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Friends of Red Kites - in the North East of England (2 Viewers)

Health Walk

Why not come and join the Friends of Red Kites on Monday next, 28th September.
All the details are on the Poster in a recent message. It's an opportunity to meet new people, and hopefully, see some kites. Yes, they are about; a dozen have been seen flying in the lower Derwent Valley.
 
Roost Watch Monday 28 September 09

Half a dozen Friends of Red Kites gathered again at the Bus Stop, at Sherburn Towers at about 4pm.
Two kites were already there, roosting in the farm copse opposite; gradually more came drifting in from all directions! Eight were roosting as Leonard and I left, so more may have arrived after that.
They seem to like the copse as a pre-roost, before going either to Sherburn Wood or towards Gibside for the night.
Images show them flying over the fields and nearing the copse. One kite approaching me is showing a number of specific details:
the transmitter on the nape of the neck;
the tail twisting and acting as a rudder;
the lovely "fingers" at the ends of the wings.
Just wish I had had a better zoom! Maybe we can persuade someone to come and have a go! At times, the kites are right above your head!
 

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Half a dozen Friends of Red Kites gathered again at the Bus Stop, at Sherburn Towers at about 4pm.
Two kites were already there, roosting in the farm copse opposite; gradually more came drifting in from all directions! Eight were roosting as Leonard and I left, so more may have arrived after that.
They seem to like the copse as a pre-roost, before going either to Sherburn Wood or towards Gibside for the night.
Images show them flying over the fields and nearing the copse. One kite approaching me is showing a number of specific details:
the transmitter on the nape of the neck;
the tail twisting and acting as a rudder;
the lovely "fingers" at the ends of the wings.
Just wish I had had a better zoom! Maybe we can persuade someone to come and have a go! At times, the kites are right above your head!

I might be tempted when I have some free time.
 
The Kites are beckoning Mick!

I might be tempted when I have some free time.

Yes, please do. Being i/c the Newsletter for FoRK, I'm always on the look-out for superb images!
Seriously, it should be getting more interesting as the autumn progresses and the kites develop their winter roost patterns.:t:
 

Yes, please do. Being i/c the Newsletter for FoRK, I'm always on the look-out for superb images!
Seriously, it should be getting more interesting as the autumn progresses and the kites develop their winter roost patterns.:t:

I'll probably try to get to Rowlands Gill over the weekend if possible as I haven't been for months.
 
I managed to take a few before the light was too bad.
 

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Photos

I managed to take a few before the light was too bad.

Well done, Mick! No. 6 is a 2004 first year release, adopted by Highfield Community Primary School, Gateshead, and is called Flame.
Read all the latest news of Flame here: http://www.northernkites.org.uk/updates2004.htm

The others are good, too. Interesting how the last one is very similar in silhouette to the one which I took, and added in a previous post.

May I send in your image to Gateshead Council, with today's date, so that the report can be up-dated to include your sighting on the Northern Kites website, now being done by G.C.? Of course, your name will be added. Can't promise it will be used, but we'll use it on our website, when we have got it more clearly established. I may even be able to include one in our next Friends ' Newsletter, if you allow me?

It would be a huge help if you could send me these four at a higher resolution - to my virgin.net address. TIA.
 
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Well done, Mick! No. 6 is a 2004 first year release, adopted by Highfield Community Primary School, Gateshead, and is called Flame.
Read all the latest news of Flame here: http://www.northernkites.org.uk/updates2004.htm

The others are good, too. Interesting how the last one is very similar in silhouette to the one which I took, and added in a previous post.

May I send in your image to Gateshead Council, with today's date, so that the report can be up-dated to include your sighting on the Northern Kites website, now being done by G.C.? Of course, your name will be added. Can't promise it will be used, but we'll use it on our website, when we have got it more clearly established. I may even be able to include one in our next Friends ' Newsletter, if you allow me?

It would be a huge help if you could send me these four at a higher resolution - to my virgin.net address. TIA.

I think I also managed to get a photograph of WT76 although I couldn't get a clear single WT. I could see a 7 on one wing and what looked like a 6 on the other.

I'll upload them somewhere and let you have a link.
 
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Wing Tag A2 at Sherburn Towers

Thanks very much for catching this lovely shot of A2, albeit, as you say, in the fading light.
Ken has just sent me an up-date for our local Kites, to which I can add this sighting for the next Newsletter.

June



WTA2 was at Sherburn Towers tonight, it was late so the light was poor.
 
Red Kite Safari

Come and join our ‘Red Kite Safari’ from the Black Horse Pub at Barlow on Saturday, 7th November, at 10.30 a.m. It’s a chance to meet new friends, explore the lower Derwent Valley and enjoy wildlife in the company of enthusiastic members of FoRK.


