Amazing Avian 'Dogfight' Between Oystercatcher & Pair of Red Kites

[Hornchurch]

-

Today at 2.25pm-2.37pm (14:25-14:37), I witnessed a truly amazing "dogfight" whilst ride prepped

Had my Blue/White/Blue "Boss Equipe" out the garage & was preparing to go out on a 2nd run

It happened EXACTLY ABOVE where I took this photo' (a few weeks beforehand) & also in the adjacent field (behind bike) that you see, here.

Just happened to be sitting on the bench (which is where I also took this pic'), less than a minute from starting-off, when this happened....


Shreiking above my head, at low-ish-level, was the distinct sound (& planform) of an "Oystercatcher"

They're not rare birds here by any stretch & frequently pass by our balcony, church, courtyard & field(s)

In fact, over the last TWO years, a pair have been nesting (raising-young) in the crop-field bang-opposite.

That's what must've been hapening today, as the "Oystercatcher" was shrieking for all it's worth & VERY aggresive.


What got me was, he was a 'lone bird', but taking on TWO HUGE wild 'birds of prey' which I see here, most regularly.

I fact, they ARE one of the most common-sightings, as I usually see them hovering-over here at least 2-3 times a day

The pair of 'wild birds of prey' they were attacking were these, seen below - RED KITES - They have a HUGE wingspan, too.

I've been drilling, fixing a letterbox, tinkering with my cycles AND M/cycles & these (pair, Red-Kites) are above, unconcerned.

Have even seen them land in the large field dead-outside our house AND in the adjacent trees, including the one outside my bedroom.

They aren't stressed or seemingly bother by us (Humans/Here), but they were sure getting clobbered by that aggressive "Oystercatcher"


Usually, we often get USAF F.15 Eagles "dogfighting" over our house & fields (it's near the coast), trying to get on each other's "six".

That is as loud as hell & they jink & chandelle around, jockeying for position - but it's always in fine visibility.

But they have nothing on this amazingly brave 'lone' Oystercatcher, who kept wading-in, aggressively, attacking the largest Red Kite (of the two)

This went on for what seemed like ages & just when I thought it had died-down (after 6-mins), it reared up again, but this time further West (but still close)

Because I was sitting right up against the (parked) car & my Road-Bike ready to roll, they never saw me, so I got a magnificent "Grandstand-view" of the "dogfight".

Such an incredibly brave bird, that lone Oystercatcher - so much so, that he/she harried the pair apart & sent the larger Red Kite "packing" across the 1,000yr old Church.

I've seen aerial 'avian' fights before - Usually Crows attacking a Heron, or some of the more regularly 'expected' birds, but not these.

I figured that the unfair fight between these two types/breeds that I saw today, WAS most unusual & def' worth remarking on.

Lastly - It would appear that this particular Oystercatcher is one of the exact same pair we've seen during the pandemic/lockdown.

Same field, same patch, same area - But by God, what amazing & tenacious aggresion against a bird (pair of) which I thought would make mincemeat of him/her.

Goes to show just how determined that some species are, to protect their young - I shall be watching out for them over the coming-days.

Without the bike-ride (2nd, immediately lined-up), I would never have seen this truly unique sight !

"Hawny".

 

[gbb]

Fantastic
I suspect the Oystercatcher was protecting a nest somewhere nearby, i assume theyre ground nesters.
That may have been driving it as you say.
You'll regularly see corvids attacking red kite, buzzard, certainly some animals tend not to be scared anyway, let alone in the pursuit of rearing young.

 

[annedonnelly]

The only time I've seen Golden Eagles they were being mobbed by a Kestrel, obviously a LOT smaller than the eagles.

 

[Mo1959]

When I worked in the prison service and we did perimeter checks in nesting season, we used to get dive bombed by Oyster Catchers. They seem very brave and protective parents!

 

[RoubaixCube]

Having experienced 4 F-15s fly directly over head while was out fishing. I can confirm they are magnificent sight. Took me back to my first visit to the Bovington Tank Museum. You dont actually realise how big those things really are till you see them in person.

 

[Hornchurch]

Fantastic
I suspect the Oystercatcher was protecting a nest somewhere nearby, i assume theyre ground nesters.
That may have been driving it as you say.
You'll regularly see corvids attacking red kite, buzzard, certainly some animals tend not to be scared anyway, let alone in the pursuit of rearing young.

Hi GBB and thanks for your reply, it's much appreciated, as is all the other lads/lasses on here.
I do hope to answer the others, in time, all being well, too.

Whilst I'm most cert' NOT a bird-expert, I can most certainly say that 'yes', they ARE ground-nesters, or at least, mine are !

See that pic' of my Blue/White "Boss Equipe" bike ?
I chose that shot (most deliberately), simply because it DOES show the exact spot the Oystercatcher has used, for the last 2-3 years.

