Our Red Kite Histories
Kites Fledged in 2016 (K6 to L8)
Kite No: K6
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Gibside, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents:
Father - WTC1 Angel / Mother - WT60 Welbeck Whistler
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Brief Summary:
Latest Sighting:
When WTK6 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. WTK6 was a single chick, there was also an unhatched egg in the nest. WTK6 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Gibside, Gateshead - at tagging
July 2016 - K6, newly fledged, was seen flying strongly near the nest site with parents close by.
August 2016 - K6 was identified on one occasion near Lockhaugh Farm with WT15 Red Philip and some other kites.
October 2016 - K6 was identified perched on a pylon at Sherburn Towers with WTA2 Silky Striker and an untagged juvenile, he then moved over to Thornley Kennels to join the pre-roost with a further eight kites.
December 2016 - K6 was identified on one occasion perched in a tree near Thornley Kennels where WT15 Red Philip and WT76 Chester were also seen nearby.
February 2017 - K6 was identified on one occasion whilst perched and calling from a tree behind Lintzford Garden Centre, one of the territorial pair was close by.
Kite No: K7
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Spen Banks Wood, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT59 Crookhill Blaze / Mother - UnKnown
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Brief Summary: When WTK7 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. The nest contained a white cloth and tissue, a brown mat and a woollen glove. WTK7 was one of two chicks, the second was tagged K8. WTK7 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Spen Banks, Gateshead - at tagging.
July 2016 - K7 and K8, newly fledged, were seen flying and perched in and around their nest site.
January 2017 - K7 was identified on one occasion flying at the pre-roost near Victoria Garesfield.
March 2018 - K7 & N6 were seen foraging together on Muggleswick Common.
Latest Sighting: April 2018 - was photographed near a nest site at Highfields, near Rowlands Gill, but the nest subsequently failed and K7 was not confirmed as one of the pair here.
Kite No: K8
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Spen Banks Wood, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT59 Crookhill Blaze / Mother - UnKnown
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Brief Summary: When WTK8 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. The nest contained a white cloth and tissue, a brown mat and a woollen glove. WTK8 was one of two chicks, the second was tagged K7. WTK8 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Spen Banks, Gateshead - at tagging.
July 2016 - K8 and K7, newly fledged, were seen flying and perched in and around their nest site.
Latest Sighting:September 2016 - K8 was identified at a pre-roost gathering near Thornley Kennels, Rowlands Gill of eight kites including several other juveniles.
Kite No: K9
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Sunniside, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - UnKnown / Mother - UnKnown
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Brief Summary: When WTK9 was tagged, the nest was found in a Sycamore tree. The nest contained brown matting, a brown teddy, a jumper, and the remains of a pheasant and magpie. WTK9 was a single chick. WTK9 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Sunniside, Gateshead - at tagging, later in the month K9 was found grounded at the bottom of the nest tree and taken in to re-hab suffering a minor wing injury.
July 2016 - K9 was released a couple of weeks later near the nest tree, and was seen the following day perched high on a tree stump with a parent circling overhead.
August 2016 - K9 has been seen on several occasions this month around the nest wood.
September 2016 - K9 was identified coming in to roost with a total of 10 kites in the area around the Nine Arches Viaduct. K9 was again identified later in the month at a pre-roost gathering near Thornley Kennels, Rowlands Gill of eight kites including several other juveniles.
Latest Sighting: October 2016 - K9 was identified on one occasion coming in to the main roost area near then Nine Arches Viaduct in the company of 15 other kites, three of these also being tagged H0, H5 and L6.
Kite No: L0
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Urpeth, Team Valley, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT UnTagged / Mother - WT UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL0 was tagged, the nest was found in a Sycamore tree. The nest contained a white cloth and the remains of a jackdaw. WTL0 was one of three chicks, the second was tagged L1, the third chick was ringed only. WTL0 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Urpeth,Team Valley, Gateshead - at tagging.
August 2016 - at the beginning of the month L0 and L1 were seen flying with their untagged sibling and parents near the nest wood.
October 2016 - L0 was seen on two occasions - early in the month at the roost near Hamsterley Hall with four other untagged kites, and in the middle of the month he was identified flying near Hisehope Reservoir, Mugglswick Common with two other kites nearby.
Latest Sighting: February 2017 - L0 was identified on one occasion at Derwentcote, with an adult bird near by.
Kite No: L1
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Urpeth, Team Valley, Gateshead
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT UnTagged / Mother - WT UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL1 was tagged, the nest was found in a Sycamore tree. The nest contained a white cloth and the remains of a jackdaw. WTL1 was one of three chicks, the second was tagged L0, the third chick was ringed only. WTL1 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Urpeth,Team Valley, Gateshead - at tagging.
August 2016 - at the beginning of the month L1 and L0 were seen flying with their untagged sibling and parents near the nest wood.
December 2016 - L1 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall roost in the company of 30 kites - K3, L4 and L6 were also identified here on the same occasion.
Latest Sighting: January 2017 - L1 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall pre-roost, H0 and L6 were also identified here on the same occasion with 14 other kites.
Kite No: L2
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT UnTagged / Mother - WT UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL2 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. WTL2 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L3 and L4. WTL2 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham - at tagging.
July 2016 - L2, newly fledged, was seen flying and perched in and around the nest site.
August 2016 - L2 was identified from a photograph flying over the moors south of Edmundbyers.
