Wing Tag A0

Wing Tag A1

Wing Tag A2

Wing Tag A3

Wing Tag A4

Wing Tag A5

Wing Tag A6

Wing Tag A7

Wing Tag B0

Wing Tag B1

Name:

Spirit 2

Wing Tag:

A0

Adopted by:

Farne Primary School, Newcastle Upon Tyne (previously adopted wing tag 37 who died)

Parents:

Male: WT53 'Winlaton Blaze'
Female: WT44 'Morgan'

Key Activities:

WTA0, along with sibling WTA1, was raised in a nest in Gateshead this summer. WTA0 was fitted with wing tags and a leg ring on 21st June. WTA0 fledged in July 2007. WTA0 can only be identified by a visual sighting. One such sighting places WTA0 at Barlow Burn, in Gateshead, on 14th August 2007.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

No name given

Wing Tag:

A1

Adopted by:

Adopted by: Cragside C of E First School, Cramlington (previously adopted wing tag 65 who died) and Cragside Nursery Unit (jointly adopted wing tag B1 who died)

Parents:

Male: WT53 'Winlaton Blaze'
Female: WT44 'Morgan'

Key Activities:

WTA1, along with sibling WTA0, was raised in a nest in Gateshead this summer. WTA1 was fitted with wing tags and a leg ring on 21st June and fledged in July 2007. WTA1 can only be identified by a visual sighting. WTA1 was not recorded again until 3rd October 2007 when a photograph confirmed WTA1 was flying over Barlow Fell.

From 26th to 31st October 2007, WTA1 was recorded in Teesdale and was seen roosting with WTA7. WTA1 did not remain in Teesdale for long and by 5th November 2007 had rejoined the kites in Gateshead. This has been followed by no sightings since.

On 11th February 2008, WTA1 was seen with five other kites feeding in a field and perching on fence posts just north of the Barlow Burn.

This has been followed by no sightings since.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

Silky Striker

Wing Tag:

A2

Adopted by:

New Silksworth Junior School, Sunderland

Parents:

Male: WT6 'Flame'
Female: WT19 'Ruby'

Key Activities:

WTA2 was raised in a nest in Gateshead this summer. WTA2 was fitted with wing tags and a leg ring on 12th July and fledged late-July 2007.

WTA2 can only be identified by a visual sighting and was regularly recorded around Rowlands Gill. On 5th November, WTA2 and five other kites were seen feeding on a pheasant carcass in a field in the area.

Silky Striker was next seen on 23rd June 2008 at Cut Thorn Farm, Gibside, with WTB0 and another purple tagged kite.

On 2nd October 2008, Silky Striker was recorded at the red kite winter roost near Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill, Gateshead.

Current Location:

Gateshead

Name:

RJ

Wing Tag:

A3

Adopted by:

Ryton Community Junior School, Gateshead (previously adopted wing tag 5 who died)

Parents:

Male: WT15 'Red Philip'
Female: WT16 'Flag'

Key Activities:

The parents of WTA3, WT15 (Red Philip) and WT16 (Flag), successfully raised a chick in 2006, becoming the first red kites to breed in the northeast for nearly 200 years!

In the summer of 2007 this pair successfully raised two chicks in the Derwent Walk Country Park. WTA3, along with sibling WTA4, was fitted with wing tags and a leg ring on 28th June. WTA3 fledged in mid-July 2007.

WTA3 can only be identified by a visual sighting. Since fledging in July, no sighting for WTA3 have been recorded.

On 24th February 2008, RJ was seen near Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill.

This has been followed by no sightings since.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

Farra Flame

Wing Tag:

A4

Adopted by:

Farringdon Primary School, Sunderland

Parents:

Male: WT15 'Red Philip'
Female: WT16 'Flag'

Key Activities:

The parents of WTA4, WT15 (Red Philip) and WT16 (Flag), successfully raised a chick in 2006, becoming the first red kites to breed in the northeast for nearly 200 years! In the summer of 2007 this pair successfully raised two chicks in the Derwent Walk Country Park. WTA4, along with sibling WTA3, was fitted with wing tags and a leg ring on 28th June. WTA4 can only be identified by a visual sighting and on 6th September 2007, WTA4 was seen foraging with seven other kites in the lower Derwent valley.

In early May 2008, A4 was seen around Blanchland, near the border of Northumberland and County Durham.

In spring 2008, Farra Flame was seen displaying with WT71 (Sky Dancer) they went on to build a nest together and had two chicks, one of which was raised to fledging. This chick has been fitted with a leg ring and wing tags B9 and fledged in July 2008. Farra Flame, at only one year old, has made her parents Flag and Red Philip grandparents at the ripe old age of four years old!

