Red Kite soaring overhead in Cinnamon Lane this afternoon - lovely sight in clear blue skies.
Also, yesterday, (31/05), a family of 5 Mistle Thrush in Cinnamon Lane park.

One over Churchinford this morning at 11.15. Two primaries missing right wing and one left wing. Drifted south towards Devon border.

My son George spotted a red kite drifting east over Mark this afternoon... We saw a second being mobbed later just down the road...

One over the Roman Way, Glastonbury at 3.30 pm today

Lone Red Kite seen over Draycott (just outsider of Cheddar) at about 3.00pm this afternoon.

Outstanding view of lone Red Kite at Bowery Corner on the B3135 Cheddar - Green Ore Road about 5.00 this Afternoon. Drifted lazily along at about 50 ft for half a mile or so. Amazing how many people stop when they see someone with binoculars.
Q

Had a text message 5.45 yesterday from a friend who had just driven past two sat in the tree right next to Gawbridge - the bridge over the Parret between Kingsbury and Coat , nr Martock.

...and a single Red Kite circling over Somerton at 08:30 today.

A single Red Kite was hunting over Middlemoor between 5pm and 6pm yesterday afternoon.

Two Red Kite flying over Easton at 15.45 on the 6th June

One Red Kite low east over Shapwick Heath at 11:00 today

One flew low over Hambridge at 6pm heading towards Curry Rivel

One see flying NW to SE over Priorswood from Cheddon rd.15:30

And another drifting west to east over the village of Barrington at 1445 on 14 June.

One over Wells this afternoon and the same or another near Launcherley yesterday

Just seen not one but three(!) Red Kites over a recently baled hay field near Stogumber. Having circled low over the field, they thermaled away along with two Buzzards, then set off east at 1330. My lunch got quite cold!

Three red kites on freshly mown fields west of Torr res this afternoon.

Red kite been hanging around all morning. Taking long lazy flights between Roadwater and Raleghs Cross. Flight is very even and not like the wing twisting and turning that you would expect. Virtually no colour on a very pale tail, so presumably a juvenile.

Kite is back again and I have managed to get the binoculars on it this time. There is no red at all on it and I am starting to think juvenile black. However the under wing patches seem very obvious and the head is quite white. Tail is quite well forked and nearly disappears when spread. Can anybody give some advice please.

6 Red Kites and 14 Buzzards flying behind a combine harvester at Chilworthy near Chard, this morning. Also 2 Kestrels. An amazing sight to see!

Red Kite over Kingsbury Episcopi at 11-30 this morning.

3 Red Kite at my place of work at Kittisford, 2 at 8.55am heading North one which appeared to be in moult and the 3rd at 14.25 drifting East over some nearby fields

2 more red kites heading north east over Bruton today.

Many thanks to Liam for his posting about the Red Kites and Buzzards in the fields at Chilworthy. I was out at 6:30 and there are still there, what a great way to start the day before heading off to work.

I saw 3 Red Kites which were all flying low over the recently cut silage fields while at least 4 buzzards were flying slightly higher. There was only one incident of a buzzard "having a go" at a Red Kite.

It looks like there is a fairly healthy population of Red Kites in this part of Somerset at the moment, with kites being seen regularly at Hambridge and Ilminster. They are clearing following the silage harvesters around the area and hopefully will stay for the few fields of corn. My guess this that they are non-breeding birds.

One interesting observation about Chilworthy, is that the area is extensively managed for Pheasant shoots. It will be interesting to see if the Red Kites stay in such an area giving the noise and disruption they are likely to encounter over the winter.

The red kites have been here for the last 3 days, , there are at least 7 kites possibly more! Its a incredible site to watch from the scaffold on our building site. And the white stork is a bonus too

I finally saw my first Red Kite in Somerset this year thanks to a phone call from a near neighbor. It was circling over the field next to my house in Westhay for 15 minutes this morning! I saw it again half an hour later when it soared up much higher and drifted off towards Godney.

One Red Kite over Thurlbear Woods at 10.05 this morning and then Two Red Kites over freshly cut hayfields between Wrantage and Fivehead at 14.15 this afternoon

Paddy,
In answer to your question above...this image of mine, taken in Feb-2010 is what a juv/first-winter Black Kite looks like - note the black ear-covert patch.

I hope this is of some help. Jeff.

A late posting from me. One Red Kite drifting slowly over my house by Heathstock
Hill Wiveliscombe on Sunday 15 June at about 5.00pm.

Jeff

Thanks for that. Your bird is much darker than mine, but I guess that is always likely to vary a little. The head on my bird was very similar, but the underwing patches were extensive and very obvious. The overall impression was a brown and grey colour, but definitely no trace of any rufous colouring anywhere on the bird. it flew directly overhead at a height of less than 100 meters and gave good views of back and belly. I am even more confused now, because the shape of my bird is saying red, but the colouration is saying black. Guess I will never know.
Paddy

One Red Kite over Rockwell Green on the outskirts of Wellington this morning.

sorry about the late posting, but seems worth contributing to the picture. One Red kite circling over Westfield Church, Bridgwater at 11.30 on 15th.

Red Kite flying low over A303 at Wincanton in a South Westerly direction 10 minutes ago. (9am)

3 red kites flying around all day following the grass cutters at north Brewham today

Friend rang this a.m. to say he'd just found one in the road nr Moorland feeding on a flat Rabbit ...

Three Red Kites over Evercreech this week. All heading towards Frome.