I carpooled with another birder this morning to look for the White-tailed Kite which was first reported on August 1st by Dennis Varza. After a few wrong turns we managed to find a group of birders who had already located the bird. It was perched in a tree near the west end of Short Beach in Stratford.
We had a great view of the bird through the scope but it was a little out of range for my camera. If you click on the photos, you can see a little more detail but not much. There are better photos available on some of the blogs I listed at the bottom of the post. -
The kite had a habit of flicking its tail upward , sort of the way a mockingbird does. It also flexed its wings in different positions and was preening its feathers. We never did get a chance to see it in flight but I'm not complaining.
I don't chase after many birds on the rare bird alert but this was definitely worth the trip! It is the first recorded sighting of a White-tailed Kite in Connecticut. I feel fortunate that I've been able to see a Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite, and now a White-tailed Kite within the state over the past 5 years. Maybe word is getting around amongst kites that Connecticut isn't such a bad place to visit.-
Other notable birds in the same vicinity where the kite was located included- Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and a Peregrine Falcon.
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You can read more about the Connecticut sighting of the White-tailed Kite on the following blogs:
8 comments:
Sounds like an awesome area. Congrats on the exciting sightings!
glad you caught it, nice photos, I can only hope it stays , and maybe i can see it in the next week
dan
Lana-thanks
Dan-You never know but I think your chances are good.
Hi Larry, Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. It's always great to hear from you. Have been looking at your last few postings. The white-tailed kite is beautiful. Amazing sighting! Loved the Red-bellied woodpecker, towhee, and little waterthrush. Haven't seen any towhees or waterthrushes in the past couple of years. Don't know if someone answered your question about the flower, but it's Purple Loosestrife. Considered alien invasive. Pretty though!! Best wishes, Lin
I've heard people complain about Purple Loosestrife-thanks for the id.It must be invasive because I've been seeing it everywhere.Looks like the battle has been lost on that one.
Larry, how amazing! I would jump in my car to go see this bird also! BTW, I will be birding in your back yard very soon! Perhaps we will have a more equal Big January next year! I bet you will beat me this time!
Wow, what an exciting birding moment! Congrats!
Kathiebirds-Maybe our paths will cross while birding some time.I doubt that I would beat you at it.-Probably will take a break from that this year-but you'll have plenty of competition.
Jann E.-thanks-much appreciated
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