Weather hampering kite tracking

The movement of red kites is being monitored by school pupils

Snow and cloud has hampered a project tracking red kites in the Highlands.

RSPB Scotland's Eyes to the Skies involves primary school pupils monitoring the movement of young birds fitted with satellite tags.

However, a lack of sunshine has been blamed for running down the solar-powered batteries on the devices.

RSPB staff have been blogging on the situation on the project's website. The organisation has been separately tracking the migration of two ospreys.

The female birds were raised on RSPB Scotland's Loch Garten reserve.

They both successfully migrated to Africa, but no data has been received from one of the birds, named Mallachie, since December.