Statement by Friends of Red Kites
Ziggy, Wing Tag 40, was a Star! Brought as a Red Kite chick from the Chilterns in 2005, she was released by Northern Kites into the lower Derwent Valley, where she frequently brought pleasure to all who saw her.
In 2009 she found a mate, Jammy Dodger and together they raised a chick at the Highland Cattle Centre near Stocksfield. Visitor numbers soared as people flocked to see the family.
This spring, she again nested at the Centre, with another kite, Ponteland Sunrise. They had at least one chick which was thriving. In June, however, Ziggy was found dead near Hindley, Stocksfield. Her mate was also found dead, two miles away. Their chick perished, having no parent to feed it.
We have just received the results of the post mortem on Ziggy, confirming that she was poisoned as a result of ingesting the illegal substance, carbofuran. In February, two kites were found at Steel, near Hexham; their postmortems revealed the same cause of death.
The Friends of Red Kites, having been formed in 2009 at the end of the Northern Kites Project, are dismayed that, to date, four adult kites and one chick have perished this year in Northumberland. For the Friends, the conservation of our red kites is paramount ; they express their sorrow that schools, which adopted the individual kites, have now lost them in this barbaric way.
Ziggy was adopted by the pupils of Emmanuel College, Gateshead.
The Principal, Mr. Jonathan P. Winch, says,
"It was a privilege for us to adopt Ziggy, the red kite in 2005. The sterling conservation efforts of Friends of Red Kites have brought pleasure to many across the North East, and I'm proud that Emmanuel students are playing their part in this important project. We were naturally distressed to learn of Ziggy's untimely death, but this only strengthens our resolve to support the conservation of these magnificent birds."
Mrs. Linda Whiteley of the Highland Cattle Centre says,
We are very upset at the death of the breeding pair of Red Kites, as they had nested here for a number of years. My visitors, both young and old, are especially upset at the news of their deaths. I have a number of dedicated customers who use my tearoom to sit and watch, totally in awe of these magnificent birds and as a result of the deaths my visitor numbers have fallen. It's a particularly sad crime as they had chicks in the nest and they perished as well. The future of these birds needs to be secured and the person responsible for this crime held responsible.
In order to raise public awareness of the importance of conservation of our red kites, the Friends of Red Kites intend launching a campaign in Tynedale.
It will include presentations and attendance at events. Once again, Go North East has pledged its support and will provide a Red Kite bus to do a Rolling Launch in the near future. Action is needed to safeguard the future of these majestic birds, successfully re-introduced into the region after 170 years. We urge the people of Tynedale to help us in this work.
June Atkinson
Press & Publicity Officer
Friends of Red kites
in the North East of England