The spot in question, is in the midst of the farmer's field, just beyond where ya see my Blue/black colour-matched saddle - (2 o'clock angle)
It's not the best shot of my bike, nor is it a decent shot of the field (I have much, much better-shots of that, elsewhere. Hard-drive & USB's)
But it WAS conveniently to hand, as I took that shot (Late March//Early April), just after I'd bought the bike - (It's still new to me !)
At least it shows the spot in question where the Oystercatcher (curiously?), had chosen to lay

Am wondering "if" it was the (far more) aggressive "male" attacking, whilst the Female was on the nest, or, nearby, as has happened.

About two-years ago (mid-pandemic, early days), I watched this same scenario played-out, but, slightly different protagonists.

This time, it was a buch of Crows attacking & sadly there were about 4-5 of them, instead of just one pair of Red-Kites.

They kept diving (towards ground) & the parents were BOTH attempting to keep them at bay.

I even saw the two 'fledgling' Oystercatcher chicks AND was watching them thru binoculars (12 x 50's)

Thankfully, the chicks (quite tall & not scraggy nor weak), managed to evade them, at least whilst I was there.

As you know, each year the Farmer tends to vary the crop, never sewing the same crop-output twice.

On this particular occasion, whatever the crop was, it was thin, weedy & ultra-low-lying (to the ground)

Thereby, it was not (sadly) giving anywhere near enough 'cover', which I found rather baffling (that they'd chosen THAT spot)

This year, the crop IS sufficient to camouflage from all but those with the razor-sharpest of eyesight, hence birds of prey.

We've had Sparrowhawks, Owls & Kestrels here before (the latter two, in spades), but the Red-Kites here, now, are prevalent.

This one particular pair can be seen at varying times during the day - He was here (on his own) at just after 6pm this eve' (30th April)

Lastly, I can honestly say - In all the years I've been alive, I've NEVER seen such an aggressive display of 'avian-defence'

That Oystercatcher had the balls of a Lion (metaphor) & I actually saw him clip the Red-Kite's trailing starboard wing feathers - (Honestly !)

As he did, the (larger) male Red-Kite "jinked" to the side (too late), to avoid the aggressive attack - It blew me away, watching it !!!!
.

 

[gbb]

Red Kite, Buzzard, the one thing I always thought, when being mobbed you crows, or anything else for that matter...is they roll and jink around in avoidance but don't 'run away. They don't even seem annoyed or they'd attack their attacker. It seems like a predictable ritual both sides go through knowing the outcome. Defenders defend their ground, raptors deal with the annoyance until defenders have given up, usually because raptor is now far enough away to other threaten whatever bothered the defenders.
Although, corvids do just seem to do it...just because

 

[the_mikey]

Fantastic
I suspect the Oystercatcher was protecting a nest somewhere nearby, i assume theyre ground nesters.
That may have been driving it as you say.
You'll regularly see corvids attacking red kite, buzzard, certainly some animals tend not to be scared anyway, let alone in the pursuit of rearing young.

I watched an Oystercatcher persuade a pair of Canada geese to "move along" recently, they didn't seem very happy about it based on the racket the geese were making, but it did seem like it was simply protecting its nest.

 

[annedonnelly]

Whilst I'm most cert' NOT a bird-expert, I can most certainly say that 'yes', they ARE ground-nesters, or at least, mine are !

They also like flat roofs on buildings. Slightly safer from ground predators I expect.

 

[Poacher]

Great write up - makes me feel like I was there!
Just one quibble, like most raptors, the female is nearly always larger than the male.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_k...,body, upper tail and wing coverts are rufous.

 

[Hornchurch]

Great write up - makes me feel like I was there!
Just one quibble, like most raptors, the female is nearly always larger than the male.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_kite#:~:text=Red kites are 60 to 70 cm (24,body, upper tail and wing coverts are rufous.

Cheers for that - BTW , I don't for one minute (claim to) "know" which "is" the male or female, so I stand corrected (if so).

The size of those blighters is really quite something - They're HUGE

.

 

[Hornchurch]

Red Kites, Buzzard, the one thing I always thought, when being mobbed you crows, or anything else for that matter...is they roll and jink around in avoidance but don't 'run away. They don't even seem annoyed or they'd attack their attacker. It seems like a predictable ritual both sides go through knowing the outcome. Defenders defend their ground, raptors deal with the annoyance until defenders have given up, usually because raptor is now far enough away to other threaten whatever bothered the defenders.
Although, corvids do just seem to do it...just because

I watched an Oystercatcher persuade a pair of Canada geese to "move along" recently, they didn't seem very happy about it based on the racket the geese were making, but it did seem like it was simply protecting its nest.

Guys/Gals , you may not believe this, but, I got an exact "re-run" of the same circumstances today, at around 4.30pm

This time the "dogfight" was at half the altitude that Friday's one was - Literally, it happened just above treetop level.

