Black-eared Kite Milvus migrans (lineatus) Gigrin Farm, Wales January 28th - 29th 2010
OK so maybe a bold claim on the naming and taxonomic front as this bird has not been officially accepted as a Black-eared Kite but it showed most of the features typically associated with that form including the obvious broad sixth primary, broad winged appearance due to this feature, pale and almost unmarked contrasting lower breast, belly and undertail coverts and the effectively colourless cere and legs / feet with a dark iris. Note though that Dick Forsman in Flight Identification of Raptors of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, notes that all of the birds seen in Israel and Europe are in his opinion hybrids between the Eastern Black-eared Kite and Western Black Kite.
We visited Gigrin in late January 2010 to experience the Red Kite spectacle being aware of the fact that a Black Kite had been reported wintering at the site but it was still a bit surprising to see it feeding with the Red Kites on both of the days we were there and to be able to get good images of it in different light conditions, mainly dull and dark on the 28th but bright and sunny with snow showers on the 29th. In addition to the Black Kite there were up to 400 Red Kites in attendance and I inevitably ended up with a bad back after throwing my camera and lens around for several hours on both dates.
Below the Black Kite images are a small selection of the Red Kites taken at the same time.
