Blog
There are 10 blog posts dated August 2009
Monday, 31 August 2009
E-xploring
Kite E adopted by Culbokie Primary has been scouting around the black isle and its western edge since we last caught up with her on the 11th August. Wasting no time, E appears to steam from one spot to another in between the times of day when we receive regular positions on all the tagged kites (weather permitting!). These are at 8am, 10pm, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. In the following order, E has covered ground around Beauly, Cullicudden, north shore Beauly Firth, Beauly, Muir of Ord, Kirkhill, Easter Kinkell, Balvaird, Urray, Fairburn, Brahan, Muirton Mains, Newton of Ferintosh, Culbokie, Marybank, Heights of Brae between Dingwall and Strathpeffer, Duncanston and Achterneed with revisits of all these area just incase she missed anything out. Whilst the lines on the map do not show a true representation of the route by which each of the kites have travelled from one fix to the next , its fair to say from this that E really is clocking up the air miles winging her way around the black isle and its immediate area. These efforts are by no means a waste of energy - by visiting areas in quick succession like this, E really gets a feel for the area, insights into where the best feeding, nesting and roosting areas are which will stand her in good stead for the long winter ahead and the time when she herself will look towards building her own nest and having her own chicks.
Friday, 28 August 2009
D over distillery
D left the black isle back on 2nd August and has been in the Moy area ever since, often circling to the north and east of this area and exploring around the banks of the river Findhorn and the shores of Loch Moy. The landscape round these parts is made up of mainly upland areas achieving heights of up to 2000 ft above sea level in parts with a smaller amount of woodland and farmland closer to Moy itself. On the 22nd August at about 2pm, D had broken the mould and moved south, appearing to fly directly over the distillery at Tomatin before seemingly turning back with a location at 4 pm that day just to the north of Moy hall. Another tentative trip to the west of Tomatin took place around midday on the 24th August and this was again followed by a return to the Moy area. On the following day at 8 am, D had turned south eastwards from Loch Moy towards Ruthven following the river Findhorn north eastwards before returning back to Moy at 12 pm. Any sightings of D in this area would be greatly welcomed!
Friday, 28 August 2009
So long Badenoch..
Beauly Primary School’s adopted kite C has also been sticking largely to the landscape around Kingussie and Newtonmore where we left it on the 11 Aug. In addition to the satellite tag data that’s come through, we’ve also been receiving a steady stream of actual sightings of this kite:
We had a report at 5pm on the 11 Aug of a red kite quartering the ground between the road and river just outside Kingussie on the Newtonmore road the same spot in which the sat tag was placing this kite. The following is an account from an observer, Dave Pierce on the 14th of Aug at around 5pm:
“Saw kite 1700/1730, 14/09; it was flying & landing on slope above A86, just out of Kingussie on way to Newtonmore; I watched it from by the rail track, it frequented an area between Ballochroan & Pitmain Fm, where there were also several buzzards & 6 ravens; it wasn't shy of the ravens. Where I was observing from in the strath there were numerous rabbits, some with myxy & the bank the birds were around had numerous burrows…. at one point it landed for a few minutes in a deciduous tree at Ballochroan before heading towards Newtonmore; five minutes or so later it was back over the slope E of Ballochroan.”
A separate observer also positioned C just to the west of Kingussie at 5pm on 17th Aug, agreeing with the sat tag once more…
Since then Karen, site manager of the RSPB’s Insh Marshes reserve near Kingussie also added a red kite to the reserve sightings book. Its fantastic to get these reports coming in so thank you to everyone who got in touch using the Eyes to the Skies email address at the bottom of the page. Not only do these sightings confirm that the technology is indeed working well and so far proving to be pretty spot on, they also add that little bit more detail to the kites adventures.
C has recently decided to leave the Badenoch area and around midday on the 24th August began moving northwards through the Monadhliath mountains to arrive sometime around 4 pm in the Dunmaglass area lying just south of another of the RSPB’s reserves at Loch Ruthven. We received our last position from C at 8 am on the 26th August indicating the male was still in this area of farm/moorland and coniferous woodland.