As they appeared again (out of nowhere, it seemed), I thought... "Jeez, I wish the guys/gals on 'CycleChat' could see this" !!!!

Like I say, it happened SO LOW (altitude) today, I felt like I could've reached-up & almost touched the huge RED KITE.

This time tho', it was just ONE of the (exact, same) pair that I saw on Friday.

Like I say, "He or She" has rested on tree-stumps (next-door) & even on the Sycamore tree outside my bedroom**

**(which also overlooks the huge fields, ouside)

At one point "they" (Osytercatcher & Red Kite) were twirling around that Sycamore, as the Oystercatcher attacked.

Today's attacks def' seemed even more frenzied, but as Anne said ("ground-nesting"), it might be because the low-altitude.

Also, today's attacks, whilst spanning over a slightly larger area than Friday, only took place for just 6-minutes !


I wasn't watching in their direction initially, as I had the 'quill-stem' & bars off of my newest Claud Butler MTB

Doing some basic maintainance, before setting-off on my 2nd ride - That Black, powder-coated, steel bench is proving to be a Godsend !

I love Red Kites to pieces - As some have already said, they're a magnificent bird/type/breed, to look at.

But he/she was being harried SO badly again today, that even the Oystercatcher didn't need MY help to protect his/her chicks

He (or she, Oystercatcher), managed to get TWO "bites" & strikes in today, on the Red Kite's "trailing-edge" feathers !

It's like watching a scene from the famous old United Artists 1969 film, "Battle of Britain"

The Oystercatcher "is" starring as the famous Canadian Hollywood actor, Christopher Plummer, in his Spitfire

"Help Yourself Everybody - There's No Fighter-Escort"

"ACHTUNG - SPITFAR-OYSTERCATCHER" !!!!!

 

[Poacher]

Cheers for that - BTW , I don't for one minute (claim to) "know" which "is" the male or female, so I stand corrected (if so).

The size of those blighters is really quite something - They're HUGE

.

Bigger than Common Buzzards, but usually deferential to them on the ground. Aerial encounters are another matter!

 

[T4tomo]

Like I say, it happened SO LOW (altitude) today, I felt like I could've reached-up & almost touched the huge RED KITE.

yet no video / phone footage??

 

[Hornchurch]

yet no video / phone footage??

Alas not, nor (now) likely.

I think it's that EVERYONE works on the (sometimes 'wrong') assumption, that we ALL have the same equipment & high-spec' as they...

My current mobile-phone, is an old Nokia.D3520 - Works brilliantly, but alas, no "bells & whistles" - (camera on it "is $hit", too !)

I bought it in 2011 & it's still going strong, works so well & is as reliable as ***k - Philistine, maybe, but I've no reason for change.

My Son bought me another Apple i-phone for Xmas, but it's still in it's box - It's an i-Phone.7, also now majorly obsolete !

Haven't even activated it yet, BUT, I do know what I'm doing, as 2015-2019 I did regularly "use/have/own" an "i-Phone 5s"

Everything to do with Apple (Corp'), centres around their wretched "i-cloud" & stuff - Updates "crock" my phones - (obsolescence)

Refuse to pay the Lion's share of £1,000 for an effing mobile-phone - Not "hiked" to any stupid contract, either !

I've got some decent Nikon DSLR's, but they tend to stay in the cupboard, unless I'm going to an airshow (or suchlike)

For flagrantly obvious reasons, I don't take all that bulky DSLR stuff out with me on a bike-ride, when I like to go lightly-loaded


It's NOT that I'm trying to 'dodge the bullet' or anything - Everthing I say that occured, is 100% God's honest truth.


It's just that, when an unusual event occurs, ya don't always have the equipment to hand - i.e, it's a "spontaneous sighting"

The very fact that it's "so out of the ordinary" is what made me relate this truthful-tale - It WAS completely unexpected & caught "off guard".


Going out on a bike-ride (purely for excercise AND lightly loaded, I always leave my ELDERLY phone upstairs - It's natural for me.

Works GREAT purely as a mobile-phone - I don't want one that "w*nks me off, or, makes tea & toast" (laughs !), just a phone plz.

I'm of an older generation too - Spent first 42 years of my life, using "Landlines" before "Mobiles" became de-riguer.

One of the things that I hate & loathe about the modern-mobile, is....

Everyone "expects" you to be at their "beck & call" & I know I'm not alone in that sphere either.

My mate Chris Holt (fellow cyclist, but older then me), REFUSES to have a mobile-phone for that self same very reason !

Anyways, I sincerely DO hope ya take my lengthy reply, in the GOOD spirit that it's intended

Main reason I never caught it (or any of it), is purely because I never expected to see it, nor, a repeat two-days later - Pure chance !

Haven't seen either of them yet, nor, heard a peep & it's 3pm (currently) - Going out to the Pub later, too - I'll holler "if" I see anything.
.