June Atkinson
Well-known member
They were active when we went to have lunch at the Black Horse. One was just floating over the garden with a long stick in its talons.
Any evidence of nesting?
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Friends of Red Kites - in the North East of England (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter June Atkinson
- Start date
They were active when we went to have lunch at the Black Horse. One was just floating over the garden with a long stick in its talons.
Any evidence of nesting?
One of the Kites was interested in a tree, I think it was after a free lunch as the tree looks as if it gives good views of the Black Horse. The Kite was being chased by a couple of Crows so maybe they had a nest in the tree and the Kite may have been after the contents.
This went on for over an hour, on and off.
A Whitethroat was singing in the bushes next to where I was parked so I turned the radio off and listened to the song while watching Kites, it was perfection.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
A Grizedale (Cumbria) Red Kite has joined our red kites!
One of our members, Mick Render, sent me several photographs of three red kites he has seen up on the Pennines near the Derwent Reservoir.
I noticed on one of them the tag looked different, certainly not one of ours, but whose?
Our Home tags are pink, whereas this one sported an orange tag. I know that Yorkshire kites have orange tags, but this one looked too "new" to be one of their birds. Could it be a Cumbrian kite - they use orange as their Home colour.
I sent an email to Doug Simpson of the Yorkshire Kites and he replied saying it was undoubtedly a 2011 Grizedale kite.
We hope it will stay and possibly pair up with one of our kites next year.
One of our members, Mick Render, sent me several photographs of three red kites he has seen up on the Pennines near the Derwent Reservoir.
I noticed on one of them the tag looked different, certainly not one of ours, but whose?
Our Home tags are pink, whereas this one sported an orange tag. I know that Yorkshire kites have orange tags, but this one looked too "new" to be one of their birds. Could it be a Cumbrian kite - they use orange as their Home colour.
I sent an email to Doug Simpson of the Yorkshire Kites and he replied saying it was undoubtedly a 2011 Grizedale kite.
We hope it will stay and possibly pair up with one of our kites next year.
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In France, in the Dordogne and the Auvergne we have seen both Red and Black Kites. They are both interesting to watch. Certainly the French ones love swooping down onto the farm manure heaps!! Looking for worms no doubt!I envy you your sailing.......................
Thank you June :t::gh:
Great news to hear that you have seen both Red and Black Kites in the same area of France. It shows that Kites will go to any lengths to find food stuff, and worms might be a little snack for them but still it is protein and that is waht they want. o
Yes, we did see Red Kites but sadly no Black kites in our case in Menorca. We saw a few flying together and thought it may be a family of adults and juvs together.
The sailing was fabulous as always - and the good thing is that it givesd you another dimension into seeing 'waders' and 'birds' out at sea (the bay in my case) and we are thrilled to see Shags up close and personal each and every time.
Regards
Kathy
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Thank you June :t::gh:
Great news to hear that you have seen both Red and Black Kites in the same area of France. It shows that Kites will go to any lengths to find food stuff, and worms might be a little snack for them but still it is protein and that is waht they want. o
Yes, we did see Red Kites but sadly no Black kites in our case in Menorca. We saw a few flying together and thought it may be a family of adults and juvs together.
The sailing was fabulous as always - and the good thing is that it givesd you another dimension into seeing 'waders' and 'birds' out at sea (the bay in my case) and we are thrilled to see Shags up close and personal each and every time.
Regards
Kathy
x
Glad you had a lovely holiday, Kathy. I envy you the sailing.....years ago, I taught sailing - we used Enterprise 16-footers, which were quite lively.
I still have vivid memories of crewing in the National Championships off Anglesey.
Do read the preceding entry - all about our Cumbrian kite coming to join ours!! Very exciting!
Great to hear from a like-minded sailer, and that you like regattas:gh::t:
I have not heard of a enterprise 16-footers at all. i have only sailed in the past 5 years or so - so it might have been before my time.
At this moment of time, we sail in the Laser 2000, and hope to upgrade to a RS 200 next year. We tried the RS 400 and did not like it.
So it is getting a boat which is not as solid/robust as a Laser 2000, and has a bit more speed in it - so we will see what next year brings - a RS200 is in our sights now. :gh:
I will catch up on this thread about Kites as much as i can (just love them). The last best experience was seeing Red Kites at Otmoor Reserve, Oxford as they flew low enough for a couple of good photos or two. o
Regards
Kathy
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Red Kite watching in Gateshead's Derwent Valley
Attached is a map showing the access and designated route from Winlaton Mill to Kite Hill, overlooking the Nine Arches Viaduct.
The Red Kite buses run frequently between Newcastle City Centre and Consett.
