Where to see Red Kites

Gateshead's Lower Derwent Valley is the core area for the red kites in the north-east. Recently, the kites have been active near the Nine Arches Viaduct.

Kite in flight

^{Image courtesy of Paul Ratcliffe}

The Barlow Burn, seen below, Gibside, Winlaton Mill, Chopwell Woods and Lintzford are all possible areas where the kites may be found.

This is the view from the cemetery at Victoria Garesfield. To the right of the tallest tree the Avenue leading to the Gibside Monument can be seen. Kites are often seen from here.

^{Images courtesy of June Atkinson}

You may even be fortunate enough to have a red kite in your garden, as Pamela G reports:

^{Image courtesy of Pamela G.}

He has been coming here since March 2009 and now he comes every day - breakfast time and then between 4.0 and 5.30 pm. Sometimes if it is raining he sits here all day sheltering in the big sycamore tree. He is very tame. He is here now in his favourite tree and is eating something. It looks like a little animal. He has brought small creatures on several occasions and eaten them here. Yesterday he was here nearly all day. He was here in the morning and I went out in the afternoon but when I came back he was still here, (or maybe he'd been away and come back). If it is raining he eats it in the sycamore (shelter) but if it is fair he likes to take it into the larch where he often sits on sunny evenings for up to an hour.

If you catch sight of him, you may notice that he has lost his left wing tag. It was loose for a while and he actually lost it a couple of months ago.

I hope all this information is of some interest to you. Do you know of many people who have regular kite visitors like this?

Do you see any of our red kites on a regular basis? If so, please get in touch via our Webmail.

A new area is Causey Gill, near Beamish in County Durham.

Causey Gill

^{Image courtesy of June Atkinson}

Be even more adventurous!

Tanfield Railway

You may see Wing Tag 83, which is very active in this area

Mick Render managed to catch Wing Tag 83 doing his ablutions! What a splendid tail !!

History of Wing Tag 83 Red Saint (courtesy of Northern Kites archive)

Adopted by:	St. Agnes Day Nursery School, Gateshead
Male/Female:	Male
Release Date:	15th July 2006
Key Activities up to July 2009:	For the first few weeks after release, WT83 was detected feeding and foraging in the Lower Derwent Valley. However, his exploring took him away from Gateshead where he was last detected on 26th July 2006. In late September, WT83 was detected in the Holywell Dene area of North Tyneside where he has been seen since. However, in mid December 2006 WT83 returned to Gateshead where he has joined the kites in the communal winter roost. In spring 2007, Red Saint seemed to pair off with WT89, though this did not last. He is still regularly recorded in the lower Derwent valley. During the winter months Red Saint has regularly been recorded at the Gibside winter roost. On 11th February 2008, Red Saint was seen with five other kites feeding in a field and perching on fence posts just north of the Barlow Burn. In spring 2008, Red Saint set up a territory near Tanfield in County Durham with an as yet unidentifed female. They successfully raised one chick that fledged in July 2008. On 9th October 2008, Red Saint was roosting near Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill, Gateshead. On 23rd February 2009, Red Saint was recorded at Causey Gill in County Durham and seen there again in early March 2009.

A typical squabble between a Kite and corvids

^{Image courtesy of Mick Render}

^{Image based on Google maps}

Further afield, people have seen red kites in the Horsley and Broomley area. Jarvis and Alanna of the Hearth Cafe in the village are happy to act as an Information Point and welcome you to the Cafe.

Horsley Info Point

^{Image courtesy of June Atkinson}

Recent reports: On several occasions two kites have been seen a few miles to the north of Alnwick near the village of Rock, and in separate sightings two kites have also been seen in Ponteland. This news does suggest that our kites are indeed spreading away from the core area of the Lower Derwent Valley. Any news of other sightings would enable us to build an accurate database of territories.

Blanchland, Edmundbyers, Muggleswick Common together with the Derwent Reservoir offer possible sightings. Buzzards are also to be seen on a regular basis.

^Image^{s June Atkinson}

Report sightings, especially those outside of the Lower Derwent Valley. This information can prove invaluable to our two Monitoring Teams. One Team tracks on the north of the A694, the second Team is responsible for the south side. This is a huge area, so we do value any sightings information which you may be willing to pass on to us via our Webmail.

For the reporting of a grounded or injured red kite please contact Friends of Red Kites on 07790085659 and arrangements will be made to collect the bird and commence recovery.

The map below shows the re-introduction project locations nationally plus the Welsh population.

Taking to the skies at Thornley Woods and Far Pastures

Kite Thornley Woods

^{Image courtesy of Ray Scott}

Friends of Red Kites are dedicated to continuing the care and conservation of the Derwent Valley Red Kites which were established by the five-year Northern Kites Project.

^{Image courtesy of June Atkinson}

Reported sightings of red kites within the north-east region

WT2 Scarlet ^{Image courtesy of Northern Kites}

Shortly after she was released, WT2, named Scarlet, travelled over 2,000 miles, visiting Gigrin, in Mid-Wales, the Chilterns, where she was born, before returning to Gateshead. She flew to Yorkshire, came back but then decided that Harewood House had a definite attraction.

Together with her partner she has successfully raised a significant number of chicks.

^{Image courtesy of Doug Simpson}

Scarlet's partner

Recently George Francis photographed two of our red kites.

Meet Wing Tag 79, Mulberry, a male, and Wing Tag 33, Storm which is a female.

It is thought that they are a pair and that they will establish a territory and attempt to breed successfully.

Catherine Hall sent in this photograph of a rather fierce-looking juvenile, perched in a nearby tree.

Even in death, Wing Tag 11, Spark flies as an ambassador for the

Red Kites at the Great North Museum.

Released on 19th July, 2004, Wing Tag 11, a male, was adopted by Harlow Green Junior School, Gateshead (now Harlow Green Primary School). The pupils named him Spark.

^{Image courtesy of Friends of Red Kites archive (donated by Northern Kites)}

Spark spent his first few weeks after release in the lower Derwent valley. In August he ventured east and unfortunately became the victim of a road traffic accident on the A1 in the Team Valley. Veterinary examination revealed a cracked wing bone and after six months of rehabilitation was released back to the wild on 19th April 2005.

Unfortunately, he was taken back into captivity a few days later, after being picked up by a member of the public. After a further two weeks of rehabilitation, and an attempted 'soft -release', with ongoing access to food and an aviary, he was eventually re-captured and taken for further examination and treatment to the London Zoo animal hospital. Here, he was found to have a severe 'leg' infection (nothing to do with the original injuries) and in July, after treatment, was recovering well.

In late July 2005, he returned to the northeast for further rehabilitation in captivity. In autumn 2005, he was joined in his aviary by WT78, a female also requiring rehabilitation. It was hoped, with regular exercise, that Spark's flight muscles would build up sufficiently so he could be released back to the wild.

Sadly, Spark died of natural causes in mid-June 2007. It was decided to offer Spark to the- then Hancock Museum. A taxidermist prepared his body and he now flies in the Northumbria section of the re-named Great North Museum.

WT11 Spark

WT 11 Spark

^{Images courtesy of June Atkinson, with permission from the Great North Mueum}

In death, Spark continues as an ambassador for the majestic Red Kites to which he belonged.