![]() The origin of the released reintroduced birds is mixed so they had differing migration/dispersal tendencies, Spanish (dispersive), Swedish (most migratory), German (partial migrants), which will be all a bit melded together now. Note a lot of these birds will be wandering immature/non-breeders - most kites don't breed till 2-3yrs old. Large numbers of kites are going to be far more noticeable in certain coastal areas without no or small kite breeding populations rather than Central England or Wales these days. Given it's based on dispersal rather than true migration, movements can be in any direction. The conclusion was that some continental birds were involved but the majority are likely to be UK bred. ![]() Early spring (March) is more typical of 'natural' migration of red kites returning to breeding areas. Ian Carter covers it a bit in his Red Kite book.ĭispersal of wing-tagged birds from reintroduced populations is high in Apr-May and the peak of spring 'passage' in the UK now is Apr/May whereas it was March prior to re-introductions and recovery of the Welsh population. If they are English/Scottish birds then perhaps they are passing through unseen until they hit Lands End and have to turn back? Smaller numbers in eg Kent too could be hitting the coast.Īs I say, I think it's not completely proven, but there seems to be a thinking in Cornwall generally that they are not continental in origin, and records are coinciding with the reintroduction program having started.Įvidence against this would presumably have to start with a noting of records along the Atlantic seaboard/Channel Islands at this time of year, and noting a strong general passage at other European migration points in May/June along with changes in migration pattern/ population size or distributions over the last two decades or so. I seem to remember them becoming mobile and moving through S France in Feb, before the Black Kites even. I'm not particularly aware of a late spring passage through eg France, which is where you'd expect them to be coming from. (These are the only reports I've looked at so far) All other months in the above 6 years they remain generally uncommon - eg only 23 other records for the remaining 10 months of the year in 2016, 12 of those in April) ![]() This track has received 0 comments and 0 ratings from. 1 bird seen with yellow and red wing tags tagged in C Scotland in 2004)įar and away the big day totals are at the very extreme Western tip of the county, with other records tending to spread patchily elsewhere eastward, often a couple days later. This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. A Big Red Kite is a track by Lobo from the album Of A Simple Man released in 1972. There were thirty-one records this year (22 in May/June), following on from last year's exceptional passage of sixty-eight birds, whereas there was an average of only five birds per annum during the 1990's.Ģ006 - c20 birds May-June, maximum one site in W Cornwall 18. I was perhaps misremembering my thoughts on where these birds come from - agreed the Welsh population may not be the source as I believe they were fairly sedentary, even with feeding programs there.Ģ004 - The county mainland total is now c. ![]()
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