A red kite and a buzzard. It’s true that I’ve seen both from within Wolverhampton’s city boundaries in the past few months. But only occasionally, and only on the leafier west side of town.
Buzzards have been resident on Tettenhall ridge for some decades now, so sightings of them are quite likely in the Smestow valley area. Red kites have been spotted flying over much the same area every spring for the past few years.
But for the few days we were staying in Burford, on the edge of the Ctoswolds, last month, we were seeing both species pretty much every day while walking round the town itself.
Admittedly, Burford is a small market town. Countryside with woods and open fields is only perhaps a minute away as the crow (or a larger bird) flies.