Friday, 28 August 2009
It's best in the bay for B
Similar to kite A, B is also remaining largely faithful to the area it was exploring way back on the 11th August - Munlochy bay. B has been spending most of her time on the south side of the bay with occasional visits to the north shore. More recently since the 21st of August, B has spent several days in a row routinely visiting certain areas of this part of the black isle chiefly Bogallan, Kilmuir and Drumsmittal and lands to the west of the B9161. Travel between each of these locations involves flying over a patchwork of rolling fields interspersed with pockets of coniferous and broadleaved woodland - typically black isle and perfect kite habitat! After each sojourn, B always seems to return close to the south shore of the bay.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Adventures of A
Since the 10th of August, kite ‘A’ has been spending the majority of her time close to Muirton Mains to the west of Marybank with only very brief forays since the 20th August north across the A835 to explore around Jamestown and Wester Moy areas. At 8 am on the 25th, A was slightly East from her usual hang out, and along the river Conon just past Marybank. 2 hours later she had moved further East again and was exploring around the Brahan estate where she appeared to remain until 6 pm the following day when A moved slightly south to the south west of Urray. There are plenty of rolling fields around these areas, an ideal landscape for kites to find carrion in or the smaller mammals like mice and invertebrates they also like to eat - possibly the reason why kite A is not moving too far from this area for the moment!
Friday, 28 August 2009
'What's in a name?'
With all the highland schools now back in full swing, we’ve been visiting primary 6/7’s in each of the red kite adoptive schools to introduce them to their kites, explain the process of satellite tagging and how it gives us unique insights into the movements of these amazing birds. An important job of the pupils at this time is to give names to each of their kites so hopefully we’ll be able to unveil what these are in the next couple of weeks.
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Travel updates
Its been a busy few days for the tagged kites with some bolder movements outwith the Black Isle area. Some of the kites however are sticking to the familiarity of this area for now. Some important information first though:
Kites A & B are still mixed up on the map. Apologies for this teething problem with the site! We are working with our web colleagues to rectify this but it doesnt look like it will show up correctly until next week. In the meantime the blog will detail the correct historic movements for each of these kites.
So, to the business of blogging...
Let's start with A. On the 6th Aug at 10am A's signal was coming from SW of Muir of Ord after previously hanging around the Tore/Muir of Ord area. 12pm that day the female had progressed N from here to the area around Marybank before veering W to the Fairburn area where she's been hanging around ever since with only short, localised explorations in this area. The last known position we have from A was at 6pm on the 10th Aug which indicated A was just above Muirton Mains to the W of Marybank.
Kite B is becoming a very familiar fixture around the Munlochy bay area and has been zipping back and forth between the north and south sides of this inlet since the 7th Aug. Early lunchtime on the 8th Aug, the female decided to bite the bullet and was recorded at 12pm travelling past Drumossie Muir - but, not for long as at 2pm same day she was back on the south side of Munlochy bay. B has been bouncing between the north and south sides of the bay ever since, her last known position recorded on 11 Aug at 6pm in this area.
Off down the A9 to catch up with kite C, who appears to have grown fond of the area lying between Kingussie and Newtonmore. C's been negotiating the road, railway and river down that way, quartering the grounds between each. Last position from him was on the 11 Aug at 6pm, with C appearing to be between the railway line and the river, almost exactly between the 2 badenoch villages.
Since the 8th of August, Kite D has been getting acquainted with the lands to the N and E of Moy further up the A9 - seemingly going around this area in wide circles. Last known position on 12th Aug at 6pm to the lands just north of Moy hall.
Kite E has been spending a lot of time around the western edge of the Black Isle, popping over towards Culbokie towards the evening of the 10th Aug. Those out for an early morning swing on Muir of Ord golf course on the 11th Aug may have noticed E crossing overhead just before 10am. Our last record of E was on this day at 6pm skirting the land to the W of Beauly.
Kite F has been staying fairly close to home with small movements around the Culbokie area, occasionally flying over Cullicudden way. Last known movement on 12 Aug at 6pm just to the south of Mount Eagle.
Since the 9th Aug, G has been in the same general vicinity as A, exhibiting small movements around the Muirton Mains area. Our last record of G was on the 11th Aug in almost exactly the same place that A was at at the same time on the day before.
We brought you news of H's close shave with a pheasant pen on Monday. Fortunately, after a successful release on Tuesday we received our last known position for H at just after 6pm, showing he was once again on the south side of Munlochy bay.
I is another of our young birds still paying close attention to the Munlochy bay area with small and localised movements around these parts and a last known position on 11 Aug at 6pm on the north side.
Finally, we come to kite J. On the 5th Aug, J began moving in earnest across the Black Isle at 8am and by 8am the following day was over at Culbin, progressing onto whisky country towards Aberlour. Not for long though with a quick turnaround back to Auldearn and Croy areas before heading to the Black Isle once again for 6pm on the 6th Aug. At midday on 8th Aug, J had moved to Moy and remained there until 4pm to return once more to the black isle. Here J has remained, latterly spending time in the Munlochy bay area - last position on 12th Aug at 6pm, north side Munlochy bay.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Crash landing for H!
