Buckinghamshire Red Kite turns up in Scotland (1 Viewer)

JTweedie

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2010

• #1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11082812

Quite interesting that of all the places it turned up was at a feeding station.

It made me wonder if birds have some way of communicating with each other - is it possible that food sources are communicated amongst birds, and in particular birds like Red Kites that mix in large groups?

 

dbradnum

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2010

• #2

Would've thought it's far more likely that birds at feeding stations are more closely studied than those elsewhere, and therefore there is a skew towards re-sightings occurring at these sites.

 

JTweedie

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2010

• #3

That's true, but what are the chances of one bird flying all that way and turning up at a feeding station? When you think that it will have had the whole of the UK to fly over, it turned up there of all places.

I imagine that birds like these would be able to see other birds circling over areas from a distance, but it's still such a small chance of going all that way.

 

dbradnum

Well-known member

• Aug 26, 2010

• #4

JTweedie said:

That's true, but what are the chances of one bird flying all that way and turning up at a feeding station? When you think that it will have had the whole of the UK to fly over, it turned up there of all places.

I imagine that birds like these would be able to see other birds circling over areas from a distance, but it's still such a small chance of going all that way.

Click to expand...

I reckon the chances of {going all that way} and {{going all that way} AND {being noted at a feeding station}} are not a million miles apart.

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Aug 27, 2010

• #5

Still fascinating. One of our wintering birds down here on the South Downs comes each year from the Black Isle

 

Marmot

Well-known member

• Aug 27, 2010

• #6

If my memory is correct one of the Northern Kites [Newcastle area] went down to the ones based at Harewood House [York area] and even paired up whilst down there.

 

Kits

Picture Picker

Social Media Editor

• Aug 27, 2010

• #7

JTweedie said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11082812

Quite interesting that of all the places it turned up was at a feeding station.

It made me wonder if birds have some way of communicating with each other - is it possible that food sources are communicated amongst birds, and in particular birds like Red Kites that mix in large groups?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if birds do have some way of communicating food sources. It would make interesting research.

However, I imagine it is because it was at a feeding station that it was noted. It may well have had other stops en route which went unnoticed.

Interesting story.

 

mike from ebbw

Well-known member

• Aug 28, 2010

• #8

Here in Wales we have Kites turn up from all over the UK.
At Gigrin Farm there are regular visits from the Scottish birds at feeding time.

 

Helen O

Anything that flies

• Sep 2, 2010

• #9

I received a first sighting report of this particular bird back in June, not far from where it fledged, here in the Chilterns. So it made its journey up north some time after the end of June.

Regarding feeding stations, it's the obvious place to spot wing tagged kites who are flying low enough to be able to positively identify the tag.

I've also had Midland birds reported in the Chilterns, as well as the one who took a fancy to perching in my garden!