Black kite in Gloucestershire

Symonds Yat is a spectacular view point. Credit RSPB.

April 2011. Visitors to the RSPB's Raptors on the Rock project at Symonds Yat in Gloucestershire have been treated to a day's bird of prey watching unprecedented in the UK.

A fine spring morning last week brought seven wild British birds of prey to amazed onlookers- buzzard, red kite, peregrine, hobby, kestrel, goshawk and sparrowhawk. But the best was yet to come. As temperatures rocketed, thermal air currents treated onlookers to two incredible soaring birds.

Firstly, RSPB's Ed Hutchings spotted a migratory osprey. ‘It was the most magical moment of my birding career,' enthused Ed. But things were to get a whole lot more exciting. Suddenly, eagle-eyed staff member Chris Griffin spotted something else - a black kite.

‘It was so exciting, the warm weather brought this rare French scavenger to our shores,' explained Chris. ‘It gave us an amazingly unusual opportunity to see this beautiful bird up close and personal.'

Raptors on the Rock
The free ‘Raptors on the Rock' project opened on the 2nd of April and is open until August 31st. RSPB staff and volunteers will be at the Symonds Yat viewpoint every day with telescopes and binoculars from 10am-5pm (6pm on weekends).