The fledglings are still relatively fresh off the nest but already we've had our first bit of drama. Kite H found itself in a bit of a tangle Monday evening (10th Aug) when it appeared to have crash landed into a pheasant pen on farmland on the southern side of Munlochy bay. Fortunately for the stuck bird the keen eyed keeper spotted its misfortune and did a sterling job extricating him from the pen. The local SSPCA then took over, checking the kite for signs of injury and keeping him in overnight for observation. The good news is, this time it was a lucky escape with no damage sustained apart from a few ruffled feathers. Brian went round to pick up the hapless juvenile yesterday from the SSPCA's Inverness base to release it close to the nest where it fledged. H flew up into this familiar airspace without hesitation. We can expect instances like this from young and inexperienced kites who are still perfecting the precise flying movements that they are so well known for. Looks like this was a valuable lesson learned!
Friday, 7 August 2009
Meanwhile, back on the black..
The remaining 9 sat tagged red kite juveniles are still hanging around the black isle area although we will probably begin to see signs of further dispersal over the next week or two. A, adopted by Aviemore is currently to be found exploring around the Muir of Ord and Tore area. A began moving from her nest just outside the western edge of the black isle and into this area on the 26th July. Our last signal from A was on the 4th August so hopefully we will get more news from her this lunchtime.
Kites B, adopted by Avoch Primary, D adopted by Carrbridge Primary School, F adopted by Daviot, H adopted by Farr, I adopted by Grantown and J adopted by Merkinch have left their nest area but are all leading relatively sedate lives for now, tentatively exploring the world outside of their parents territories. We'll watch all these juveniles closely and let you know when they expand their travels wider.
E, sister to C moved out of the nest before her brother on the 21st July and ever since has been ranging widely around the black isle, more lately around the Easter Kinkell area.
Kite G, one of the outnumbered males that we have sat tagged, began moving most significantly from its nest on 1st August. G has been spending a lot of time skirting around Loch Ussie and moving between here and Strathpeffer. Looks like this is quite an energetic kite moving fast. Children of Dingwall Primary, look sharp!
Friday, 7 August 2009
C is for courageous
Our most intrepid kite so far is C, adopted by Beauly Primary School and currently enjoying the scenic surroundings between Kingussie and Newtonmore, approximately 42 miles south of its starting point. Perhaps its taking stock here for the moment after journeying quite a distance from its nest. C was originally hanging around very close to the nest until the 31st July when it made an early morning bid for independence, ending up in the badenoch area. Over the past week, the signals from C's tag were still reporting it was in this area although these were quite poor, one indicating C was right slap bang on the railway track - worrying to say the least! Fortunately more movements were recorded away from the line and yesterday we took a call from a delighted resident of Newtonmore who had spotted a red kite on the 4th and 5th of August from the road nearer to Kingussie. This appears to be a perfect spot for indulging in a spot of rabbit eating so it would appear C is certainly coping well in finding sources of food of his very own. For indeed C is a male who has a sister in E, adopted by Culbokie Primary School, currently still to be found in the black isle area. We are due to get further signals from C at lunchtime today which will tell us if the kite is still in this area - keep a look out for C if you're in the vicinity yourself as we welcome live sightings of the kites in addition to our satellite data.
Friday, 7 August 2009
Up, up and away!
All 10 red kite chicks have now made their first significant movements away from their parent’s territories, some proving to be more adventurous than others! One kite in particular seemed really keen to get ahead of the game and has so far left behind the black isle for travels down in the badenoch area. At the moment each kite is rather unimaginatively identified as a letter of the alphabet, awaiting something a little bit more individual chosen by the pupils of the adoptive schools once they return from their holidays. It shouldn’t take long for the children to select suitable names for these awe-inspiring birds!
These are exciting aswell as dangerous times for the young kites, spreading their wings to undertake a whole 2 years worth of adventures with many learning curves along the way before finally settling down with nests of their own. Whilst young ospreys all over Scotland limber up for a mammoth migration to Africa for the winter, young red kites in contrast exhibit dispersal behaviour during this time. Dispersive movements are largely exploratory and unpredictable in nature, taking place in all directions and sometimes over large distances. Full of the wanderlust, a first year kite from the black isle ventured north to Iceland in 1997, a journey of 1,000 km across the unforgiving North Atlantic. On the other end of the scale there are the real home birds that choose to stay fairly local to their natal territories. It may also take a few months yet before kites start to disperse over wider distances and there are bound to be a lot of surprises along the way. Once they reach the age at which they can breed, around 2-3 yrs, kites will largely remain resident all year round to an area. Time will tell where each of our kites will end up and it is sure to be a gripping couple of years. Each of the kite's movement's will be updated as and when the satellite tag data comes in every couple of days and regular blogs will provide more information on the bigger picture. Drop in again for all the latest happenings surrounding our 10 short in the feather-ed friends!