milvus milvus (kite)
Saturday, April 20, 2019 — 2:35 pm
Zurich, Switzerland — A4 west of town
I was watching carefully for Red Kites everywhere we went, and I think I’d seen a few earlier on our trip. But I was certain about this one. It was flying over a field along the highway just outside Zurich. It banked at just the right time, giving me a good view of its forked red tail and long, pointed wings.
The only photo I was able to get of a Red Kite was in the woods near Panzer Kaserne as one flew low over the trees. In the photo, you can see the forked tail with a little of the red from the topside showing around the edges. You can also make out the black wingtips, the white center panel, and the dark wing pits.
I also saw them on our drive south of Strasbourg, France and from the ramparts of Hohenzollern Castle in Germany.