A MAGNIFICIENT bird of prey was captured soaring through the skies of Oxfordshire by an amateur photographer.

Oxford Mail Camera Club member John Percival took the impressive shots from his garden.

Mr Percival, posting in the Camera Club’s Facebook group, talked about the difficulty of getting a good shot of the bird close up.

He said: “Can’t seem to get decent pictures of him close up unless using full zoom then cropping. Yet as soon as I go indoors, him and his mate decide to swoop down into the garden half a dozen times.”

Kites are recognisable due to their large wingspan. Some live on insects while others primarily live on carrion - also eating rodents and reptiles.