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

Ponteland Sunrise

Wing Tag:

A5

Adopted by:

Ponteland Community High School, Northumberland

Parents:

Male: WT51 'Burning Wings'
Female: WT21 'Winlaton Phoenix'

Key Activities:

The parents of WTA5, WT51 (Burning Wings) and WT21 (Winlaton Phoenix), build a nest in Northumberland's Tyne Valley and successfully raised WTA5 this summer. WTA5 is the first red kite to be raised in Northumberland for around 170 years! WTA5 was fitted with a leg ring and wing tags on 12th July and fledged late July 2007. WTA5 can only be identified by a visual sighting.

In October 2007, Ponteland Sunrise was regularly recorded roosting at Sherburn Tower Farm in Rowlands Gill. On 19th January 2008, Ponteland Sunrise was seen flying with parent WT51 above Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill. On 22nd January, Ponteland Sunrise was seen with parent WT21 at Barlow Burn.

On 11th February 2008, Ponteland Sunrise was seen with five other kites (including parents WT21 and WT51) feeding in a field and perching on fence posts just north of the Barlow Burn.

In mid-April 2008, Ponteland Sunrise was seen displaying with WT84 (Shiver) over Gibside National Trust estate. Though they did not go on to nest together we can now confirm that Ponteland Sunrise is male. This has been followed by no sightings since.

Since 25th September 2008, Ponteland Sunrise has regularly been recorded at the the red kite winter roost near Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill, Gateshead.

Current Location:

Gateshead

Name:

Sedgefield Blaze

Wing Tag:

A6

Adopted by:

Sedgefield Community College, County Durham

Parents:

Male: WT36 'Fire Flight'
Female: WT28 'Agnes'

Key Activities:

WTA6 was raised in a nest in the Derwent valley this summer. WTA6 was fitted with a leg ring and wing tags on 28th June and fledged in late July 2007. WTA6 can only be identified by a visual sighting.

On 13th September 2007, Sedgefield Blaze was observed flying with parent WT28 (Agnes) around Pontop Pike in County Durham. On 10th December 2007, Sedgefield Blaze was recorded near Highfield in Rowlands Gill.

On 11th February 2008, Sedgefield Blaze was seen with five other kites feeding in a field and perching on fence posts just north of the Barlow Burn. On 24th February 2008, Sedgefield Blaze was seen near Sherburn Towers housing estate in Rowlands Gill.

This has been followed by no sightings since.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

Icarus

Wing Tag:

A7

Adopted by:

Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School, County Durham

Parents:

Male: Untagged male
Female: WT57 'Langleydale Traveller'

Key Activities:

Icarus was raised in a nest in Teesdale this summer. Icarus was fitted with a leg ring and wing tags on 12th July and fledged in late July 2007. Icarus can only be identifed by a visual sighting and since fledging, Icarus has regularly been seen with the parent male around Langleydale in Teesdale. In late October 2007, WTA1 was visiting Teesdale and was seen roosting with Icarus. During the winter months Icarus has regularly been recorded at the winter roost in Langleydale.

In April 2008, Icarus was seen displaying with WT43 (Swift) in the lower Derwent valley, Gateshead. However, he did not stay in Gateshead for long and by May he was back in Teesdale and seen displaying with an untagged female! On 1st June he was recorded at Blackton, Eggleston.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

Excalibur

Wing Tag:

B0

Adopted by:

Shotley Bridge Junior School, County Durham

Parents:

Male: WT56 'Burnside Red Arrow'
Female: WT38 'Harlow Harrier'

Key Activities:

WTB0, along with sibling WTB1, was raised in a nest in Gateshead this summer. WTB0 was fitted with a leg ring and wing tags on 21st June and fledged mid-July 2007. WTB0 can only be identifed by a visual sighting.

On 5th November, Excalibur and five other kites were seen feeding on a pheasant carcass in a field in Rowlands Gill.

Excalibur was not seen again until 23rd June 2008. Excalibur was at Cut Thorn Farm, Gibside, with WTA2 and another purple tagged kite.

Current Location:

Unknown

Name:

No name given

Wing Tag:

B1

Adopted by:

Cragside C of E First School, Cramlington (previously adopted wing tag 65 who died) and Cragside Nursery Unit

Parents:

Male: WT56 'Burnside Red Arrow'
Female: WT38 'Harlow Harrier'

Key Activities:

WTB1, along with sibling WTB0, was raised in a nest in Gateshead this summer. WTB1 was fitted with a leg ring and wing tags on 21st June. On 6th July WTB1 had to be taken into rehabilitation after being found soaked through and underweight at the bottom of the nest tree. Following several weeks in rehab WTB1 was released back into the Derwent valley in late-July 2007 (after being fitted with a radio transmitter). WTB1 was regularly recorded around the Barlow area of Gateshead.

In October 2007, WTB1's transmitter signal did not change for a period of time indicating problems. Following further investigation, the corpse was found in Barlow Burn. There is no evidence to indicate death was due to anything but natural causes.

Current Location:

Deceased