Gigrin Farm
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Mid Wales has the greatest density and diversity of birds of prey in southern Britain...Mid Wales was home to the last remaining Native Red Kites. Now, due to the hard work of the Conservation bodies here in Wales, Red Kites are once again in the ascendance. Wild Red Kites are fed at Gigrin Farm every day of the year. With breathtaking feats of aerial piracy red kites compete with buzzards and ravens for choice pickings. Feeding takes place at 2pm GMT = 3pm in summer & 2pm winter (well, no-one tells the kites that the clocks change!). The crows are first to turn up in trees around the feeding area and make it quite a noisy affair with the calls of jackdaws and carrion crows and the deep 'cronking' of ravens. Buzzards and red kites circle overhead; buzzards are far more vocal than kites, their powerful 'mewing' carrying a long way. As soon as the meat has been put out the crow family start emerging from the surrounding trees. As the first crows land amongst the meat the kites go on the offensive. Kites watch and wait their chance to furl their wings and dive in, skimming the ground to snatch a scrap before rising suddenly to escape the beaks of the angry crows. Many kites appear to miss their target by a wide margin but are actually intent on flushing meat laden crows into the air from where they can be mugged by the very best in the business! With the meat clutched in its talons the kite will make for clear airspace where it can feel secure enough to feed. With its 1.8 metre wings spread out for stability the head turns down to meet with its forward lifted legs. Now the kite can feed, but must still keep an eye out for other marauding kites... The number of kites using the feeding station can vary anything from a few dozen to 400 or more depending on weather and time of year. With the onset of bad weather numbers can increase dramatically, but on blue sky days in spring or summer they may well take their time in coming for their lunch! | |||||||||||||||||||||||