Red kites were re-introduced to England as recently as 1989.
Sir Paul Getty had bought the 2,700 acre Wormsley estate three years earlier and espoused the project. Almost 100 birds were brought from Spain and Sweden – now there are at least 1,800 breeding pairs in the UK. In medieval times they were known to be scavengers, searching for material for their nests. “My traffic is sheets; when the kite builds, look to lesser linen” (The Winter’s Tale). At Wormsley last night they were swooping over picnics at Garsington Opera.
I was there to see Il barbiere di Siviglia. It was an excellent production with good sets and singing, well acted and funny (an operatic rarity), updated to the 1930s. Lovely to see an old favourite so well done without any mucking around.
