Visitor from the Emrald Isle
Interesting news about the Hen Harrier from Ireland seen in Pembrokeshire. I've been wondering too Liz how long it will take before one of the re-introduced Welsh kites to Ireland will return to their homeland here in Wales. Do you think they feel that 'hiraeth' which affects the Welsh when they visit far flung places?! This afternoon above my home near Machynlleth I saw 23 kites this happens each winter when we get these high winds and then they generally roost in trees opposite my home which allows me the opportunity to read the details of the wing tags through my scope I pass the details of these tagged birds to Tony Cross of the Welsh Kite Trust. Today I had 6 tagged kites and interestingly there were 3 birds which were related. Year 2007 'W' and 'Z' were there with their mother 'A'. She is a 2002 bird originating from Llangurig or Llanidloes cant remember which. I have christened her 'Anwen' for obvious reasons. She has a nest not to far away from my home. Over the last 3 years 2 of her chicks have gone to Ireland. She is an excellent breeding female and regularly rears two chicks. She is a prize bird for whom I have great affection and I was pleased to see that she is still with us and looking well. Her nest is in a most odd location its in a fallen ash tree which has lodged against an oak tree. This presents a major challenge to Tony Cross when he climbs the tree to ring/tag the chicks or to remove them for the Irish project. This year he was assisted by a chap from Ireland who was a 'tree surgeon' by trade and he shimmed up that tree like a monkey! They took a chick out of that nest which went to Ireland. I always feel rather sad to lose my chicks this way but I know the importance and significance of the Irish release project. It is at least 200 years since kites nested in Ireland. The way I look at it is that its a kind of insurance policy, should our native stock be wiped out or seriously depleted for one reason or another then its possible that Wales could be resupplied from the Irish stock. It was rather amusing or quite touching this year as a couple of my landowners whom I know very well refused to allow 'their' birds to go anywhere out of Wales or in one case to be even ringed or tagged by Tony Cross! I respect and admire them for adopting this view. Not so many years ago the red kite was relentlessly persecuted by the farming community. On one farm belonging to a very well known Welsh family there was a serious debate about whether one of 'their' birds should go to Ireland or not the lady of the house said 'no' but the head of the household said 'yes' and I guess his word was final! So that was the result one of the two chicks was taken to its new home in the Emerald Isle.
// posted by Elfyn Pugh