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Friends of Red Kites - in the North East of England (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter June Atkinson
- Start date
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Far Pastures kite
Lovely shots, Paul. We are seeing the remains of a frog's legs aren't we?
I think this is Wing Tag 76, Chester, a 2006 kite. He and his mate have had three chicks, which were too advanced to be ringed and tagged!
I have saved them to your folder, and will be very glad to use them on our website, with your continued permission.
Lovely shots, Paul. We are seeing the remains of a frog's legs aren't we?
I think this is Wing Tag 76, Chester, a 2006 kite. He and his mate have had three chicks, which were too advanced to be ringed and tagged!
I have saved them to your folder, and will be very glad to use them on our website, with your continued permission.
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June,
Many thanks for the information. Chester is a favourite of mine as you know. He was very busy fending off a buzzard and the usual jackdaws and crows today.
You have permission to do as you see fit with any of the photographs that I post here as always.
Paul.
Many thanks for the information. Chester is a favourite of mine as you know. He was very busy fending off a buzzard and the usual jackdaws and crows today.
You have permission to do as you see fit with any of the photographs that I post here as always.
Paul.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
June Atkinson
Well-known member
This year's red kite chicks
Some of our chicks were just a little ahead of the game and were too big and frisky to be wing tagged or ringed.
One or two were also too small, and were only ringed before being taken back up and placed in the nest.
All the chicks look really healthy and are doing well. Go to the page on our website to see more about this important time in the calendar for the volunteers and the red kite pairs busily brooding their young.
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page11.htm
Some of our chicks were just a little ahead of the game and were too big and frisky to be wing tagged or ringed.
One or two were also too small, and were only ringed before being taken back up and placed in the nest.
All the chicks look really healthy and are doing well. Go to the page on our website to see more about this important time in the calendar for the volunteers and the red kite pairs busily brooding their young.
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page11.htm
Attachments
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Two Kitewatches coming up
The first Kitewatch is also part of Festival North East, on Sunday 23rd June on Kite Hill.
The second is an extra special Kitewatch at Lintzford Garden Centre, where there is a nest with young. We have special permission to hold our Kitewatch in the car park of the Garden Centre on Tuesday 25th June.
All the the details and the map showing directions to Kite Hill can be seen here:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page14.htm
The first Kitewatch is also part of Festival North East, on Sunday 23rd June on Kite Hill.
The second is an extra special Kitewatch at Lintzford Garden Centre, where there is a nest with young. We have special permission to hold our Kitewatch in the car park of the Garden Centre on Tuesday 25th June.
All the the details and the map showing directions to Kite Hill can be seen here:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page14.htm
June Atkinson
Well-known member
I'm having this!
This is amazing! And isn't he menacing.............. it looks like chicken.
I've added it to your folder Paul and hope to upload it soon, with your permission as always.
This is amazing! And isn't he menacing.............. it looks like chicken.
I've added it to your folder Paul and hope to upload it soon, with your permission as always.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Your super image is now here, Paul:
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
Many thanks, as always.
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
Many thanks, as always.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Feeding red kites - for the wrong reason
On our website, I have added an article by Dr. Tim Harrison of the BTO in which we are advised about feeding red kites.
Unfortunately, at Far Pastures recently some photographers were throwing food in order to encourage the kites to fly near enough to photograph them.
What they may not have realised is that these kites had three chicks in the nest and were prevented, for some considerable time, from returning to feed their young.
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
On our website, I have added an article by Dr. Tim Harrison of the BTO in which we are advised about feeding red kites.
Unfortunately, at Far Pastures recently some photographers were throwing food in order to encourage the kites to fly near enough to photograph them.
What they may not have realised is that these kites had three chicks in the nest and were prevented, for some considerable time, from returning to feed their young.
http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk/page10.htm
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June,
Please be assured that I have never fed any of the Red Kites I have photographed at Far Pastures nor have I ever been witness to this by anybody else when I have been there. I am always very careful to give consideration to the birds and can honestly say that I have never saw anybody acting in a reckless or irresponsible manner at Far Pastures.
It does look as if on one of the more recent shots that I took of one of the birds perched that is has a chicken breast as you would see pre-packaged from a supermarket.
All of my pictures are very heavily cropped as I am always quite a distance away. All of my recent photographs are taken with a 600mm lens with a 1.4 teleconverter. This gives an effective lens of 840mm. The exif data is never stripped from my photographs and should be there for all to see. If you ever require any of my shots out of the camera to show you the amount of crop and thereby my distance from the birds, then do not hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Paul.
Please be assured that I have never fed any of the Red Kites I have photographed at Far Pastures nor have I ever been witness to this by anybody else when I have been there. I am always very careful to give consideration to the birds and can honestly say that I have never saw anybody acting in a reckless or irresponsible manner at Far Pastures.
It does look as if on one of the more recent shots that I took of one of the birds perched that is has a chicken breast as you would see pre-packaged from a supermarket.