Do come along and find out more about our beautiful Red Kites.
Attached is a map showing the access and designated route from Winlaton Mill to Kite Hill, overlooking the Nine Arches Viaduct.
The Red Kite buses run frequently between Newcastle City Centre and Consett.
Do come along and find out more about our beautiful Red Kites.
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It should be a good couple of days with so many Kites in that area.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
First red kite chick of 2012
Mick kindly sent in this lovely image of the first red kite chick to be ringed and tagged this year - F2 in Causey Gill, near Beamish in Co. Durham.
For all the news about this year's breeding go to:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
Image courtesy of Mick Render
Mick kindly sent in this lovely image of the first red kite chick to be ringed and tagged this year - F2 in Causey Gill, near Beamish in Co. Durham.
For all the news about this year's breeding go to:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
Image courtesy of Mick Render
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The weather hasn't been kind this year, the plus point is that last year’s chicks came through last winter well and the results of that should be seen next year.
We could do with more people reporting sightings, especially in spring as I talk to a lot of people who tell me they've seen Kites but never report the sightings so they can't be followed up.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Friends of Red kites welcome their first Patron, Trai Anfield
Friends of Red Kites are delighted to announce that Trai Anfield, well-known to everyone here in the north as a former BBC Weather Forecaster and Look North Presenter, has agreed to become our Patron.
In accepting this important role, Trai says:
“I am honoured to become Patron of such an important and successful conservation initiative as Friends of Red Kites. I have admired the work of the group since it started out in 2004 as the Northern Kites Project. It has been terrific to see such an iconic species as the red kite return to this area and flourish beyond expectations. The birds themselves are magnificent, and they bring benefits to the whole community.
However Friends of Red Kites work is far from over. We encourage local communities to learn about the birds and get involved in the project, monitor the population and strive to protect red kites and their prey species from deliberate and accidental poisoning. This unfortunately is a real problem, which has led to the deaths of a significant number of birds since their reintroduction. We will continue to work very closely with local landowners to prevent it.”
Friends of Red Kites was inaugurated in 2009, when the Northern Kites Project , begun in 2004 to re-introduce 94 young kites donated by the Chilterns group, ended. Too great a legacy had been left for the work not to be continued. A number of long-standing volunteers agreed to establish a group and become the guardians of these majestic birds of prey, which grace our skies and enrich people's lives. We have gone from strength to strength and our membership is now over three hundred.
We are extremely grateful to Trai for agreeing to be our Patron. We look forward to meeting her and sharing our future plans with her.
More about Trai -
Trai is best known as a weather forecaster and presenter for the BBC. Having recently left Look North she is going on to present Radio 4’s flagship wildlife programme Living World. She is also an exhibited photographer and Creative Director at Enlightened Media, her ethical media production company www.enlightenedmedia.net
June Atkinson Press and Publicity Officer 24 June 2012
Friends of Red Kites are delighted to announce that Trai Anfield, well-known to everyone here in the north as a former BBC Weather Forecaster and Look North Presenter, has agreed to become our Patron.
In accepting this important role, Trai says:
“I am honoured to become Patron of such an important and successful conservation initiative as Friends of Red Kites. I have admired the work of the group since it started out in 2004 as the Northern Kites Project. It has been terrific to see such an iconic species as the red kite return to this area and flourish beyond expectations. The birds themselves are magnificent, and they bring benefits to the whole community.
However Friends of Red Kites work is far from over. We encourage local communities to learn about the birds and get involved in the project, monitor the population and strive to protect red kites and their prey species from deliberate and accidental poisoning. This unfortunately is a real problem, which has led to the deaths of a significant number of birds since their reintroduction. We will continue to work very closely with local landowners to prevent it.”
Friends of Red Kites was inaugurated in 2009, when the Northern Kites Project , begun in 2004 to re-introduce 94 young kites donated by the Chilterns group, ended. Too great a legacy had been left for the work not to be continued. A number of long-standing volunteers agreed to establish a group and become the guardians of these majestic birds of prey, which grace our skies and enrich people's lives. We have gone from strength to strength and our membership is now over three hundred.
We are extremely grateful to Trai for agreeing to be our Patron. We look forward to meeting her and sharing our future plans with her.
More about Trai -
Trai is best known as a weather forecaster and presenter for the BBC. Having recently left Look North she is going on to present Radio 4’s flagship wildlife programme Living World. She is also an exhibited photographer and Creative Director at Enlightened Media, her ethical media production company www.enlightenedmedia.net
June Atkinson Press and Publicity Officer 24 June 2012
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
2012 ringing and tagging
Go to http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page11.htm
Click on the second image and it will take you to a pdf of the ringing and tagging of baby red kite F5 in a riverside garden in the Derwent Valley.
