Kite passage

Normal weather has resumed apparently, 4 p.m. and the temperature was a cool 16.4 degrees C, nice cumulus rolling in from the west like the Black Pearl and at a fair clip, over 18 kt according to the weather station and back up to 78% and rising. Range 14-20 degrees C.

Right after we started off down valley road we saw them, three black kites gliding in a tight circle together cresting the hill to the north. They continued over the east valley, heading slowly south, circling each other as they went. They were flying crosswind so had to circle to 'tack' their way south.

The kites encountered resistance pretty soon, a few local hooded crows started to harry them but as they passed windsurfer hill an angry mob of up to 80 crows, both jackdaws and hoodies, boiled up from the hill cawing and flying at the much larger birds. The kites dodged them easily but were turned around, they headed east a little way, then circled back north and got themselves in position over the valley for another pass. It was not easy work.

Some local boys, curious as ever about my binoculars requested a turn and I showed them the kites and explained a little about them.

The second time through one of them made it almost out of sight to the south, dodging crows quite expertly but the other two were dithering just short of level with windsurfer hill and seemed reluctant to move on, the winds were blowing them toward the hill and they didn't seem to want to run the gauntlet again.

That kite way out in front turned around and flew all the way back, not wanting to abandon his companions.

The three set off up the valley again. Suddenly there was a fourth kite! I have no idea where that one came from, must have seen them from the other side of Hizmeh and decided to pool 'kite power' or perhaps the others managed to 'recruit' him on their diversion east, or perhaps he just caught up to them from the north. This time the group was successful, amazingly four kites seemed to intimidate the crows significantly more than three and the mobbing this time was far less. The four made it past 'windsurfer hill territory' and on to the south. Yay! The crows went back to their usual games, mock fighting in flight a little amongst themselves and the inevitable windsurfing.

By the time all that was over it was too dim to go down to gazelle field or watch for anything else but I felt quite satisfied:)

Bulbul calls, housesparrows usual late afternoon chatter, sunbird calls, son saw white wagtails, graceful warbler calls, blackbird 'chacks', Eurasian Jay calls, hyrax alarm chitters. No sign of that black tailed bird near the saplings but heard black redstart type call in the area. By calls and bird group movements seemed to be chaffinches around but didn't get a good sighting.