Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Red kites

Posted by Sheila on 28/5/2025, 6:08 pm

I remember over 20 years ago now. We in our little close were really excited to see a red kite hovering. Some had been bred and released from the Chilterns. Now 2 plus years on we see lots of them but very few other birds. Even the magpies and grey squirrels have disappeared.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Liz Dance on 28/5/2025, 7:00 pm, in reply to "Red kites"

When we lived in Great Missenden we used to have loads of red kites coming into the garden.

Where we live now we get a really good variety of birds, although this year there seems to be hardly any swallows or house martins, which is a shame.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Sheila on 28/5/2025, 8:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

The red kites were great when they first arrived, but now there are to many of them. Living in the countryside is bliss Liz. Always our retirement plan, sadly we left it too late. I just couldn’t face moving house now.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Brian on 28/5/2025, 8:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

They are a fantastic site. But are in abundance in North Durham to the detriment of other wildlife in the area. It's very hard to balance nature. Giving one species an advantage usually affects others negatively.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Anne on 30/5/2025, 4:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

I didn't know of Red Kites, Sheila I thought some kid must have lost his kite in your garden! I had to look theses birds up to see what they looked like, I thought they looked quite magnificent , we don't have theses birds in Canada.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Sheila on 30/5/2025, 8:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

That made me laugh Anne. I believe they were reared from red kites from Spain. When we first started seeing them everyone was excited, but there is so many now, we are not seeing many small birds.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Sheila on 30/5/2025, 8:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

Anne my earlier post should have read 20years on, not 2 years on.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Anne on 30/5/2025, 11:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

I should always re-read my posts, it should read these not theses.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Liz Sance on 31/5/2025, 8:15 am, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

Red Kites were reintroduced into England about 1989 in the Chilterns, hence we had them landing in our garden quite often when we lived near Great Missenden. It seems as though the reintroduction was a success as they are now in most parts of the, we saw loads of them when we were up in the Lake District 2 weeks ago, magnificent birds.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Sheila on 31/5/2025, 8:33 am, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

Was it that long ago 1989 Liz, I was going to say 25 years ago, but thought that might be too long. I remember being in the garden with a friend and it was she who noticed it. The friend and husband moved to France a few years later.. Sadly I’m finding harder to remember just how long ago it was.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Liz Dance on 31/5/2025, 9:36 am, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

Yes it was Sheila, in those days we lived in Chorleywood and used to drive out into the Chilterns we used to see loads of the Red Kites then, they we quite in abundance round Christmas Common area.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Ray on 31/5/2025, 9:53 am, in reply to "Red kites"

Not red kites( we live in bill quay & used to have many different types of local birds in our garden but when the trees next to us grew bigger it attracted lots of magpies & crows now years on we hav no small birds just magpies because they've ate all the chicks .anyone got a shotgun

Re: Red kites - Ray

Posted by Liz Dance on 31/5/2025, 11:46 am, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

We’ve got a shotgun Ray but a bit far to come a shoot the magpies etc, sorry!!!

Re: Red kites - Ray

Posted by Sheila on 31/5/2025, 2:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites - Ray"

We have noticed how the magpies have disappeared since we have more red kites. I’m not complaining they are not nice birds.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Malcolm on 31/5/2025, 2:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

I know that Magpies/Crows have a bad rep, but we have several magpies around in the garden, plus a rookery of around 150 Rooks, yet we still have quiet a few of the smaller birds, particularly around the feeder, outside the living room window.

Yes, Ray, I have a gun, but I doubt that I could hit anything in Bill Quay from here!!!

Re: Red kites

Posted by Liz Dance on 31/5/2025, 2:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

Has anyone noticed that there are hardly any swallows this year, a bit of a mystery.

Re: Red kites

Posted by Keith on 2/6/2025, 11:33 am, in reply to "Re: Red kites"

We live right beside Hebburn Park and this year the numbers of Parakeets that nest here have grown massively, have witnessed flocks of 20 to 30 of them flying overhead regularly.During twilight hours we have seen quite a few Bats out on the hunt as well, this all keeps my young Grandkids entertained for hours.

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