The Malcolmson family take 
bird watching to new heights

At their farm in the townland of Dechomet in Ballyward, just outside Dromore on the western slopes of Slieve Croob Stephen and Karen have developed a wildlife sanctuary,

The Red Kite Retreat, with a custom built hide for guests to observe the fantastic aerial displays of the Red Kites.

The Red Kite Retreat has opened and is the only Red Kite feeding station and bird hide in Ireland, located on the Malcomson family farm.

Although the Red Kites were persecuted to extinction in Ireland over 200 years ago, they were successfully reintroduced in 2008 when the RSPB Northern Ireland, the Golden Eagle Trust and the Welsh Kite Trust, in conjunction with local councils, began an ambitious reintroduction project to help bring the magnificent Red Kites back to Northern Ireland.

The Malcomson’s farm lies at the epicentre of their habitat in Northern Ireland.

Visitors can now sit in the newly constructed bird hide and watch these majestic birds feed and soar through the skies. In addition, a planning application has been submitted for a caravan and camping site on the farm, with a classroom for education and conservation events.

Karen said, “We are now officially open! It has been a long road and we wish to thank you everyone who has helped us get to this point.

“The website is now live! It is www.redkiteretreat.co.uk and we are regularly updating our Facebook page @redkiteretreat.

“For more information please pay us a visit on Facebook, like and share the page.”

Red Kites were in the area and over a year ago Stephen started feeding them and as this continued more and more Red Kites started turning up daily.

Three generations of the Malcomson family have also helped to plant some of the first of 24,000 native trees on a 24-acre site to create ‘The Warrior’s Wood’ on Dechomet Mountain.

The main contractor, Scottish Woodland Ireland LTD, managed the forest expansion and farm diversification project and planted Irish Oak, Hazel, Holly, Scots Pine and Downy Birch.

Stephen and Karen also created two new ponds to encourage wildlife and sowed a new wildflower meadow.

Warrior’s Wood is the initial habitat enhancement works which form part of the new eco-tourism development known as the ‘Red Kite Retreat’.

The project’s co-founders Stephen and Karen Malcomson wanted a means of diversifying their farm business to ensure future sustainability.

Currently, Stephen has a pig and beef unit on the farm but said, “farming enterprises have to adapt and evolve to ensure sustainability for future generations of farmers.

“I see no reason why modern farming practices cannot go hand in hand with conservation, environmental enrichment and encouraging biodiversity”.

The Red Kite Retreat project aims to create a unique tourist and visitor facility, and focuses on conservation and education about the Red Kite, bird of prey.

The creation of the Warrior’s Wood was the first step in the project.

For further updates follow the Red Kite Retreat on Facebook @redkiteretreat or visit the web site www.redkiteretreat.co.uk or phone 07526486340.