The kites are becoming more active, and if you're a photographer, you could have a good chance to get some lovely images.
 
Come and join our ‘Red Kite Safari’ from the Black Horse Pub at Barlow on Saturday, 7th November, at 10.30 a.m. It’s a chance to meet new friends, explore the lower Derwent Valley and enjoy wildlife in the company of enthusiastic members of FoRK.


The kites are becoming more active, and if you're a photographer, you could have a good chance to get some lovely images.

June,

Do you have the use of the pub car park for this or is it on foot only?
 
It looks like Red Kites need all the friends they can get, up there in the North of England!

Rare bird of prey found poisoned

This unfortunate bird had actually survived being shot, only to later be poisoned.

Perhaps Yorkshire folk don't want rare birds ... or Tourists! :C

Dick
 
Kite Safari

June,

Do you have the use of the pub car park for this or is it on foot only?

I'll double check this, Mick, but normally we are welcome to park our cars there- Steve the Landlord only opens the pub at week-ends, so you should be fine.
We're off to Yorkshire tomorrow until Wednesday, so look for an answer on Thursday.

Not sure I can make this one, as we are due to go to our Health Centre for flu jabs - that very morning, unless I can change to another date.

Sad to hear of the Yorkshire kite being poisoned..... hope we might see something of their birds this week. Camera at the ready!

June
 
hi June

I thought I would say hello to you as it has been a while now. Hope all is well with yourself :gh:

I have just noticed your thread here. I really enjoyed reading all the events as they have unfolded here.

The pictures are fabulous too.

I was at Inverness last weekend, and a Red Kite was noted flying close to the Kessock bridge. It noted by other birders at the time.
Wish we saw it too - but there will be other times I am sure of that. o:)

Anyway I will read this thread with interest. o:)o:)

Regards
Kathy
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Good to hear from you, Kathy

This is a nice surprise! It's kind of you to contribute to our new thread for the Friends of Red Kites here in the North East.
Glad you have the chance of seeing kites in your area.
Keep in touch, and hope all is well with you.
June




hi June

I thought I would say hello to you as it has been a while now. Hope all is well with yourself :gh:

I have just noticed your thread here. I really enjoyed readijg all the events as they have unfolded here.

The pictures are fabulous too.

I was at Inverness last weekend, and a Red Kite was noted flying close to the Kessock bridge. It noted by other birders at the time.
Wish we saw it too - but there will be other times I am sure of that. o:)

Anyway I will read this thread with interest. o:)o:)

Regards
Kathy
x
 
This is a nice surprise! It's kind of you to contribute to our new thread for the Friends of Red Kites here in the North East.
Glad you have the chance of seeing kites in your area.
Keep in touch, and hope all is well with you.
June

Hi June

Thank for your 'kind' reply. :gh:

Love your threads, and it is a good ideas to keep all Red Kite people well informed here.

We have seen no Kites in the Bedford area yet (unless you know different) but we wil carry on wishing.

Love to know your thoughts about Red Kites in my area?

Regards
Kathy
x
 
Hi June

We have seen no Kites in the Bedford area yet (unless you know different) but we wil carry on wishing.

Peewit, just to let you know, I receive emails of kite sightings all over the UK, and Beds is one where several sightings have been reported to me.
 
Peewit, just to let you know, I receive emails of kite sightings all over the UK, and Beds is one where several sightings have been reported to me.

hi Helen

Thank you for letting me know.

I would love to know where the birds where seen. If a PM is more appropriate I will be happy to find out that way too.

We are in the Bedford Group for your information.

:-O:-O:-O

Regards
Kathy
x
 
Trip to see our Yorkshire cousins

Leonard and I had a couple of days in Harrogate. Doug Simpson of the Yorkshire Kite re-introduction scheme, based at Harewood House, kindly gave us instructions as to where we might best see any kites.
Since two of our Northern Kites, Speedy WT1 and Scarlet WT2 decided to abscond and find partners in Doug's Domaine, we were keen to see if we could find them amongst the other kites. Clever kites... with their respective partners, they have raised at least six chicks!

Yesterday, Tuesday, 28th October was a bright sunny day, so off we went - an attached map shows where we went, and I have marked where we saw the Red Kites. The entrance to the Harewood Estate from the junction to Wike leads you onto a bridle pathway, looking towards Harewood House. Three kites were floating on the thermals just above the near fields looking towards the House.
My best sighting was the northern one near the roundabout. I attach a pic, but, although the kite flew low at first, it then soared high into the sky, and I couldn't do any better than this. At least the silhouette is very kitey!

It was good to see that, despite the recent poisoning in Otley, these kites looked active and well. We saw no tags, so Speedy and Scarlet, if you were there, it was good to meet you again!

 

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