken for buzzards, the main giveaway is their forked tail which creates a distinctive silhouette against the sky. White patches on the undersides of their long, broad wings can often be spotted from below.

Residents who have information on potential nesting sites are asked to email leo@leosmith.org.uk