"When the first red kites appeared, I got chills."
A conservationist has described how, 20 years ago, he got "goosebumps" as he
witnessed the arrival of a new colony of red kites as part of a significant reintroduction
project.
Between 2004 and 2006, the Northern Kites project released around 100 of the raptors
into Gateshead, Tyneside's lower Derwent Valley.
The birds were once widely seen in Britain, but by the 19th century, environmental
degradation had nearly driven them out of the country.
According to RSPB officer Pat Thompson, he was "staggered" that the strategy had
been in place for 20 years. It came after a number of other UK-wide red
kite reintroduction initiatives.
According to Mr. Thompson, the team's "strategic decision" to return the birds
"straight on to the edge" of the urban population was what set the effort in
northeastern England apart.
He stated, "This species has a long history of being close to people."
"A little bit of history" From the Chilterns, the first birds were raised.
Mr. Thompson remarked, "I recall thinking this is a bit of true history."
"They are really susceptible during those initial moments.
It is not always possible to predict how those animals would adapt to a new habitat.
According to Mr. Thompson, the birds are at serious risk at that early stage from other
predators, car accidents, and even famine.
In order to allow the birds to become accustomed to scavenging, he said the crew
first concealed food stashes throughout the Derwent Valley, which includes portions
of Gateshead and County Durham.
There are currently between 150 and 170 of the birds in the area, according to
Harold Dobson, a volunteer for Friends of the Red Kites who has been conducting
routine bird monitoring since 2009.
He remarked, "I guess you could say that the ones we are seeing now are the
grandchildren of those first birds."
Source bbc.com
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