All of my pictures are very heavily cropped as I am always quite a distance away. All of my recent photographs are taken with a 600mm lens with a 1.4 teleconverter. This gives an effective lens of 840mm. The exif data is never stripped from my photographs and should be there for all to see. If you ever require any of my shots out of the camera to show you the amount of crop and thereby my distance from the birds, then do not hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Paul.
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Paul,
Please don't feel that there was any suggestion that I included you in the mention about the feeding which is being done.
I know that you always work from a distance and are careful to observe the rules regarding Schedule 1 birds of prey.
One of our members was there for five hours and observed two photographers throwing meat to attract Chester and his mate.
But this meant that, in all that time, the parents didn't return to the nest in the wood yard. He did speak to them and explained.
The advice added on our website is meant to protect the kites and enable photographers to work within the rules covering Schedule 1 Birds of prey.
You will agree with this, I'm sure.
Please don't feel that there was any suggestion that I included you in the mention about the feeding which is being done.
I know that you always work from a distance and are careful to observe the rules regarding Schedule 1 birds of prey.
One of our members was there for five hours and observed two photographers throwing meat to attract Chester and his mate.
But this meant that, in all that time, the parents didn't return to the nest in the wood yard. He did speak to them and explained.
The advice added on our website is meant to protect the kites and enable photographers to work within the rules covering Schedule 1 Birds of prey.
You will agree with this, I'm sure.
It seems there's one set of rules for the public and an entirely different set of rules for wildlife organisations.. One minute were told certain practices are detrimental to the well being of the kites, but these practices are still being carried out by people who call themselves experts...
One thing I found shocking visiting the centre in mid-Wales about ten years ago was the boast by the person feeding the kites claiming they fed 90lb's of meat each day to the kites.. and another boast claimed at times they had up to 600 birds coming to feed.. The first thing which struck me was that there must be some individuals completely reliant on this handout.. Secondly with such a small population of kites, 600 birds hanging about mostly in one area of Wales does nothing to encourage their dispersal.. They should have cut back on the amount they fed them years ago to encourage them to disperse.. Also what happens when a kite reliant on handouts gets older and younger faster birds get to the food before him?? They died not having learned to live off the land..
The Red Kite has been established and out of danger for many years now and their numbers have been naturally spreading despite my earlier criticism of feeding methods.. What I don't understand given what's happened to the Hen Harrier why release schemes have sprung up all over the UK costing a great deal of money to release a bird which is no longer in danger.. Surely it would have less impact on other species if they were allowed to disperse naturally rather than have a new predator suddenly appear out of nowhere???
It seems to me these Red Kite release schemes in recent years have been more about what people want rather than what's good for the environment...
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
Red Kites still in danger
Sadly, the red kites are still in danger. In one year alone, we lost four adults to carbofuran poisoning and a chick was left to die in the nest.
Yorkshire Kites, too, face similar losses, despite measures put in place to protect the kites.
Here in the north east, we would not establish a Feeding Station. The Derwent Valley habitat is suitable and the kites forage naturally. At three places I have visited, where kites are being fed, all I witness is these majestic birds of prey becoming accustomed to sitting in the trees adjoining the Feeding Station until food is put out - and this was shown graphically on Springwatch recently - in shovelfuls, at which point they all descend en masse, grab talonsful and make off to feed. Until the next feeding time.
They are losing the ability to forage and lack the will and necessity to disperse.
We cannot prevent people from putting out food for the kites, but we can offer advice as to what kind of food should or more importantly, should not be offered.
Sadly, the red kites are still in danger. In one year alone, we lost four adults to carbofuran poisoning and a chick was left to die in the nest.
Yorkshire Kites, too, face similar losses, despite measures put in place to protect the kites.
Here in the north east, we would not establish a Feeding Station. The Derwent Valley habitat is suitable and the kites forage naturally. At three places I have visited, where kites are being fed, all I witness is these majestic birds of prey becoming accustomed to sitting in the trees adjoining the Feeding Station until food is put out - and this was shown graphically on Springwatch recently - in shovelfuls, at which point they all descend en masse, grab talonsful and make off to feed. Until the next feeding time.
They are losing the ability to forage and lack the will and necessity to disperse.
We cannot prevent people from putting out food for the kites, but we can offer advice as to what kind of food should or more importantly, should not be offered.
Did you even bother to read the third paragraph where June mentioned that "What they may not have realised is that these kites had three chicks in the nest and were prevented, for some considerable time, from returning to feed their young"? Those three chicks are over 15% on the known total chicks which have survived this year in our area.
The instance June has mentioned was a landscape photographer who thought that it would be a good idea to get a photograph of a Red Kite so he popped into Asda and purchased a ready cooked chicken. He then got his mate and they sat under a tree for five hours waiting for the Kites to come down and eat the chicken. Thirty or so yards away was a nest which contained three chicks who had to wait hours to be fed because the parents wouldn't go near the nest, they presumably didn't want to draw attention to the fact that they had young so close. The photographer wasn’t interested in birds and wasn’t a member of Bird Forum, is it wrong for June to let forum members know what is happening? At least people on here will have an idea of what to look out for and hopefully advise others not to feed cooked meat and not to sit under a vitally important nest for five hours.
