Most of us are aware that Red Kite are being seen more often across the county as each year passes so that a sighting is now perhaps a little less exciting than just a few years ago. However, once in a while something more than a simple sighting and record occurs, a good example of that is seen in the two photographs below from David Priddis, better known as our resident Bat expert in the Forest of Dean. David has seen Kites over his home patch of Woolaston Common before, but this bird is clearly carrying, and was observed eating whilst in flight, a large Rat, probably a Brown Rat (R. norvegicus) on Friday 17th April.
The diet of Kites is usually said to be small birds, mammals and invertebrates with carrion (often road kill) thrown in but unless this bird found the Rat already dead, it must have managed a kill which is no mean feat against a resourceful, agile and feisty animal.
