Study Area 2016

Because of the increasing population, the study area is reduced in size with the elimination of lower South Tyne and Tipalt/Irthing. These areas were responsible in 2015 for 13 sites, 17 adult (11 male, 6 female),12 sites occupied, fledging 18+ juveniles (6x2, 4x1+, 2x0+) with 1 further site failing (1x0), 2 migrants.

Intensive Site Visits: 10 selected sites

Round 1 28/6-31/7: completed, 10 sites visited; nest tree Scots Pine 5, Norway Spruce 2, Oak 2, Douglas Fir 1; birds recorded male 3, female 9: total adult 12.

Round 2 13/8-4/9 : completed, 10 sites visited, occupied 10, failed 0; found fledged 6x2, 3x1+, 1x>0; birds recorded adult male 4, adult female 9, juvenile 15, total 28.

Breeding: Totals to 25/9, all sites

Display period: 2/5-21/6 40 sites (29 male, 24 female: 53 total)

Sitting/Rearing period: 22/6-10/8 15 sites (5 male, 13 female, 1 juvenile (from 5/8): 19 total)

Fledging period: 11/8-25/9 49 sites (18 male, 23 female, 82 juvenile: 123 total)

Gangs of juveniles: none

Study Area 2016: Migrants

Spring: Totals 22/5 to 7/6

1 male N and 1 female N at Farnley (Tyne Valley W) 22/5; 1 female NW from Hackwood at Hexham (Tyne Valley W) 7/6;

Autumn: Totals 18/8 to 4/11

1 male S from site Dotland (Hexhamshire) 18/8; 5 (4 male, 1 female) W Bywell (Tyne Valley W) 18/8; 1 male SW from site Haltwhistle North Wood (upper South Tyne) 24/8; 1 male S from site Oakpool (Allen) 29/8; 1 female SE from site Slaley Forest (Hexhamshire) 2/9; 1 male glide high S from site Studdon Park (Allen) 7/9; 1 mobile juvenile Shilford (Tyne Valley W) 9/9; 5 (1 male, 3 female, 1 juvenile) S Kirkside (upper South Tyne) 10/9; 1 juvenile S Newbiggin (Derwent) 11/9; 2 mobile juvenile Stocksfield (Tyne Valley W) 16/9; 3 juvenile rest Bywell/Shilford (Tyne Valley W) 1/10; 1 juvenile S from rest Grey Nag (upper South Tyne) 2/10; 2 juvenile rest Haltwhistle (upper South Tyne) 4/10; 1 juvenile rest Thornhope Burn (upper South Tyne) 23/10; 4 juvenile (2 S, 2 rest) Bywell (Tyne Valley W) 25/10; 1 juvenile rest Hexham (Tyne Valley W) 27/10; 2 juvenile rest Stocksfield (Tyne Valley W) 1/11; 2 juvenile S Towsbank (upper South Tyne) 2/11; 1 juvenile rest Stocksfield (Tyne Valley W) 4/11.

Out of Study Area 2016

But in Study Area 2015 lower South Tyne/Tipalt/Irthing: 1 female display Redpeth (Tipalt) 27/5, 1 pair display Whitechapel (lower South Tyne) 28/5, 1 male flying into site Warden (lower South Tyne) 14/6; 1 juvenile present Whitechapel (lower South Tyne) 7/9.

London W/SW (22/4-28/4): none

Ireland: Wexford/Cork/Kerry/Laois/Kildare/Dublin (9/5-16/5): 4 sites occupied in Laois/Kildare area 15/5: 1 pair up low-down over plantation, looking very frisky, in active engagement, just W of Portlaoise at Clonadacasey (Co Laois), 1 female up high mobbed by Corvids, mainly Jackdaw, just S of Portlaoise at Togher (Co Laois), 1 male in butterfly display just SE of Monasterevin (Co Kildare), 1 pair in full display E of Monasterevin at Mayfield (Co Kildare), total 3 male, 3 female.

London W/SW (9/6-11/6): none

Devon (15/7-20/7): active pair Southleigh Hills 18/7, male high float Haldon (Venn) 20/7, male hanging over heath Ideford Common 20/7, male in/out site Starcross 20/7. Total 5 birds (4 male, 1 female) at 4 sites.

north Northumberland (21/7): 2 sites occupied Kidland Forest 21/7, male displaying at one site, female gliding through valley at the other.

South Downs/New Forest (8/8-12/8): Havant Thicket 9/8, 11/8 adult male with juvenile on both days; Beaulieu 10/8 family party of 3 birds (male, female, juvenile) display

London W (19/9-23/9): juvenile flying S, Acton 21/9.

North Yorkshire (23/9): juvenile mobbed by Corvids over stubble field, Fenwick 23/9.

Lake District (9/10-12/10): Lake Windermere: 2 juvenile (1 SE, 1 rest) Far Sawrey 10/10; 1 juvenile S Far Sawrey, 1 juvenile rest Lakeside 11/10. Total 4 juvenile (1 SE, 1 S, 2 rest).

London W (17/10-21/10): none

London W (14/11-18/11): none

Devon (28/11-2/12): none