Study Area 2023

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 winter 2022 with 36 sites assessed by end April 2023: all 6 in Hexhamshire, all 10 in the Allen, all 8 in Tyne Valley W, all 8 in Tyne Valley E, 4 in upper South Tyne. 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 15/9 (all data compiled)

Total Sites	Male	Female	Total Adult	Sites Occupied Fledging	Total Juvenile
29	27	16	43	5	5+ (2x1+, 3>0)

Display period: 30/4-16/6 28 site (24 male, 14 female: 38 total)

Sitting/Rearing period: 17/6-19/8 5 site (5 male, 2 female: 7 total)

Fledging period: 20/8-15/9 5 site (2 male, 2 female, 2+ juvenile, 3+ juvenile inferred: 9 total)

Gangs of juveniles:

Study Area 2023: Migrants

Spring: Totals

Male	Female	Juvenile	Total
0	0	N/A	0

Autumn: Totals

Male	Female	Juvenile	Total
0	0	1	1

A juvenile up over the nest site at Ordley from 13:31-13:33 climbing fairly high, probably a Scottish bird, on 1/10 (Devil's Water).

Out of Study Area 2023

Dumfries (18/7-21/7): none.

Munich, Germany, via Amsterdam (25/7-31/7): none.

Liverpool (7/8-11/8): none.

Georgia (23/8-13/9): Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, many thousands. Breeding activity noted at Sakhalvasho, Batumi Botanical Gardens, Mtskheta (Tbilisi). Migrants S, casual observations: 1 at Tbilisi Botanical Gardene on 25/8, 1 at Batumi city on 2/9, 5 at Batumi Botanical Gardens on 3/9, 1 at Batumi Botanical Gardens on 4/9. Migrants S, systematic observations: 4800 at Sakhalvasho on 5/9, 3200 at Sakhalvasho on 6/9 (both 5/9, 6/9 nearly all adult), 73 at Sakhalvasho on 8/9, 1236 at Batumi city on 9/9 (80% juvenile), 370 at Batumi city on 12/9 (both 9/9, 12/9 coastal movement).

Devon (18/9-23/9): 22/9 Challaborough, a Honey-buzzard juvenile flying W at 11:09 using a large stoop followed by rearing up to progress.

North Yorkshire (28/9): Shipton by Beningbrough, a juvenile flying S at low altitude in flap-flap-glide motion.

Kenya (10/12-28/12): Nairobi, Masai Mara, Mombasa, was provisionally none but extensive footage analysed has revealed 2 sightings: at 07:44 of a male Honey-buzzard searching an area near a watering hole at moderate altitude at Masai Mara Balloon Centre on 18/12 and another male Honey-buzzard hunting, hanging over the hillside, at Aitong, Masai Mara, at 16:38 on 17/12. None were seen in Nairobi or at the coast.