UPDATED NEWS - OCTOBER 2008
The colonisation of Shropshire
by Red Kites is now well underway. Seven
nests were found in 2008, all in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty (AONB) in the south-west of the County.
The number of sightings in Shropshire has increased rapidly in recent times, and, in 2006, young birds flew from a nest in Shropshire
for the first time since a nest near Ludlow
in 1876 – more than 130 years ago. A
total of five young fledged from six of the seven nests found in 2008 and 19 young have fledged in the last three years. Many more
individual Kites summered in the County, so it is likely that more
nests will be found next year
More detailed information about kites breeding in Shropshire,
the history and ecology of Kites, and the work of the Welsh
Kite Trust has been published in several issues of The Shropshire Ornithological Society's house magazine "The Buzzard", and can be found on the Society’s website www.shropshirebirds.com.
Further information about the Welsh Kite Trust can be found on their website, www.welshkitetrust.org.
Reports, Please
Leo
Smith is monitoring the spread of Kites from Wales into
Shropshire for the Welsh Kite Trust and would be pleased to receive reports of two birds
together, or one seen frequently in the same place, especially if it’s near a
wood or small copse of large trees.
Leo Smith:
01588 638577;
leo.smith@dsl.pipex.com
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