Whilst not as ubiquitous as the Kite, these birds of prey are much more common in the skies above Otley than they used to be. They are often to be seen being mobbed by Crows, especially during the breeding season. Although we are most likely to see them effortlessly riding the thermals, they often hunt for small mammals from a perch – there’s one that sits on the fence by the A59 east of Harrogate, oblivious to the traffic. Their calls often seem to be used by film and TV producers to signify a wilderness-type scene.