A Sky Full of Kites: A Rewilding Story

by Tom Bowser

Red kites were once Britain's most common bird of prey. By the early 1900s they'd been wiped out in Scotland and England following centuries of ruthless persecution. When some reintroduced kites began roosting on their 1,400-acre farm at Argaty in Perthshire, Tom Bowser's parents, Lynn and Niall, decided to turn their estate into a safe haven. They began feeding the birds and invited the world to come and see them, learn about them and fall in love with them.

A Sky Full of Kites is the story of the Argaty Red Kite project, and the re-establishing of these magnificent raptors to Scotland, but it is also much more than that. Ill at ease with the traditional rural values of livestock farming, Lynn and Niall's son Tom, who returned to work on the farm after a career in journalism, reveals his passion for nature and his desire to dedicate his family's land to conservation.

Genres: Birds

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Tom Bowser grew up on his parents’ Perthshire farm. After university he worked as a teacher and then as a journalist before returning to Argaty in 2009. In 2017 he took over the running of the conservation project Argaty Red Kites, and in 2018 launched the Argaty Red Squirrels project.

Reviews

[Jayne Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a wonderful book with beautiful photos . It was lovely to hear the amazing work and success in red kites and other important wildlife.

[Laura Boyland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, with a lovely blend of poetic writing, interwoven with history and facts, anecdotes and memoirs, of the effects decisions made outside of the natural world have an impact on the potential for change and growth. The barriers faced still to this day are explored starting in 1800s to modern day society. The author had not only a journey with the red kites, red squirrels, pine martens and ospreys (to name a few) but also with himself.
The book flows like a river, the ups and downs, the barriers that come along within his career, distance between friends, his role as a man with his own family, as well as taking responsibility for the red kites and their families, supporting each other along the way with the uncertainty of their future.
Tom explores the wonder of British wildlife, educating others to appreciate the red kites and wildlife, as well as exploring the natural world and teaching his own child about all the creatures that have a place on earth and in the UK. This exploration and shared awe, is the key to helping future generations to understand and appreciate the impact of humankind on nature and how we can destroy natural history, but we also have the ability to rebuild it.
I feel educated and inspired. Red kites are one of my favourite birds, having been almost completely wiped out through the acts of humans, the story shows that redemption is possible and we all need to look up in to the sky a bit more, pay attention to the stories told on the ground, in the trees, on the very top of the ponds and what lies in the depths. Every thing has a purpose and a place, from midges to eagles, and as Tom stated eloquently “remove a can from the bottom of the pyramid…” (the impact this has on natural order and balance will be apparent)

[Katie Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very inspirational in terms of getting me looking to the skies and thinking about the fate of wildlife. I really enjoyed the first part of the book but felt it tailed off towards the end and did not show the massive change in things that the start seemed to promise. However perhaps this is the point of the book. No one project can ever make the change that is necessary for our wildlife and our environment. Perhaps it is only by each of us doing our small bit and by valuing the world around that we can ever hope to make the drastic changes necessary to save our planet.

[Brenda Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom is at a crossroads. The change from print to online means he has given up on journalism and is assisting his parents on their farm, located on the edge of the Scottish highlands. The farm has a long family legacy which includes a massive derelict homestead, huge old trees, moorlands, cattle and sheep. His parents agree to feed kites transferred there from captivity, which allows a foray into eco tourism when mad cow disease hits. Tom is a resistant to change, highly focused and sensitive. When the farm manager decides to leave he is forced to choose farming or something else. That something else is a catalyst for Tom's deep dive into ornithology and later into land restoration.

The book is divided into three parts - the idea, the transformation then the reflection on successes and failures. Tom's journey shows that even with a family legacy, just how hard it is to change direction and restore the land. In the end the glorious rewards make it all worthwhile. Tom explores the passion and intensity of conservationists, the legal battles, the competing priorities of farming, hunting, grouse shooting and his own motivations. He has two or three aha moments that transform his mindset.

Kites are now reestablishing across Britain, beavers, dragonflies and red squirrels are actively managed but habitat restoration is yet to occur on the scale needed for their recovery. The role of individuals and government in redress is discussed. A Sky Full of Kites is an inspiration to all.

[Elizabeth Desole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored the story behind this book. I have been following Argaty Red Kites for a while on social media and am inspired by all they have done and will do in the rewilding community. I could’ve done without some of the history and letters of his grandfather But I did appreciate the authors bravery in peeling back the facade of the media posts to reveal his struggles environmental , practical, philosophical and psychological. A solid 4 1/2 stars

[Adrian Fingleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and interesting story about re-wilding the family farm in Scotland. I love photographing Red Kites, and the author and his family have been pivotal to their success story. I'm hoping to visit the farm in Argaty in the near future, while on a trip to Scotland. The book is a well-researched and inspiring story about triumph over adversity through determination and hard work. Recommended.

[Pers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, mesmerising and heart-lifting account of the return and thriving of Red Kites to Arguty Farm in Scotland, and of the work that Tom Bowser and his family, friends, colleagues, and volunteers are doing to turn the farm into a wildlife area.

This book gave me hope for the future.

[William Garnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful account of a very special place.

[Alma Wardrope · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest and heartwarming account, full of interesting insights into the work of conservation and the natural world.