Friends of Red Kites - in the North East of England (15 Viewers)

[June Atkinson]

Roost Watch Saturday 8 November

We have a committee meeting on Monday 3 November. I'll bring up the possibility of providing a lift for two BF members from the Durham area. I'd be willing to do one run certainly.

June that is very kind of you, thankyou so much, it will be a couple of weeks before i set a date, unemployed at the moment so moneys tight but ill get there wild horses wont stop me and it will be nice to meet up with yourself and some of the other volunteers, looking forward to it already, again thankyou so much for your kind offer.

Damian

 

[dannyboy]

I've been to the roost today and counted 35 Kites so the number is slowly increasing. At first I thought that it was going to be a poor night for Kites actually roosting as I had only seen 5 drop into the roost at Paddock Hill and all of a sudden 30 Kites appeared from the direction of the farm. I've seen more Kites flying out of trees when disturbed but I have never see so many Kites just suddenly appear from nowhere.

I was able to ID 2 Kites, J4 and probably more importantly, probably A6.

Excellent news Mick about the sighting of A6.I've not been to his nesting sight for a couple of months now after his adventure. Great to see he is healthy and still around :t::t:

 

[Mickr]

Excellent news Mick about the sighting of A6.I've not been to his nesting sight for a couple of months now after his adventure. Great to see he is healthy and still around :t::t:

I can't say I'm 100% sure it was A6, a few minutes either side of the Kite showing up and I would have had photographs, I had been messing about with video and had filled my memory card. I was kicking myself and deservedly so as I looked through the camera and the 6 was a plain as day, the letter not so.

I went back on Sunday but the light was terrible and I even tried a 40mm f2.8 lens as my long lens couldn't find focus.

I think I photographed 23 or 24 on the attached photograph, the photograph isn't too good but that has to be accepted at ISO 1250

 

[dannyboy]

I can't say I'm 100% sure it was A6, a few minutes either side of the Kite showing up and I would have had photographs, I had been messing about with video and had filled my memory card. I was kicking myself and deservedly so as I looked through the camera and the 6 was a plain as day, the letter not so.

I went back on Sunday but the light was terrible and I even tried a 40mm f2.8 lens as my long lens couldn't find focus.

I think I photographed 23 or 24 on the attached photograph, the photograph isn't too good but that has to be accepted at ISO 1250

Mick sounds good for A6 to me I'm going out on Friday to look at the Roost not decided whether to take the camera or scope I'll see how the weather goes but will look closely for A6

 

[dannyboy]

Roost Watch

Roost watch tonight at Nine Arches Viaduct had 35 plus kites coming in. Number most likely was 40 plus as there were 35 kites in the sky at one time the most I have ever seen and what a sight it was. Utterly amazing. Kites had been going in and out of different areas so some would have been in trees when the 35 were seen in the air together. I was unable to get any positive tag identities but Mike another of our Monitoring team did.

 

[June Atkinson]

Roost Watch goes live on Radio Northumberland

I spent an hour this afternoon with Keith Newman, who kindly recorded a message about our Roost Watch. It will go out at intervals in the coming week on Radio Northumberland.

Keith now runs his PR company from his boat Highlights which is currently moored in St. Peter's Marina. She is a lovely little craft and ideal as Keith's floating office!

We are very grateful for Keith's continued support and interest.

Roost watch tonight at Nine Arches Viaduct had 35 plus kites coming in. Number most likely was 40 plus as there were 35 kites in the sky at one time the most I have ever seen and what a sight it was. Utterly amazing. Kites had been going in and out of different areas so some would have been in trees when the 35 were seen in the air together. I was unable to get any positive tag identities but Mike another of our Monitoring team did.

 

[Mickr]

We had another good evening at the roost today, I managed to ID D5. Alan counted 41 on his clicker and I counted 34 in the air at the same time so all in all, another good night. The temperature has hardly dropped so I think we'll have quite a few more arriving as the weeks go by and it gets colder.


Edit.


I've also ID'd G3 & H0.

 

[June Atkinson]

Kites are gathering!

Good news, Mick. Let's hope that we have decent weather next Saturday!

We had another good evening at the roost today, I managed to ID D5. Alan counted 41 on his clicker and I counted 34 in the air at the same time so all in all, another good night. The temperature has hardly dropped so I think we'll have quite a few more arriving as the weeks go by and it gets colder.


Edit.


I've also ID'd G3 & H0.

 

[Mickr]

Good news, Mick. Let's hope that we have decent weather next Saturday!

Hi June.

I also hope the weather is fine and with a bit of luck, it will be.

I may have also ID'd WTG6 but I will have to have another look at that one as the light was poor when it was seen.

We had 3 roosts tonight, the first at Paddock Hill only had 1 Kite that I know for sure went into those trees. The 2nd was towards Lockhaugh Farm, that is where most of the Kites were. Between 8 and 10 headed towards the manor house but it was very dark by that time, they left it very late to move on.

It's as if the Kites haven't decided where to settle yet.

 

[June Atkinson]

Email message sent to you Mick

Have you received the email I sent to your personal address Mick - about the Roost Watch transport? I'll send it via the PM on BF in case it didn't reach you.

Hi June.

I also hope the weather is fine and with a bit of luck, it will be.

I may have also ID'd WTG6 but I will have to have another look at that one as the light was poor when it was seen.

