The growing number of breeding pairs, an increasing proportion of which is untagged, has prompted a change in how breeding progress is being reported in this Newsletter. Rather than giving individual nest details, breeding information is now presented on a much simplified sub-county area basis. Comparative figures for 2006 are shown in brackets.

 

AREA	PAIRS FOUND	PAIRS BRED	PAIRS SUCC.	YOUNG
West Yorkshire	29 (31)	29 (28)	26 (25)	53 (51)
North Yorkshire	13 (10)	13 (8)	8 (7)	16 (15)
East Yorkshire	5 (4)	5 (4)	4 (4)	10 (9)
Totals	47 (45)	47 (40)	38 (36)	79 (75)

These figures show only a small increase in the number of young raised in 2007,compared with the previous year. The weather proved to be a significant factor, causing the complete failure of at least two nests and brood-size reduction in several others. Some first-time breeders failed, which is not unusual. The situation could have been much worse.

No doubt prompted by a spell of good weather, the more experienced pairs made an earlystart to their breeding season.

By the time the bad weather arrived, their young were sufficiently well developed to withstand the torrential rain which had a much worse effect on ground-nesting species. Another positive point is the likelihood that several other pairs of kites might well have bred undetected. There are so many potentially suitable bits of woodland that it is impossible to check them all.

As the breeding range expands, theProject is increasingly dependent on the reporting of sightings of birds in new areas.

Information can be submitted to any of the contacts listed at the end of this Newsletter.