Local people making their corner of rural Britain unique
This week
Saturday 3 January Repeated Thursday 8 January
Matt Baker travels the countryside near Gateshead in search of birds of prey and finds out why townies have taken them to their hearts, even when they're stealing underpants! .
Europe’s biggest shopping centre may not seem the obvious starting point for this week’s edition of Open Country but, as Matt Baker discovers during the programme, the whole area surrounding it has gone Red Kite crazy over the past few years. The release of the magnificent birds of prey was originally controversial but after only a few years they are breeding in the area for the first time since the middle of the 19th century. Matt starts his tour of the area around Gateshead in North East England at the Metrocentre under a giant picture of one of the birds in the Metrocentre's Red Mall, which has adopted them; then he catches one of the local buses decked out in Red Kite livery, on which the drivers have been trained to spot the birds. He goes to a school which has adopted the bird as its badge; walks with people who've believe seeing one is good for the heart as well as the soul; meets a farmer who says the story that the birds prey on lambs is a myth; and finally sinks a pint of Red Kite Ale at a pub where birdspotting has bee good for business. You can find out more about the Northern Kites project here.
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