We had 3 roosts tonight, the first at Paddock Hill only had 1 Kite that I know for sure went into those trees. The 2nd was towards Lockhaugh Farm, that is where most of the Kites were. Between 8 and 10 headed towards the manor house but it was very dark by that time, they left it very late to move on.

It's as if the Kites haven't decided where to settle yet.

 

[Mickr]

Have you received the email I sent to your personal address Mick - about the Roost Watch transport? I'll send it via the PM on BF in case it didn't reach you.

My e-mail address has changed, I will e-mail you in a few minutes so that you have my new one.

 

[Mickr]

What time do the first ones start to turn up in the afternoon?

15:30 today but the numbers were building from 16:00 until they settled down at roughly 17:00 so really the last hour or so of daylight.

 

[Mickr]

A noisy photo of D5.

 

[dannyboy]

Public Roost Watch

Very enjoyable time at the roost watch last night. A good turn out despite the miserable weather. It was dark cold and damp but the kites thrilled as ever and put a smile on everyone's faces. Between 40 and 45 kites came into roost with 22 kites seen in the sky at the same time. I'm sure everyone who attended were pleased they did.

 

[June Atkinson]

Roost Watch


Glad it turned out well despite the poor weather. Having spent two hours having dental surgery, I didn't elect to go and was glad that Harold was prepared to take his car with other passengers. It is so important that people who cannot walk the twenty-minute distance there and back are assisted.
Did you manage to get any photographs Paul? Harold had the FoRK camera, but the poor light would have been a hindrance, perhaps.

Very enjoyable time at the roost watch last night. A good turn out despite the miserable weather. It was dark cold and damp but the kites thrilled as ever and put a smile on everyone's faces. Between 40 and 45 kites came into roost with 22 kites seen in the sky at the same time. I'm sure everyone who attended were pleased they did.

 

[dannyboy]

Glad it turned out well despite the poor weather. Having spent two hours having dental surgery, I didn't elect to go and was glad that Harold was prepared to take his car with other passengers. It is so important that people who cannot walk the twenty-minute distance there and back are assisted.
Did you manage to get any photographs Paul? Harold had the FoRK camera, but the poor light would have been a hindrance, perhaps.

June Sorry you could not make it yesterday especially after all of the efforts you had made to advertise the event but I'm sure you made the right decision given the problems you were having with your teeth. After seeing the forecast I decided to leave my camera at home and I think that was the right decision as it was too dark to take pictures plus I was already carrying binoculars and a scope. James who I picked up from Durham did have a camera and took some pictures maybe he will post them if any came out.

.

 

[June Atkinson]

Roost Watch images

Although I had taken my camera thinking I might have even managed a short video, the weather and light suggested it would prove difficult. James clearly enjoyed his trip so if he has any reasonable pics, I'm sure he will send them in.

June Sorry you could not make it yesterday especially after all of the efforts you had made to advertise the event but I'm sure you made the right decision given the problems you were having with your teeth. After seeing the forecast I decided to leave my camera at home and I think that was the right decision as it was too dark to take pictures plus I was already carrying binoculars and a scope. James who I picked up from Durham did have a camera and took some pictures maybe he will post them if any came out.

.

 

[Boro Birder]

Glad it turned out well despite the poor weather. Having spent two hours having dental surgery, I didn't elect to go and was glad that Harold was prepared to take his car with other passengers. It is so important that people who cannot walk the twenty-minute distance there and back are assisted.
Did you manage to get any photographs Paul? Harold had the FoRK camera, but the poor light would have been a hindrance, perhaps.

Devastated i couldn't go, tried ringing you on Saturday afternoon but got no answer, just couldn't get through to Durham, however a birder friend who i haven't seen for many years has recently been in touch and has showed interest in going, plus he had a car, yippee. Thanks to both yourself and Paul for trying to make it happen for me, greatly appreciated and i will always be thankful.

Thanks
Damian

 

[June Atkinson]

Roosting Red Kites

To be honest, Damian, the weather was so miserable, cold and wet, that I hoped you hadn't made the difficult journey. Wait until the spring when the breeding season begins and we'll endeavour to help you get to the Valley.
Unless you've already seen it do pick up this link on our 2014 Anniversary Celebrations - it's the film made by Trai Anfield, our Patron and former NE BBC Presenter, accompanied by music commissioned in a project with Newcastle University Music School.
http://www.enlightenedmedia.net/#!community-videos/c21q8

Devastated i couldn't go, tried ringing you on Saturday afternoon but got no answer, just couldn't get through to Durham, however a birder friend who i haven't seen for many years has recently been in touch and has showed interest in going, plus he had a car, yippee. Thanks to both yourself and Paul for trying to make it happen for me, greatly appreciated and i will always be thankful.

Thanks
Damian

 

[dannyboy]

I've been reading through posts from 2003 and 2004 about our kites. There were some very interesting debates going on with several people against the re introduction of Kites in Gateshead thank God they were not listened to ((they were all from out of the area I might add)

One very interesting comment from 2004 talking about where the best places to see the Kites and roosts stated

"Why don't you try late afternoon, say 4..ish? (for the roost, that is).
I'm off on a kite walk tomorrow, hopefully to see them roost. Apparently, up to 200 birds can be seen in the more favored roost sites."


I wish!!!!!!