The Welsh Kite Trust

RED KITE BREEDING SEASON IN WALES 2004

As I have reported many times the most critical time in the breeding cycle of the kite is during the hatching period. The summer of 2004 will be remembered largely for the warm dry promise, in May, of things to come and the cold wet reality of late June, July and August. Thankfully this warm promise got the kites off to a good start and although the wet weather later on undoubtedly caused some failures on the whole 2004 was a good breeding.

As mentioned in the 2003 report, total coverage is no longer possible but during the year some 369 occupied territories were identified by members of the Welsh Kite Watchers' Group, 70 more than during 2003, and 84 other recently used sites were also checked and thought to be unoccupied (39 of these were occupied in 2003). At least 18 of these 84 sites were thought to have involved the same pairs as were present elsewhere during 2004, however. For 90 other recently occupied sites (30 of which were used in 2003) data is still outstanding. Most of these were either not visited or their status will remain uncertain.

At the 369 occupied territories identified a total of 320 nests were located and a minimum of 299 pairs were thought to have laid eggs. At least 216 pairs were thought to have hatched eggs and 200 pairs reared at least 286 young.

Recorded brood sizes at all nests were 125 x 1, 61 x 2 and 13 x 3 (mean 1.43/successful nest). Where the tree wasn't climbed or the nest wasn't clearly visible some of the recorded brood sizes however were of "at least one chick". This will obviously under record the actual number of young present. Brood sizes in ringed nests were 79 x 1, 51 x 2 and 12 x 3 (mean 1.53 chicks/successful nest.) This is a truer picture of the actual productivity at monitored nests and is pretty good by Welsh standards. Last year the comparable figure was only 1.35-young/successful nest.

For 70 of the occupied territories the outcome was uncertain. 23 of these were known to have built nests and 19 were known to have laid eggs.

For 298 occupied territories with known outcome 295 (99%) built nests, 280 (94%) laid eggs, 215 hatched (72%) and 200 (67%) reared a minimum of 286 young (0.96 chicks/territorial pair, 1.43 chicks/successful pair). 212 of this year's young were ringed and 202 of these were also wing-tagged with a black tag on the left wing and a yellow one on the right.

As last year I have selected a sub-sample of all nests located during the egg stage or earlier. Of the 267 pairs in this sub-sample 254 (95%) are known to have laid eggs, 191 (71.5%) are known to have hatched and 177 (66.3%) reared a minimum of 261 young (0.98 chicks/territorial pair, 1.47/successful pair). All measurements of breeding success are improvements on 2003, although still well behind those of the well-established, re-introduced, populations.

Observations at feeding stations during autumn 2004 indicate that at least 50% of all chicks were still un-tagged. Using the observed productivity of 0.98 chicks/ territorial pair an estimated 361 young fledged from the 369 occupied territories located. As we tagged 202 chicks and at least 50% are still untagged there must in reality have been something over 400 young fledged. This indicates that there were probably at least an additional 31 territorial pairs. The population is therefore estimated to be at least 400 breeding pairs and probably higher - perhaps even as high as 450 pairs.

The range of the kite in Wales continues to grow. The distribution of known occupied territories by Watsonian Vice County was as follows; Cardiganshire 153, Carmarthenshire 67, Radnorshire 51, Breconshire 41, Montgomeryshire 29, Meirionydd 9, West Glamorgan 9, Pembrokeshire 7, Caernarfonshire 1 and Mid Glamorgan 1.