Our Red Kite Histories
Kites Fledged in 2015 (K0 to K5)
Kite No: K0
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - Unconfirmed / Mother - Untagged
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Brief Summary: When WTK0 was tagged, the nest was found in a Beech tree. K0 was one of four chicks (a first for our project), the other three were ringed only as too small to tag. The nest contained a teddy bear and a black hairband. WTK0 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham - at tagging.
July 2015 - K0 was seen flying in a family group with the two adults and his three siblings over the nest wood at Hamsterley Hall.
Latest Sighting: January 2016 - K0 was identified from a photograph on one occasion at Sherburn Towers, foraging over the housing estate.
Kite No: K1
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Causey Gill, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - Untagged / Mother - Unknown
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Brief Summary: When WTK1 was tagged, the nest, in a Sycamore tree, was found to contain a piece of brown carpet and a white sheet of paper. WTK1 was one of three chicks, the second was tagged K2, the third chick was ringed only. WTK1 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Causey Gill, Co Durham - at tagging.
Latest Sighting: July 2015 - Two juvenile kites were seen flying under the canopy at Causey Gill, with the male flying overhead. Two of the three chicks here were tagged - K1 & K2, therefore at least one had to be a tagged chick.
Kite No: K2
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Causey Gill, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - Untagged / Mother - Unknown
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Brief Summary: When WTK2 was tagged, the nest, in a Sycamore tree, was found to contain a piece of brown carpet and a white sheet of paper. WTK2 was one of three chicks, the second was tagged K1, the third chick was ringed only. WTK2 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Causey Gill, Co Durham - at tagging.
Latest Sighting: July 2015 - Two juvenile kites were seen flying under the canopy at Causey Gill, with the male flying overhead. Two of the three chicks here were tagged - K1 & K2, therefore at least one had to be a tagged chick.
Kite No: K3
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Chopwell Woods, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - Unknown / Mother - Unknown
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Brief Summary: When WTK3 was tagged, the nest in a Japanese Larch tree, was found to contain a small piece of brown carpet and a piece of white cloth as decoration. WTK3 was one of two chicks, the second chick was tagged K4. WTK3 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Chopwell Woods, Gateshead - at tagging.
July 2015 - The two chicks K3 & K4, have fledged and were seen flying above the nest wood at Chopwell Woods.
October 2015 - K3 was identified at the winter roost near Victoria Garesfield, in the company of eleven other kites. One of these was identified as a Dumfries & Galloway kite Green/Purple 4 - who has previously been seen at our winter roosts in both 2007 and 2008. Its sibling K4 was also seen recently.
November 2015 - K3 was identified at the winter roost near Victoria Garesfield, in the company of nine other kites.
February 2016 - K3 was identified once from a photograph whilst foraging above Ebchester.
May 2016 - K3 was identified whilst perched above the nest in Chopwell Woods that he fledged from last year.
December 2016 - K3 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall roost in the company of 30 kites - L1, L4 and L6 were also identified here on the same occasion.
Latest Sighting: March 2018 - K3 & L6 were identified from photographs taken in the Derwentcote area near Hamsterley Mill.
Kite No: K4
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Chopwell Woods, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - Unknown / Mother - Unknown
Befriend a Kite School:
Brief Summary: When WTK4 was tagged, the nest in a Japanese Larch tree, was found to contain a small piece of brown carpet and a piece of white cloth as decoration. WTK4 was one of two chicks, the second chick was tagged K3. WTK4 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Chopwell Woods, Gateshead - at tagging.
July 2015 - The two chicks K3 & K4, have fledged and were seen flying above the nest wood at Chopwell Woods.
Latest Sighting: September 2015 - K4 was identified at the winter roost at Lockhaugh Meadow and Hollinside Manor with fourteen other kites on the 28th of the month.
Kite No: K5
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Green
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2015 Hollinside Manor,Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT 42 Thunderbird / Mother - WT 16 Flag
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Brief Summary: When WTK5 - an only chick - was tagged, the nest was found in a Silver Birch tree. The remains of 2 grey squirrels were found in the nest. WTK5 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2015 - Hollinside Manor, Gateshead - at tagging.
November 2015 - K5 was identified during a pre-roost flight at the main winter roost near the Nine Arches Viaduct. A total of 41 kites were counted in to the roost at Gibside that night.
December 2015 - K5 was identified perched on a pylon with six other kites near the Nine Arches Viaduct. A total of 39 kites were counted in to the roost at Gibside that night.
January 2017 - K5 was identified on one occasion at the pre-roost near Hollinside Manor, perched in a tree. A total of 30 kites eventually came in to roost in this area.
Latest Sighting: May 2018 - was seen circling over Kibblesworth near Gateshead early one morning.