Our Red Kite Histories
Kites Fledged in 2019 (O0 to O7)
Kite No:O0
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: Nicknamed KK
Fledged:near Hamsterley Mill, Co. Durham
Male/Female:Unknown
Parents: Father – Untagged / Mother - Untagged
Brief Summary: Not only can WT00 be identified from a visual sighting but having a satellite tag fitted to it in the form of a backpack will allows it to be tracked at regular intervals. WTO0 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Scots Pine tree. Its sibling are WTO1 and WTO2.
As expected, in the weeks after fledging, WTO0 spent its time fairly close to the natal site but by the beginning of August the bird was exploring further afield and was tracked visiting the Ruffside/ Waskerley moorland areas of the North Pennines in the west and Hedley on the Hill and Greenside areas to the north.
On the 25th August 2019 wing tag O0 was tracked to Allenheads and Garigill but then it had a period “back home” until the 7th September when it made excursions to Widdybank Fell in Teesdale and Rookhope in Weardale. After roosting in the Derwent Valley for a few days O0 ventured westwards again and in the middle of the month was noted in the Ruffside, Frosterley, Hunstanworth area, roosting near Snods Edge on the 19th.
21/10/19 – Wing tag O0 was identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty three other kites were present.
04/11/19 – Wing tag O0 was identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. There were eleven other kites present which included one of its siblings, wing tag O1. They came in at different times and there was no interaction between them.
29/11/19 - satellite signal received from a location just north west of Haltwhistle.
27/01/20 – Wing tag O0 was visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty six other kites were present including its sibling wing tag O1
In March 2020 wing tag O0 really started to spread its wings when on the 20th it was tracked to Silverdale in Lancashire and Renwick in Cumbria on the 21st. After that a short spell in and around Muggleswick Common was followed by an amazing ten day adventure south leaving on the 26th March taking in Bingley, Shipley, Eccup Reservoir, Keighley, Woodhead in the Peak District returning via Wetherby, Thruscott Reservoir, Blubberhouses, Ramsgill, Nidderdale, Barnard Castle and Roundhill Reservoir near Leighton.
Latest Sighting: Wing tag O0‘s signal stopped working unexpectedly near Muggleswick Common on the 17 April 2020 in suspicious circumstances; its last position coming from an area dominated by driven grouse shooting within the North Pennines AONB. A search and investigation by the RSPB and the police did not recover a body or discover any evidence and O0 is assumed to be deceased.
Kite No: O1
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: Nicknamed BB
Fledged:near Hamsterley Mill, Co. Durham
Male/Female:Unknown
Parents: Father – Untagged / Mother - Untagged
Brief Summary: Not only can WT01 be identified from a visual sighting but having a satellite tag fitted to it in the form of a backpack its movements can be tracked at regular intervals. WTO1 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Scots Pine tree. Its sibling are WTO0 and WTO2.
In the weeks after fledging wing tag O1 stayed fairly close to the nest wood then started to venture further away returning back regularly for spells in the Derwent Valley.
06/08/19 - signal received from Shotleyfield
08/08/19 – tracked at Stanhope in Weardale
9th to 14th /08 /19 – Ruffside/Edmundbyers.
25/08/19 – West of Allandale and Boreland in Dumfries.
26/08/19 – Langhom, Eels and South Tynedale.
27/08/19 – Harwood, Newbiggin in Teesdale.
28/08/19 – High Stops, Satley.
08/09/19 – Waskerley Park, Stanhope Common.
18/09/19- Westgate, Weardale.
From the end of September until the middle of January wing tag O1 spent a lot of time in the Derwent Valley.
04/11/19 – Wing tag O1 was visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall roost. There were eleven other kites present which included one of its siblings, wing tag O0. There was no interaction between them.
16/12/19 – Wing tag O1 was visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. It had a bulging crop so had eaten well that day. There were thirty two other kites present.
18/01/20 – signal received from the Knitlsey area, south of Consett.
20/01/20 – noted at Castleside and over the next four months, except for a three day period in late April, appeared to favour this area, being regularly tracked at Hisehope, Smiddyshaw Reservoir, Muggleswick Common between spells in the Lower Derwent Valley.
