My thoughts on red kites originated a few weeks ago when I was out walking with some friends. We went past the new cemetery being built on the edge of Loughborough, and one of them said that he didn't think it was a good use of valuable land. I thought about the Tibetan sky burials, and said that it was a pity we don't have vultures in this country. Someone else pointed out that we do have red kites, which perform a similar function.