August 2016 - L2 was again seen near Edmundbyers, Co Durham at the end of August.
September 2016 - L2 was identified at a pre-roost gathering near Thornley Kennels, Rowlands Gill of eight kites including several other juveniles.
October 2016 - L2 was once again identified near Thornley Kennels, Rowlands Gill as he had been last month.
January 2017 - L2 was identified on one occasion at the pre-roost near Hollinside Manor, perched on a pylon. A7 Icarus and F9 Arrow were also identified here at the same time. A total of 21 kites eventually came in to roost in this area.
March 2018 - L2 & H5 were identified from a photograph whilst flying together at Lockhaugh, Rowlands Gill.
September 2018 - L2 was identified from a photograph taken from above Sherburn Towers.
October 2018 – L2 and 76 Chester were identified early in the month dropping in to roost at Lockhaugh Meadow with approximately 20 kites in total.
February 2020 - Wing tag L2 was discovered paired up with an untagged male and they built a nest in a beech tree in Axwell Park, Blaydon on Tyne..
April 2020 - L2was seen "sitting" on the nest incubating eggs.
May 2020 - L2 and her partner observed feeding young in the nest.
July 2020 - L2 and partner successfully fledged two chicks.
August 2020 - L2 and partner seen with one of the juveniles.
Latest Sighting: L2 identified from a photograph taken whilst perched in a tree at Axwell Park
Kite No: L3
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham
Male/Female: Female
Parents: Father - WT UnTagged / Mother - WT UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL3 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. WTL3 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L2 and L4. WTL3 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
Latest Sighting: June 2016 - Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham - at tagging.
Kite No: L4
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - UnTagged / Mother - UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL4 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. WTL4 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L2 and L3. WTL4 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Hamsterley Hall, Co Durham - at tagging.
December 2016 - L4 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall roost in the company of 30 kites - K3, L1 and L6 were also identified here on the same occasion.
Latest Sighting: January 2017 - L4 was identified on one occasion at the pre-roost near the Nine Arches Viaduct. A total of 52 kites eventually came in to roost in this area.
Kite No: L5
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Derwentcote South, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT63 Polo / Mother - WT89 Kitty
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Brief Summary: When WTL5 was tagged, the nest was found in an Oak tree. The nest contained a white cloth and a dead rat. WTL5 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L6 and L7. WTL5 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Derwentcote North, Co Durham - at tagging.
Latest Sighting: July 2016 - early in the month L5 and L6, newly fledged, were seen flying and perched in and around their nest site. L5 was identified from a photograph later in the month, foraging over the moors near Muggleswick.
Kite No: L6
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Derwentcote South, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT63 Polo / Mother - WT89 Kitty
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Brief Summary:
When WTL6 was tagged, the nest was found in an Oak tree. The nest contained a white cloth and a dead rat. WTL6 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L5 and L7. WTL6 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Derwentcote North, Co Durham - at tagging.
July 2016 - early in the month L6 and L5, newly fledged, were seen flying and perched in and around their nest site.
September 2016 - L6 was identified coming in to roost with a total of 10 kites in the area around the Nine Arches Viaduct.
October 2016 - L6 was identified on one occasion coming in to the main roost area near then Nine Arches Viaduct in the company of 15 other kites, three of these also being tagged H0, H5, and K9.
December 201 - L6 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall roost in the company of 30 kites - K3, L1 and L4 were also identified here on the same occasion.
January 2017 - L6 was identified on one occasion at the Hamsterley Hall pre-roost, HO and L1 were also identified here on the same occasion with 14 other kites.
March 2018 - L6 & K3 were identified from photographs taken in the Derwentcote area near Hamsterley Mill.
April 2018 - Kite identified as WTL6 seen dropping into nest wood near Derwentcote carrying something in its beak, and a nest was found.
May 2018 - nest then abandoned and a kite was seen in dispute with a crow.
June 2018 - a new nest was found with two chicks, ringed only, whilst parents were nearby.
July 2018 - two chicks successfully fledged, and seen flying with one of the adults.
Spring and summer 2019 - L6 and partner the same nest as last year and successfully fledged at least one chick
Spring and summer 2020 - L6 and partner built a new nest in the same wood used last year and successfully fledged two chicks. both chicks were ringed but only one was wing tagged (P6) , the other chick was too small to tag.
Latest Sighting: July 2020 - L6 and partner fledged two chicks.
Kite No: L7
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Derwentcote South, Co Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT63 Polo / Mother - WT89 Kitty
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Brief Summary: When WTL7 was tagged, the nest was found in an Oak tree. The nest contained a white cloth and a dead rat. WTL7 was one of three chicks, the second and third were tagged L5 and L6. WTL7 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Derwentcote North, Co Durham - at tagging.
Latest Sighting: July 2016 - L7 was identified from a photograph later in the month, foraging over the moors near Muggleswick.
Kite No: L8
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink / Purple
Kite Name: No name given
Fledged: 2016 Stocksfield, Northumberland
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father - WT UnTagged / Mother - WT UnTagged
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Brief Summary: When WTL8 was tagged, the nest was found in a Scots Pine tree. The nest contained the remains of a rabbit, bailer twine and a blue rubber glove. WTL8 was one of two chicks, the second chick was ringed only. WTL8 can only be identified by a visual sighting.
June 2016 - Stocksfield, Northumberland - at tagging.
Latest Sighting:August 2016 - At the begginning of the month L8, the sibling and the female parent were seen flying near the nest wood.