Top Lodge : red kite

Wonderful Winter Walks

chris andrews — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:06:00 GMT

We are now into November, so it is time once again for Top Lodge to start up our exceedingly popular series of walks to see the red kites coming into roost. Many places around the country have feeding stations that attract kites to allow people to see large numbers. But such projects can always seem a bit, well, artificial. here at top Lodge however we offer the public the chance to see up large numbers of kites (the top number ever recorded was 110) in a completely natural setting.

The afternoon starts with a 30 minute illustrated talk about the kites and their reintroduction, both in this area and elsewhere around the country. Then, after a short break, we jump in our cars and drive the short distance to the roosting wood. There we stand whilst kites come in from the surrounding countryside. Often they perch up in isolated trees short distance from the wood, checking each other out. You often find family ties being kept, with grown-up siblings perching next to each other.

Over the course of the next hour or so, kites leave the trees and start dropping into the main wood. But it would be a mistake to think this means an end to the spectacle. Often, for no apparent reason, all the kites in the wood suddenly leave together and end up in a mad aerial dance. Twisting and turning around each other in the sky. Really a sight to see.

The walks begin this Sunday and run every Sunday and Wednesday (with the exception of 13 December) until the end of January. Advance booking is essential as these are very popular and we keep group sizes fixed to avoid disturbing the kites too much with huge numbers of people. Indeed, at the time I am writing this, the first 4 Sunday walks are already fully booked. Places may be booked by phoning the centre on 01780 444691. Places cost £6 for adults and £2 for children.

And they are off.....

chris andrews — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:56:00 GMT

The kite chicks that is. They have finally taken the plunge and are now no longer on the nest. over the last couple of weeks they had only been appearing at infrequent intervals. Usually just after the parents had dropped some food off at the nest. Mum and Dad have finally got bored of waiting hand and foot on the youngsters now, so the chicks will have to look after themselves, foraging for carrion in the surrounding fields. Who knows, you may just catch a glimpse of them circling over the centre.

Hop to it!

chris andrews — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:24:00 GMT

If you've been meaning to come to Top Lodge to see the kite chicks on the nest, you'd better get your skates on. The three chicks are getting ever more adventuresome. In preparation for their first flight they have taken to 'branch hopping', where they leave the nest for nearby branches and then half jump/half flutter from one branch to another. As a result, its not always possible to see all three birds on the nest camera. Indeed, somtimes you can only see the tail of one bird, with the others nowhere to be seen!

All of which gave us a slight problem on Sunday, when a BBC film crew came with Mike Dilger (best known as the wildlife expert on The One Show) to tell the story of our kites. Luckily the kites behaved impeccably, so watch out for them on 'Inside out', sometime in the Autumn.

I am not a number!

chris andrews — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:59:00 GMT

I'm a free...... kite?

Our three red kite chicks are now sporting their very fetching wing tags. These light plastic tags clip over the kites' wings and allow them to be identified from a distance. Reports of their movements will help us understand the kites and how they live their lives better. So if in years to come you see a kite with a white tag on both wings and the numbers 78, 79 or 80, give them a cheery wave!

In other news, this weekend is set to be a big event for us. We are holding our Summer Solstice Fair, with live music, sword dancers, juggler, craft fair, bar and lots of other activities. Do come along and pay us a visit!

One out, all out!

chris andrews — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:23:00 GMT

The great news from the centre is that our blue tits have fledged. Of the eight chicks, four left yesterday and the remaining ones left today. They can still be seen around the centre though, being fed by their parents. As can other baby birds such as pied wagtails and house sparrows.

This weekend will be a great time to visit the centre, as we are holding a 'Wildlife Weekend' Come along and you can find out what mini-monsters lurk in the wood, help us with our bird survey or discover what the local owls have been eating by dissecting their pellets. Plus the red kite camera footage will continue.

Lets go spy a kite

chris andrews — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:21:00 GMT

I'm pleased to announce that the red kite nest camera is back up and running, with three fluffy chicks on the nest. They look to be about a fortnight old and we look forward to watching them grow up, probably leaving the nest towards the end of July. As well as showing the footage in the RSPB shop, if you want to sit and watch the birds we will be opening up the Big Barn (subject to availability) and have seats in there.

The blue tits are doing well, all eight chicks are still alive, well and hungry. But we don't think it will be long now before they leave the safety of the nestbox for the big wide world. other broods around the site have already begun leaving the nest. We just had to rescue a brood which somehow managed to get into the children's toilets and couldn't get back out again. But they are free now and flying around the site.

'Special K' becomes a visitors' favourite

chris andrews — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:08:00 GMT

If you come to the Top Lodge centre you may very well see a kite drifting overhead. If you do, chances are it will be the bird that has been nicknamed 'Special K'. Why the odd name? Well, it is really called Purple K, the name referring to the colour and letter on its wing tags. The purple colour shows it was tagged (and therefore hatched) in 2007, whilst the letter K identifies it as an individual. "Why then is it nicknamed Special K?", you ask. Well, it has been a regular sight around the centre over the past couple of weeks, thus making it a serial visitor.

Yes, sorry. The puns don't get any better, do they?

The other kite news is that our resident pair have been spotted refurbishing the same nest as they used last year. This is excellant news, as it means the nest camera will be much easier to set up as all the fittings and cabling are already in position. You should therefore hopefully be able to see live footage of the kites on the big screen in the RSPB shop from early May. You may remember last year was very successful, with all three chicks fledging. Fingers crossed for a similar story this year.

Christmas is coming..

chris andrews — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:38:00 GMT

But we certainly are not getting fat. In fact we are busier than ever with two exciting events to prepare for.

