Hello Houston, we have a problem.

For the last few years we have been putting satellite tags on to some of our kites and you have been able to follow their progress through the Eyes to the Skies website.  That website is no longer being updated but we have our new site on the main RSPB website and of course the community page which you have already found as you are reading the blog.  It is our intention to have a tracking page from the main website too.  So the kites are flying around happily transmitting data from their backs up into space, the data is being beamed back down to Sat Tag HQ where it is sent to me via email, I process the data and then upload the relevant bits on to the website, now here is where the problem lies, we are still having a few issues with this webpage, so the data is failing at the last hurdle and not getting to your computers.  We have the RSPB’s finest minds working on the problems and hope to get it resolved very soon, so watch this space.

Here we see Lewis being fitted with his tag.

On Friday 27^th April we held the official opening for Tollie, RSPB members of staff, volunteers and representative from the Brahan estate and the other agencies involved in the project were there to see guest of honour Dave Thompson MSP cut the ribbon.  After all the time we have fed venison to the kites, it was only right that we got the BBQ out and cooked a few venison burgers for the guests, this was accompanied by Red Kite beer so a good time was had by all.  I was interviewed by BBC Alba for the evening news, sadly I was left on the cutting room floor, so my bid to be the next Springwatch presenter as taken a bit of a hit.

Sarah Walker, RSPB Volunteer and cake baker with Dave Thompson MSP

Of the Kites themselves, we have two birds that are currently nesting, Professor Feather is in the same area are last year with an Aberdeen male, we also have Lewis who looks to be nesting in the Munlochy area.  We also have two of the 2011 birds around our reserve at Loch Ruthven whilst the rest of the tagged birds are still around the Black Isle area.  We are also seeing what looks to be nesting activity around the visitor centre, so we are just waiting to confirm this, it would be great to see this develop through the season.

We are now getting regular sightings of the Osprey over Tollie along with lots of other migrants, Chiff-Chaff and Willow Warblers are very vocal up there at the moment, Swallows have been sighted, just waiting for the Swifts and Whitethroat to put in an appearance.  The last time I looked the year list at Tollie was sitting at around 64, so still some way to go to get the 100, but getting there.