1st All-Wales Winter Kite Census

As previously mentioned, this weekend was the first attempt at an all-Wales co-ordinated kite count at all the known feeding stations. Counts being done elsewhere in Europe have focused on communal roosts, but roosts here are generally small and well-dispersed so this isn't practical.

Counts at the major feeding stations were as follows;

Gigrin Farm 8th Jan. 360 (Tony Cross & Richard Barrett)

Gigrin Farm, 9th Jan. 485 - 550 (Tony Cross & Chris Wells)

Nant-yr-Arian, 9th Jan. 120 - 130 (Red Liford)

Bow Street, 8th Jan. 115 (Mike Hayward)

Pont Einon, Tregaron 8th Jan 91 - 100 (Liz & Brian Snell)

Talsarn, 8th Jan. 190 (Terry & Sue Reeves)

Talsarn, 9th Jan. 250 - 300 (Liz & Brian Snell)

Llanddeusant, 9th Jan. 58 (John Roberts)

Near Sennybridge (Roost) 9th Jan. 14 (John Roberts)

Near Crymych, 9th Jan. 45 (Paddy Jenks)

Ysbyty Ifan, 9th Jan. (Roost) 1 (Rhodri Dafydd)

Bala, 9th Jan. (Roost) 0 (Dafydd Roberts)

The all-Wales total therefore was 1189 - 1326.

The Welsh Kite Trust recently estimated the Welsh population to be around 3,000, 2,000 breeding birds and at least 1,000 none breeding birds. These results show the importance of feeding stations to the kite in Wales. If counts had been conducted during the worst of the winter weather in mid-December I have no doubt they may have been at least 50% higher with nearly 50% of the Welsh population visiting one or other of the feeding stations on any given day!

.

Co-ordinated Count at Welsh Feeding Stations

This weekend, 8th/9th January, we will be attempting the first co-ordinated count of kites at all the known feeding stations in Wales to take place at 2pm. Counts will be done by both estimating numbers present but also by a series of rapid fire photographs of the feeding area soon after feeding has taken place. This census will tie in with co-ordinated communal roost counts taking place in other European Countries where kites winter. If anyone has counts of kites at 2pm on either Saturday 8th or Sunday 9th away from a feeding station but still within Wales we would be very pleased to hear