This Sunday sees the start of our red kite roost walk season. We are running walks to see the entirely natural spectacle of red kites coming to roost at night every Sunday and Wednesday from now until 2 February. The events start at 2:30 with a short talk about the reintroduction of red kites to this area followed by refreshments. We then drive to a nearby wood where the kites roost and watch them come in. Numbers of birds can be variable, but we have had up to 100 kites in the sky all at once. Advance booking is essential as these are very popular, phone the centre to do so on 01780 444691. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £1.50 for children.

The other exciting event we are planning is the Top Lodge medieval festive weekend on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December. There will be knights in armour, wandering minstrels, falconers, tapesty makers, traditional crafts and even a bar serving mead and mulled wine. And of course you can buy your Christmas cards, calendars and gifts from the RSPB shop, whilst the Forestry Commission will be selling sustainably grown Christmas trees. It promises to be great fun and we are all looking forward to it. The activities run from 11 am to 3:30 pm both days are entry is free (although car parking charges may apply).

An eventful time

chris andrews — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:37:00 GMT

Today is a busy day for us here at Top Lodge, as we are holding a 'Meet the RSPB' event. Visitors can come along to hear about all the marvelous work the RSPB does, both locally with the red kites and also across the rest of the country and internationally. We have a year long programme of events here including regular walks, talks and family fun days. So check out the events section of the website to find out whats on.

One big event that we are very proud of here is our series of red kite roost walks that we hold during the winter. Visitors get the chance to witness a true spectacle of nature as red kites come into roost at a local wood, with up to 100 being seen at once. And this is a completely natural sight, no need for artificial baiting. There has already been a lot of interest in these walks, which will begin again in November, so keep your eyes open for details of them and book your places early!

A clean sweep

chris andrews — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:07:00 GMT

In the last post to this blog we reported that the eldest chick had flown the nest. We are pleased to announce that all three chicks are now airborne. The youngest chick hung on in the nest for ages, but finally went on 11 July. The chicks do reappear at the nest from time to time as the parents drop off food for them there, but this will tail off as the chicks become more self sufficient. Instead it will become easier to see kites flying around the centre as the youngsters stretch their wings.

We have lift off!

chris andrews — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:59:00 GMT

The exciting news is that the eldest chick is now airborne. It has been keeping us all on tenterhooks for the past few days by hopping around on branches near the nest and disappearing from view. But finally on Monday it took the plunge and made its maiden flight. The middle chick looks set to follow it soon as it too have been spending increasing amounts of time on branches away from the nest, only just visible to the camera. The youngest bird is still something of a homebody though and is staying in the nest.

Which is not to say that once the chicks can fly we won't see them on the camera again. They will continue to hang around the nest as the parents will keep bringing in food for them. Eventually though they will have to fend for themselves, and so will disappear. Usually towards the beginning of August.

Out on a limb

chris andrews — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:23:00 GMT

The chicks are still in the nest, but the largest one is getting increasingly adventurous. When its not too windy it often spends time hopping out onto branches next to the nest, and then vigourously flapping. Probably much to the relief of its siblings, which before kept getting clonked on the head when it wanted to exercise!

With growing chicks also come growing appetites, and this morning we had the unusual sight of one of the chicks with a crow's wing stuck out of its beak. Evidently the crow had been a road casualty and the remains had been brought back to eat. One of the chicks gobbled the whole lot down, but had trouble with the final piece. It finally managed to swallow it though, much to the relief of all.

In a flap

chris andrews — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:26:00 GMT

The chicks are continuing to grow, and are fast losing their downy white feathers for something more adult looking. They've also taken to standing on the edge of the nest, vigourously exercising their wings. All very important to build up muscles ready for their first flights, but a tad nerve-wracking for onlookers here at the centre! We wonder how long it'll be before the first great leap into the unknown is made.

My, haven't they grown!

chris andrews — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:30:00 GMT

A common sound to be heard whenever children visit relatives, but equally true for our kite chicks. Seeing them every day, you don't appreciate how quickly they are growing in size, but having just come back from 4 days off the increase was quite apparent. Already the two larger chicks are starting to get darker flight feathers poking through the white down. The smallest chick is still entirely in white but it can't be much longer before it too starts to get the first trappings of adulthood.

Visitors to the centre this weekend will find more than just the kites to look at. We will be holding a 'Springwatch Weekend', where you can try out wildlife watching and see if you will be the next Kate Humble or Bill Oddie. There will be wildlife watching classes on both days, a dawn chorus walk on the Sunday and a demonstration of binoculars and telescopes on the same day. Well worth a visit!

Summer Dove-ing

chris andrews — Sat, 24 May 2008 09:19:00 GMT

We were pleased to find a Turtle Dove out by the wildlife hide earlier in the week. These smart birds, whose purring coos used to be as much a sign of the summer in the South and East as swallows have in recent years suffered a marked decline. Numbers have dropped by three quarters in the last 30 years, due to changes in farming practise and hunting along their migration routes.

Today is the first day of 'Red Kite Week', a series of events run by ourselves and the Forestry Commission to highlight the success story that is the east midlands kite reintroduction scheme. And of course the stars of the show are the kite chicks, now growing rapidly and visible in big screens both in the RSPB shop and in the Big Barn. Events during the week include:

Saturday - Red Kite Ramble
Sunday & Monday - Family Fun Days
Tuesday - Talk about the Rockingham Forest kites (FC event)
Wednesday - Red Kite Kite building (FC event)
Thursday - Talk about red kites nationally
Friday - Birdwatching for Beginners courses, including how to find kites
Saturday - Red Kite Ramble

We are also excited to announce that the red kite nest camera footage will shortly be visible on the Forestry Commission's website.