4 August Up-date on kites
I have permission to post the following information: :news:
Northern Kites – Volunteers Update, Early August 2005
2005 Releases and Birds
The last of 2005’s 41 young birds will be released on 5th August, along with Spark (WT11), who, after a month in the London Zoo Veterinary hospital, is being given one last attempt at making it in the wild.
Supplementary feeding of this year’s young kites will continue for a few more days until the youngsters have “found their wings”. The provision of food has kept many of this year’s released birds in the Lower Derwent valley, but as they gain in confidence over the next couple of weeks or so, and get their bearings, they will be much more active in ranging and are likely to be seen foraging in outlying areas.
Of the 39 birds released so far this year, 37 are still in the ‘local’ area (i.e. the lower Derwent valley/Barlow Burn and immediate surrounds). Two of this year’s juveniles, WT23 and WT25, dispersed very quickly and had left the lower Derwent valley within a week. WT25 has not been tracked since (whereabouts unknown) but following a report of a kite being seen at North Bitchburn, near Howden-le-Wear in Weardale on the 1st August, radio-tracking (on 2nd) confirmed that this was WT23 - it was found a few miles to the west, near to McNeil Bottoms, to the northwest of Witton-le-Wear. The following morning it was at Hamsterley; the sixth bird that has been recorded in Teesdale.
2004 Birds: Updates
Some of last year’s kites continue to ‘come and go’ from the lower Derwent valley. There are three birds that look to be settled locally, WT6, WT9 & WT 19(Ruby). They appear to be playing “auntie” to groups of juvenile kites. WT9 appears to have been shepherding young kites over to the Barlow Burn and six to seven young birds have been tracked in that area over the last week.
WT 15 was last noted in the Lower Derwent Valley on 27th July. WT18 was noted at Snod’s Edge (Northumberland) at the top of the Derwent Valley on the 15th July, then later that day radio-tracked to Spennymoor, and heading south. He has subsequently been back to the Derwent valley. WT8 (Rufus) was observed with a juvenile (WT21 – the Winlaton Phoenix) at Hedley-on-the-Hill on the 13th July but then not radio-tracked again until the 2nd August, when he was in the Tyne Valley. His signal ‘disappeared’ and his exact location could not be determined, despite a drive up the valley as far as Haydon Bridge. WT3 & WT5 continue to ‘hang out’ together at Blackton Beck, Eggleston in Teesdale, and have been observed making foraging trips to the Stanhope area in Weardale.
Further a-field, Doug Simpson in Yorkshire has ‘got - or had’ two of our birds down there. WT16 has been in the Harewood area for a couple of weeks (after being over Rowlands Gill on the morning of this year’s first release, 8th July) and WT2, the famous wandering Scarlet, was there yesterday!
We are still getting unconfirmed reports of kites in Northumberland, which are probably (possibly?) of WT13 & WT14. The former seems to be in the northern central (Wooler?) area, the latter bird at various localities describing an arc, north of Newcastle City, between North Tyneside and Newcastle Airport.
Update prepared 4/8/2005 by Ken Sanderson & Alan Hart, with additional details from Keith Bowey and Doug Simpson
Keith also suggests "If people are going to Far Pasture to see kites , perhaps it would be worth emphasising that people should go to in to the hide at Far Pasture (keys available from Thornley Woodland Centre, £2 - contact number 01207 545427) if they are looking for kites as heavy vehicles (slurry tankers) regularly access the STW and consequently there are significant safety issues (especially with the tall hedges in that area)".
So, folks, I hope this gives you plenty of suggestions and information - happy kite-spotting!! :clap: :clap: :clap:
