More Bad News for Red Kite Nest Watch

THE eagerly awaited red kite CCTV nest watch project has been stuck another blow of bad luck this week.
The project, which shows live images of red kites rearing their chicks in a nest in Stokenchurch was delayed due to members of the public disturbing the nest site. A new nest was located, and the live link was re-established last Friday (May 20), revealing three chicks aged about 10 days to 2 weeks.

Yesterday, regretfully, the smallest of the three chicks died.
?Red kite parents will always feed the biggest and strongest chicks first,? says Cathy Rose, of the Chilterns Conservation Board, who manages the Nest Watch project. ?Added to that, sibling rivalry is intense and the bigger chicks are often very aggressive towards their smaller siblings. Although this news may be upsetting for some people, the positive result is that the parents should find it easier to rear the remaining two chicks successfully.?

The live CCTV footage from the nest can be viewed in the Coffee Shop of the Charwood Garden Centre on the A40 between Stokenchurch and West Wycombe. Call Cathy Rose on 01844 355 506 for more details.