Go to http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page11.htm
Click on the second image and it will take you to a pdf of the ringing and tagging of baby red kite F5 in a riverside garden in the Derwent Valley.
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Another Cumbrian kite joins our kites at the Derwent Reservoir.
Again, we have received a photograph of a red kite over Muggleswick.
At first we thought it was our Wing Tag 23, Rosie, but it turns out to be a Cumbrian kite!
We hope to have their transmitter frequency, so that we can track the two of them.
We hope they will stay. It's got to be good for the gene pool!
Again, we have received a photograph of a red kite over Muggleswick.
At first we thought it was our Wing Tag 23, Rosie, but it turns out to be a Cumbrian kite!
We hope to have their transmitter frequency, so that we can track the two of them.
We hope they will stay. It's got to be good for the gene pool!
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Meet Wing Tag F6
Here is baby red kite F6, which has recently been ringed and tagged.
It was found injured, on the ground below the nest. Another chick was dead, probably because of the adverse weather conditions.
This baby was taken to the Vet who declared that the injuries were superficial, so it was taken into the rehab pen at Gibside, where volunteers, especially Allan Withrington, have been caring for it.
Today, a friend who lives near Bamburgh, brought a dead hare in a cool box. It was the victim of a roadkill. I took it to Allan, who will now have the job of feeding it to the chick.
This chick has some strange markings through its feathers, apparently a sign of a lack of food or nutrients and again a sign of bad weather affecting the kite's development.
It's now doing very well.
Here is baby red kite F6, which has recently been ringed and tagged.
It was found injured, on the ground below the nest. Another chick was dead, probably because of the adverse weather conditions.
This baby was taken to the Vet who declared that the injuries were superficial, so it was taken into the rehab pen at Gibside, where volunteers, especially Allan Withrington, have been caring for it.
Today, a friend who lives near Bamburgh, brought a dead hare in a cool box. It was the victim of a roadkill. I took it to Allan, who will now have the job of feeding it to the chick.
This chick has some strange markings through its feathers, apparently a sign of a lack of food or nutrients and again a sign of bad weather affecting the kite's development.
It's now doing very well.
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Fault Bars and Poor Seasonal Weather 2012
One of the most important things a bird does when a nestling is to grow a strong and well-formed covering of feathers. To achieve this, young birds require a regular supply of food, especially protein, which is a key component in the formation of keratin for the developmental of such feathers. These provide the means of locomotion, flight, weather-proofing and insulation for the first period of its life, until its first moult. Any deficiencies in the formation of these feathers may have a material impact on the subsequent survival prospects of the individual after fledging, either in the short or medium term. (Keith Bowey)
To read more go to http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
The attached photograph shows the feather striations......................
One of the most important things a bird does when a nestling is to grow a strong and well-formed covering of feathers. To achieve this, young birds require a regular supply of food, especially protein, which is a key component in the formation of keratin for the developmental of such feathers. These provide the means of locomotion, flight, weather-proofing and insulation for the first period of its life, until its first moult. Any deficiencies in the formation of these feathers may have a material impact on the subsequent survival prospects of the individual after fledging, either in the short or medium term. (Keith Bowey)
To read more go to http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
The attached photograph shows the feather striations......................
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Sad end for Shiver, Wing Tag 84
Shiver was born in 2006 in the Chilterns. She was later released in the Derwent Valley and paired up with WT T2, an Argaty kite from mid-Scotland. They were flourishing and raised chicks each year, this year producing one chick F2.
Sadly Shiver's body was found washed up on Redcar beach. The terrible rainy weather probably caused her to be swept into the watercourses in the Causey Gill area and swept out to sea.
For an article by Tony Henderson of the Journal's Environment page, go to:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page3.htm
Shiver was born in 2006 in the Chilterns. She was later released in the Derwent Valley and paired up with WT T2, an Argaty kite from mid-Scotland. They were flourishing and raised chicks each year, this year producing one chick F2.
Sadly Shiver's body was found washed up on Redcar beach. The terrible rainy weather probably caused her to be swept into the watercourses in the Causey Gill area and swept out to sea.
For an article by Tony Henderson of the Journal's Environment page, go to:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page3.htm
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Hi June
I hate to hear these stories about any well known BoP's - sorry to hear of this tragedy.
The weather has taken its toll this years on wildlife in all its various forms. :-C
The Ospreys chicks (CCTV'd in certain reserves) have been badly hit, so there seems to be news of all sorts in any fields that you look into this year.
Regards
Kathy
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