14 Sept 2012

WISPY reports and a red kite

For the last month we seem to have been away from home half the time. The last few days we have been in Yorkshire for a sibling reunion with my wife's brothers.

On the way back home we had a REAL surprise driving along the Leeds ring road. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a red kite flying quite low overhead. These fine forked tailed raptor birds were once confined to a small part of south central Wales but following selective reintroduction they are making a comeback all over the place. We see them near Newmarket quite often, but I was totally surprised to see one driving through urban Leeds!

When I got back home I switched on the WIPSY beacon and was rewarded with a string of reports including a +6dB S/N from Germany - not bad for 100mW. The now regular  report from EA8FF was not long coming as was a report from F5VLY and several other DL stations and G8KNN not far away.
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2 comments:

  1. DaveSat Sept 15, 10:41:00 am GMT+1

    There is a very successful reintroduction scheme just north of Leeds based at Harewood House. That would probably have been the initial source of your bird.

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  2. Roger G3XBMSat Sept 15, 11:10:00 am GMT+1

    Ah that explains it then Dave. It was certainly a REAL surprise to see this over the Leeds ring road. They are fine birds.

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