It has been a week of exciting sightings at RSPB Geltsdale, so we are sharing pictures taken by wildlife enthusiast Adam Moan of some of the more unusual species spotted in the past few days.
A Red Kite was seen flying over Peat Fell and Whinney Fell. This graceful bird of prey is recognisable by its reddish-brown body, angled wings and forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world’s longest protection programmes and has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. When nesting, Red Kites may build up to five alternative nest sites within their territory, which are high up off the ground in trees and constructed of dead twigs and lined with grass and sheep’s wool. A couple of days prior to laying their eggs, kites decorate the nest with oddments they find nearby, such as paper, rags, crisp packets and carrier bags – even toys and underwear have been spotted in kites’ nests! If nesting is successful, the birds will use the same nest the following year, but they are also known to use old buzzard or ravens’ nests. Female kites lay in April then incubate the eggs while the male provides her with food. Young fledge between 48 and 70 days after hatching and are cared for in the vicinity of the nest for another 15 to 20 days. Juveniles may then wander miles from their birthplace before returning as adults and will usually breed for the first time at two years old. Red Kites live an average of 10 years, but the oldest known wild kite lived to 26 years old.
Adam also spotted five Stonechats while out walking on the reserve, with more spotted by staff members recently. Stonechats are the size of a robin, often seen flicking their wings while perched on the tops of low bushes. They utter a loud, sharp call that sounds like two stones be struck together – as their name suggests. Males have striking black heads with white around the sides of their necks, orange-red breasts and mottled backs, while females do not have the black head, but instead have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Stonechats breed in the west and south of the UK but disperse more widely in winter and these recent sightings are potentially migrants returning from Spain.
The first returning Redshank of the year was seen by warden Ian Ryding on the reserve this week. As the name suggests, Redshanks’ most distinctive features are their bright orange-red legs. They have a medium-length bill with an orange base to match their legs, which they use to probe into soil and mud to hunt for insects, earthworms, molluscs and crustaceans to eat. They have a brown speckled back and pale belly. Redshanks breed in saltmarshes, flood meadows and around lakes in the spring, and in winter congregate on estuaries and coastal lagoons, where as many as half of the birds may have come from Iceland. Parts of Scotland and north west England see the largest concentrations of breeding birds.
Out on the tarn at RSPB Geltsdale, a Smew, a Green-Winged Teal and two white-headed Cormorants have been identified. The Smew, a diving duck with a delicate bill, is a winter visitor in small numbers from Scandanavia and Russia. Males are white with a black mask and black back, while the female is grey with a reddish-brown head and white cheek. Only around 125 Smews winter in the UK, so it has been a real joy to spot this rare visitor on the reserve. The Green-Winged Teal, meanwhile, is marked out from the Eurasian Teal by a vertical white line on the flanks of the male. It is the smallest North American dabbling duck and favours sheltered wetlands, feeding by dabbling for plant food or grazing, and nesting on the ground, near water and under cover. Finally, Cormorants are large, long-necked waterbirds, usually entirely black – though not in the case of this week’s sighting. They are found both on the coast and inland, where they fish in rivers and lakes, and are larger than their similar-looking counterparts, Shags. They are famous for their ‘liver bird’ pose, resting on a rock with wings outstretched, surveying the water around them.
In other, non-feathered sightings, four male Adders have been seen on the reserve. Adders are the UK’s only venomous snake. Males are silvery-grey coloured, while females are copper or brown. Both have a distinctive black sig-zag pattern along their backs. Once fully grown, adders measure between 60 and 80 cm. The young are identical to the adults but measure around 17cm at birth. They live in woodland, grassland and healthland and eat small mammals such as voles and mice, amphibians, birds and reptiles, with their main predators being large mammals and birds of prey. Adders hibernate from around October to March, sleeping in sheltered, dry spots such as old rodent burrows and inside fallen trees. When they come out of hibernation in spring, the males engage in ‘dances’ as they compete for access to the females. Unlike some snakes, female Adders do not lay eggs but instead give birth to up to 20 live young in late summer. Adders are best spotted in spring, when they are emerging from hibernation and spend time basking in the sunlight, however they are sensitive to vibration and will be quick to slip away when they sense footsteps approaching. They will shy away from people and it is rare for them to bite a human. This only usually happens if someone steps on them or tries to handle them.