In winter, young Red Kites tend to remain settled in one area, centred on one or more communal roosting sites. Almost all of the long-distance movements are undertaken in autumn or spring with the months of April and May producing a peak in dispersal activity by non-breeding first-year birds.
At this time of year a high proportion of young birds in the Midlands wander away from the area and some end up in the Chilterns or Wales, mixing with Red Kites from these populations. One bird in the spring of 2000 made several trips down to the Chilterns, each time returning to the Midlands where it finally settled for good in late summer.

After last year's full UK breeding survey, this year has seen a reduction in survey effort in the breeding season, partly as a result of the Foot and Mouth restrictions and partly because, as populations have increased, it is no longer feasible to try to locate every pair. A sample survey will be carried out in the Midlands and the Chilterns to provide figures on breeding productivity and enable at least a proportion of young to be fitted with wing-tags and radio-transmitters.

The ongoing Yorkshire Red Kite Project has suffered a set-back as a result of Foot and Mouth as it seems almost certain that it will not be possible to release birds in the area this year. On the positive side, many of the birds released in previous years are still present and further releases planned for 2002 should help to ensure that a self-sustaining population becomes established.

Ian Carter, English Nature's Red Kite Project Officer