A total of 75 individual wing-tags were read during the main roost period (December to late February). This included 28 (65%) of the 43 tagged chicks marked in the 1999 breeding season which were believed to be still alive during this period. Local wintering by such a substantial part of the juvenile population is a major benefit to their long-term survival. Young kites that winter away from the natal area during their first year are most at risk to persecution.

National Red Kite Survey and 2000 breeding season
In support of this survey all suitable woodland in the known core area and sites where kites have bred previously were visited at least once during the period March-June to look for breeding activity. Additional sightings of red kites out side of the core area reported by members of the public were followed up for possible breeding.

Red Kites were holding territory at 39 sites in the spring of 2000, at three only single unpaired adults were in attendance. At a further four sites the pairs present either did not breed or failed at a very early stage in the breeding cycle. Completed clutches were laid and incubated at 32 sites. One nest failed soon after hatching and another failed when the 2 young died from rodenticide poisoning at 5 weeks old. The remaining 30 pairs produced 73 fledged young. This was the largest number of breeding pairs and highest productivity since the reintroduction scheme started in 1989 and included only the second record of a brood of four young. 68 of the young were wing-tagged when 4-6 weeks old. Brood sizes were five of b/1, nine of b/2, fifteen of b/3 and one b/4.

Rodenticides
In the 1999 breeding season a brood of three at a nest near Culbokie died from rodenticide bromadiolone poisoning after they had fledged but still dependant on the parents for food. Similarly, in 2000 a brood of two young at the nest of another pair near Muir of Ord (15 km from Culbokie) were found to be dying on the ringing visit. The rodenticide identified was difenacoum. In another incident, a 2-week old chick from the CCTV nest was found dead below the nest. At the time it was thought to have lost its footing and accidentally fallen. A post mortem revealed lethal levels of bromadiolone in the liver. Rats were a frequent prey item taken to this nest. The remaining two young at this nest fledged successfully. Finally two red kites, one killed by a car and the other killed with poisoned bait (see later for details) were found with bromadiolone in their livers. The poisoned bird had levels of bromadiolone known to have been lethal in some other kite incidents, though in this case it was the illegal bait that killed the bird not the rodenticide.

Other mortality in 2000
In addition to the rodenticide victims, seven full-grown kites have been found dead so far this year in North Scotland, the highest ever total. Four have died from poisoned baits laced with the root crop insecticide carbocxfuran. This has involved two yearlings, a second-year bird and a four-year old adult female. The latter bird has had two successful breeding seasons rearing 5 young and is a major loss to the population. A four-month old juvenile was killed by a car whilst feeding on a squashed rabbit. A sixth fatality involved a newly fledged juvenile which was found grounded unable to fly. It was taken into care for several months but was later euthanased because of its rapidly deteriorating condition.

Finally, it is with great sadness to report the death of the three-year old red kite which was brought back from Iceland in November 1999. It was released on 1 March 2000 near to a kite roost and was seen flying strongly 15 km away on 15 March. At the end of April it was found freshly dead in woodland 42 km north-west of the release site. Regrettably the finder disposed of the body before reporting his find to the RSPB so the cause of death is unknown. (The incidents of poison abuse and rodenticide deaths in red kites are now at a record level. It reflects a hardening of attitudes against birds of prey and predators amongst game-keepers and sporting estates; the weakness in the ability of current wildlife legislation to protect vulnerable species and the increasing use and harmful effects of modern rodenticides in the countryside.)