Return of the red kite (From Salisbury Journal)

Return of the red kite

4:15pm Tuesday 23rd May 2006 in Rural Focus By Roland Batten

THE Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is asking people all over the county to keep a lookout for red kites, after a reported sighting of two of these magnificent birds riding the wind over Brinkworth, near Wootton Bassett.

The Wiltshire and Swindon biological records centre, based at the trust in Devizes, has only eight records of red kites all noted since 2003.

"These charismatic birds have been making a comeback in recent years, through increased awareness among landowners, farmers and other concerned people resulting in less persecution," said the trust's landscapes for wildlife project officer, Paul Darby.

The red kite has, however, been upgraded to near-threatened status on the 2006 red list of threatened species published by the World Conservation Union, due to declines elsewhere in Europe.

BRC data officer Hannah Price said: "Part of the difficulty with collecting records is that kites are similar in size to buzzards, which are now fairly common.

People might not take particular interest in them for that reason. We are saying please, take a second glance it just may be a kite and, if it is, let us know'. It would be lovely to find they are spreading back across the county."

Rural View has heard of unconfirmed reports of a red kite being seen over Porton Down and another on the edge of the New Forest, near Hale.

If you do see any red kites, contact Hannah Price on 01380 725670, ext 256, e-mail hannahp@wiltshirewildlife.org or visit www.wsbrc.org.uk, where you can find an online recording form.