Red kite nest

Very exciting news ... the red kites that have nested in my parents back garden for the last few years have started tidying up their nest. I saw the male carrying a twig up to the nest this morning and my parents said they have seen them taking lots of sticks and twigs up there.

Kenny with a twig

The nest is in a tree just outside their back door

Kenny and Katrina have nested right outside my parents back door for at least the last 3 (probably more) years. The year before last they raised 2 chicks, but sadly last year they failed to raise any. A neighbor had a big tree cut down (which was touching the red kites tree) just when they were sitting on the eggs. They were scared off the nest for a whole day, so we suspect that's why the eggs didn't hatch. Anyway, it's a new year and it looks like they're going to try again, which is great news. You can see the nest from the kitchen window, so hopefully we'll get a good view of any chicks that hatch.

They have very interesting nests, because they line them with all sorts of strange things like baler twine, plastic bags, socks and soft toys. Their favourite thing last year seemed to be kitchen roll, which they dropped in the garden most days they were working on the nest. Looks like they're still on the twig stage though at the moment, so we'll have to see what they put in there this year.

They're spoilt by my parents, who feed them twice a day (only them, they call for them to come and get their chicken, so the other kites don't get it!) They also put out sticks on the lawn for them to take for their nest - a bit like Bug Mad Girl and I made a nesting bundle for our garden birds, they find great big sticks for the kites. My parents are really trusted by Kenny and Katrina, who will sit in a tree just above them while they're out in the garden and seem very comfortable around them, often watching whatever they're doing. They usually disappear when I turn up because I always point a camera at them and they don't like that at all!