Some of the photographs and information provided by members of Bird Forum have been brilliant and I know June values the input of the forum members. The information is also valued by those who go out and spend many, many hours every week monitoring the Red Kites over a vast area.
Also, nowhere in the link posted by June does it tell people not to feed the Red Kites. As far as I'm aware the stance on feeding Red Kites in and around Gateshead is that it is up to the individual to make their own decision without getting to the stage where Red Kites are seen as pests like they are in this link http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9506531.Once_rare_red_kites__are_becoming_a_pest_/.
I don’t understand why one species has to be played off against the other so I’ll not ask you for global figures on Hen Harrier and Red Kite populations. We’ll get nowhere if we’re going to concentrate on individual species of Birds of Prey because our numbers become diluted. I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “divide and conquer”. I think that’s part of the reason why Bird of Prey persecution still goes on, we’re too weak to make a difference. Personally, I care about all species while mainly doing what I can to help one, without putting one before the other.
What species are the Red Kites impacting on? I've read about one instance of Red Kites predating on Black Headed Gull chicks and I firmly believe that Red Kites are almost certain to kill to eat if they can’t find enough carrion. So far I am yet to see this happen and I’ve spent more hours than I can account for watching them and only seen those taking worms from a field or eating already dead animals. I’ve watched Kites flying over a field which was infested with rabbits, both old and young and the Kites made no attempt to make what looked like an easy kill. I’ve seen Kites flying over the moors while below were a lot of young Curlew, Red Grouse and Lapwings which would have made a relatively easy meal and I have yet to see a single attempt to take one.
Also, your last sentence is based on what exactly? People do benefit but so does the environment in many ways. I can only comment on my area and what is happening here. Red Kites were re-introduced at a cost but that was only necessary because we cleared the area of Red Kites in the first place so we’ve had to spend money to right a wrong.
Hopefully people will go into the countryside to watch our Red Kites and see what is happening and start to show the same disgust at the senseless killing of Birds of Prey which was shown towards fox hunting which eventually put an end to that disgusting sport. We need more people on our side to get something done about the problem which we all know about but seems to go un-noticed amongst the general public.
The whole environment is and will benefit because of the re-introduction as what benefits Red Kites also benefits other Birds of Prey. Kites are being poisoned as June has said and people are actively going out and trying to stop this by highlighting the problem and trying to make people aware of the consequences of their actions.
Not every person who poisons a Red Kite or any other bird for that matter does so intentionally, some people think that they can indiscriminately lay poisoned baits for a fox and only a fox will take it and they are wrong. Hopefully they will move away from using poisons to kill anything.
People up here are giving up a lot of free time to go into schools and educating children; they also go into community centres and give presentations to adults. This doesn’t cost you or the government a penny and is unlikely to have happened without the re-introduction. The Northern Kites Project came to an end in July 2007 yet here we are, almost in July 12013 and many people are still carrying out work for the benefit of this species directly and many other species indirectly yet government funding ended years ago.
The results of trying to educate kids may be decades away but it is going on and it will benefit the environment in the long term and it will hopefully have a more lasting effect than trying to prevent one individual from laying a poisoned bait.
I would say that the number of people in my area who now know about and care about Red Kites is significant. People actively travel to areas where they can see Red Kites and they travel as families as well as individuals, it’s not just blokes wearing camouflage clothes and big telescopes.
The more we can get families into the countryside the better and like it or not, Red Kites are doing that and I would think that is part of the reason they were re-introduced. They aren’t scared of man and you don’t have to walk for miles to see them so they are perfect in that respect.
Gateshead now has Red Kites and they are slowly spreading west and south but the process is slow because people (a minority) are still the barrier, not habitat. I’ve been watching Kites today which are 14 miles away from the original re-introduction area and that’s 9 years after the first release. At one time they managed to set up a breeding territory approximately 30 miles away before being poisoned. http://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/Articles/Illegal-poison-used-to-kill-Teesdale-s-red-kite
Kites released or born in our area are showing up in Scotland, Yorkshire and other areas, we are getting Kites from other areas so they are moving, it’s just very slow progress which is being hampered by man and our recent poor seasons.
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Cinerous... there was some unexpected downtime on the site from yesterday late afternoon.... many posts and pictures have been lost, and some people may have had to log in again - please go to the Site Notice Board for more information.
None of your posts have been deleted or moderated.
None of your posts have been deleted or moderated.
Thank you Delia, sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion.. But I did find it odd others were still able to access and post on the site last night and I couldn't even get access to the site at all.. and then after a great deal of messing about today finally made it onto the site to find my last two posts had disappeared was disconcerting...
No-one was able to access the site, nor post, from about 6pm last night.
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