Study Area 2022 The pattern of fieldwork will continue this year with a concentration on filling in gaps and reinforcing findings. No nest site visits will be done this year. Habitat recording in a 2 x 2km square around the nest is actively underway, starting in the winter with 19 sites assessed by 1 April: all 6 in Hexhamshire, all 10 in the Allen, 2 in Tyne Valley W and 1 in Tyne Valley E. The Black Kite colonisation will be actively monitored. The book is under way with habitat data a vital part of the scientific assessment. Intensive Site Visits: none this year
Breeding: Running Totals to 15/09 (all data compiled)
Display period: 24/4- 15/6 20 site (15 male, 11 female: 26 total) Sitting/Rearing period: 25/6-16/8 7 site (7 male, 2 female: 9 total) Fledging period: 28/8-15/9 15 site (4 male, 4 female, 21+ juvenile seen, 2+ juvenile inferred: 31 total) Gangs of juveniles: none
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Study Area 2022: Migrants Spring: Totals
1 female moving SW over Stocksfield E, tending to turn W (Tyne Valley W) 5/5; group of 3 birds (1 male, 2 female) at Swallowship (Devil’s Water) 24/5, extra female thought to be a migrant.
Autumn: Totals
2 female moving E out of sites at Shilford and Eltringham 9/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring high and going S out of March Burn 11/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring to moderate height and gliding E at Hexham on 13/9 (Tyne Valley W); a juvenile rapidly floating around at Ordley on 7/10 (Devil’s Water); 2 juveniles up over Eltringham and Bywell on 8/10, both resting (Tyne Valley W). |
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Out of Study Area 2022 Kolimvarion, Crete: (4/4-18/4): a female and male coming off the sea from E on 17/4 at 12:33 and 12:43 respectively and flying towards southern base of the Rodopou Peninsula, presumably to feed in the more fertile land there, before continuing to N. The female Honey-buzzard (or another) was indeed rediscovered later at 15:32 in Koumouli at the base of the Rodopou Peninsula floating over the wooded hillside but no sign of the male. Also earlier a male N at Agia Triada at 15:56 on 9/4. Budapest, Hungary: (19/6-24/6): none. Marciac, France: (3/7-18/7): noted at 3 localities,4 birds: 3 male, 1 female. Birds fairly active presumed foraging for food for medium- to large-sized young. 1) at Juillac SW/Bourret at 136-226m with 4/7 a female floating over the area; 5/7 a female coming out of a small copse to S of villa and moving back E at low altitude; 8/7 another male high up over the presumed site to S; 9/7 picking up at Bourret a female in territory over a wood, trying to keep kite away from its nesting area, up over the E end of wood; 9/7 The heat kept most birds low in the afternoon but first up at 17:45 as it cooled down a bit was a female circling for some time over the small woods on the ridge; 11/7 a male flying briefly along ridge; 15/7 a female up over site, hanging over area before drifting off SW. 2) at Juillac NE/Marciac NW 136-226m with 5/7 a male up to NE of the Villa over the wood at 18:08 (habitat) by a river (known breeding site); 8/7 a male high over the site to NE drifting S towards Juillac. 3) at Auriébat at 144-262m, 9/7 much further to SW had a male Honey-buzzard in contention with a Black Kite adult. Liverpool: (9/8-12/8): none Chamonix, France: (19/8-27/8): noted at 2 localities: 1) at Argentière at 1252m with adult alarm call on 21/8 as walked towards mature spruce plantation and on 22/8 with a family group of 3 in the air above the tree line close together over the village; 2) at Les Gaillands at 1020m on 23/8 where an adult female left to forage from a dense spruce plantation, in contention with an adult Common Buzzard. London, Leeds: (24/9-29/9): none. Totnes, Dartmouth, Teignmouth, Devon: 20/10-27/10: none. |
Study Area 2022: Migrants Spring: Totals
1 female moving SW over Stocksfield E, tending to turn W (Tyne Valley W) 5/5; group of 3 birds (1 male, 2 female) at Swallowship (Devil’s Water) 24/5, extra female thought to be a migrant.
Autumn: Totals
2 female moving E out of sites at Shilford and Eltringham 9/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring high and going S out of March Burn 11/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring to moderate height and gliding E at Hexham on 13/9 (Tyne Valley W); a juvenile rapidly floating around at Ordley on 7/10 (Devil’s Water); 2 juveniles up over Eltringham and Bywell on 8/10, both resting (Tyne Valley W). |
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Out of Study Area 2022 Kolimvarion, Crete: (4/4-18/4): a female and male coming off the sea from E on 17/4 at 12:33 and 12:43 respectively and flying towards southern base of the Rodopou Peninsula, presumably to feed in the more fertile land there, before continuing to N. The female Honey-buzzard (or another) was indeed rediscovered later at 15:32 in Koumouli at the base of the Rodopou Peninsula floating over the wooded hillside but no sign of the male. Also earlier a male N at Agia Triada at 15:56 on 9/4. Budapest, Hungary: (19/6-24/6): none. Marciac, France: (3/7-18/7): noted at 3 localities,4 birds: 3 male, 1 female. Birds fairly active presumed foraging for food for medium- to large-sized young. 1) at Juillac SW/Bourret at 136-226m with 4/7 a female floating over the area; 5/7 a female coming out of a small copse to S of villa and moving back E at low altitude; 8/7 another male high up over the presumed site to S; 9/7 picking up at Bourret a female in territory over a wood, trying to keep kite away from its nesting area, up over the E end of wood; 9/7 The heat kept most birds low in the afternoon but first up at 17:45 as it cooled down a bit was a female circling for some time over the small woods on the ridge; 11/7 a male flying briefly along ridge; 15/7 a female up over site, hanging over area before drifting off SW. 2) at Juillac NE/Marciac NW 136-226m with 5/7 a male up to NE of the Villa over the wood at 18:08 (habitat) by a river (known breeding site); 8/7 a male high over the site to NE drifting S towards Juillac. 3) at Auriébat at 144-262m, 9/7 much further to SW had a male Honey-buzzard in contention with a Black Kite adult. Liverpool: (9/8-12/8): none Chamonix, France: (19/8-27/8): noted at 2 localities: 1) at Argentière at 1252m with adult alarm call on 21/8 as walked towards mature spruce plantation and on 22/8 with a family group of 3 in the air above the tree line close together over the village; 2) at Les Gaillands at 1020m on 23/8 where an adult female left to forage from a dense spruce plantation, in contention with an adult Common Buzzard. London, Leeds: (24/9-29/9): none. Totnes, Dartmouth, Teignmouth, Devon: 20/10-27/10: none. |
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Study Area 2022: Migrants Spring: Totals
1 female moving SW over Stocksfield E, tending to turn W (Tyne Valley W) 5/5; group of 3 birds (1 male, 2 female) at Swallowship (Devil’s Water) 24/5, extra female thought to be a migrant.
Autumn: Totals
2 female moving E out of sites at Shilford and Eltringham 9/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring high and going S out of March Burn 11/9 (Tyne Valley W); a female soaring to moderate height and gliding E at Hexham on 13/9 (Tyne Valley W); a juvenile rapidly floating around at Ordley on 7/10 (Devil’s Water); 2 juveniles up over Eltringham and Bywell on 8/10, both resting (Tyne Valley W). |