27/01/20 - Wing tag O1 was visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty six other kites were present including its sibling wing tag O0.
21/04/20 – satellite tracked at Brampton in Cumbria.
22/04/20 – satellite tracked at Lanercost in Cumbria.
23/04/20 - signal received from near Hexham when the bird was on its way back to the Derwent Gorge.
29/05/20 - Wing tag O1 was visually identified between Muggleswick and Hisehope Wood. The bird had missing primaries and tail feathers and appears to have been shot at.
Latest Sighting: Wing tag O1‘s signal stopped working unexpectedly near Muggleswick Common in June 2020 in suspicious circumstances; its last position coming from an area dominated by driven grouse shooting within the North Pennines AONB. A search and investigation by the RSPB and the police did not recover a body or discover any evidence and O1 is assumed to be deceased.
Kite No:O2
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged:near Hamsterley Mill, Co. Durham.
Parents: Father – Untagged / Mother - Untagged.
Male/Female:Unknown
Brief Summary: Wing tag O2 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO2 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Scots Pine. Its siblings are WTO0 and WTO1.
In early July 2020 a wet and exhausted chick, wing tag O2 was found grounded on Medomsley Bank, 300 metres from the nest site. The juvenile had not sustained any injuries so after being kept in rehab for several days, the healthy, well fed bird was successfully released back into the wild at the natal site on the 17th July.
Latest sighting: 21/10/19 – Wing tag O2 was visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty three other kites were present.
Kite No: O3
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged: Hamsterley Hall, Co. Durham
Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father – Untagged / Mother - Untagged.
Brief Summary: Wing tag O3 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO3 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Beech tree on the Hamsterley Hall Estate. Its siblings are WTO4 and WTO5.
Latest Sighting: There have been no sightings of wing tag O3 since fledging.
Kite No: O4
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged:
Male/Female:Unknown
Parents: Father - Untagged/ Mother - Untagged.
Brief Summary: Wing tag O4 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO4 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Beech tree on the Hamsterley Hall Estate. Its siblings are WTO3 and WTO5
Latest Sighting:There have been no sightings of wing tag O4 since fledging.
Kite No:O5
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged: Male/Female: Unknown
Parents: Father – Untagged / Mother - Untagged.
Brief Summary: Wing tag O5 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO5 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Beech tree on the Hamsterley Hall Estate. Its siblings are WTO3 and WTO4.
Latest Sighting: There have been no sightings of wing tag O5 since fledging.
Kite No:O6
Wing Tag Left/Right:Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged:Pontburn Wood (Woodland Trust), Low Ewehirst, Co. Durham
Male/Female:Unknown
Parents: Father - Untagged/ Mother – Untagged
Brief Summary: Wing tag O6 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO6 is one of a brood of three from a nest built in a Sitka tree. Its sibling is WTO7.
08/07/19. Wing tag O6, and its sibling O7, were seen perched in a tree in a nearby garden adjacent to the nest site.
28/10/19: Wing tag O6 and its sibling O7 were both visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost with Twenty three other kites present.
08/10/20: Wing tag O6 was identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty two other kites were present.
Latest Sighting: 29/04/21 - Wing tag O6 is a female and she has paired up with an untagged male . They have built a nest on the Hamsterley Mill Estate. O6, named Ginger by the couple who's garden her nest is in,is currently incubating the eggs.
Kite No:O7
Wing Tag Left/Right: Pink/Blue
Kite Name: N/A
Fledged:Pontburn Wood (Woodland Trust), Low Ewehirst, Co. Durham
Male/Female:Unknown
Parents: Father –Untagged / Mother – Untagged.
Brief Summary: Wing tag O7 can only be identified from a visual sighting. WTO7 is one of a brood of two from a nest built in a Sitka tree. Its sibling is WTO6.
08/07/19: Wing tag O7, and its sibling O6, were seen perched in a tree in a nearby garden adjacent to the nest site.
21/10/19 : Wing tag O7 was identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Thirty three other kites were present.
Latest sighting: 28/10/19 : Wing tag O7 and its sibling O6 were visually identified at the Hamsterley Hall pre roost. Twenty thre other kites were present.