Mississippi Kites

[birdguy 3,943]

This morning I give you the Mississippi Kite.  Kites are smallish raptors who feed mostly on insects.  They migrate from South America to the Southern United States in the spring.  They range through the southern tier of states from Florida to New Mexico.  We see them arrive in June and they nesy in the trees in the park across the street from where I live.

They are very protective of their nests and if you linger too close to a tree where a kite is nesting she will 'buzz' you and have knocked of hats of peole walking in the park.

These pictures are my personal encounter with a Mississippi Kite.  I found a nest that was easy to photograph and I watched it all summer.  The first picture is of an adult Mississippi Kite.  The second is mama kite and her chick.  The third is the fledging in the nest.

I purposely hung around under the tree taking pictures until mama kite took off  Then it set my camera to run continuously at 7 frames a second.  She flew away from me gainng altitude and then performed an almost perfect Immelman and came towards me losing altitude all the way.  The final picture was the best shot of about 30 or 40 I took as she was coming toward me.  She cleared my hat inches and I heard the wind whistle through her wings.  

 

Noel

 

[martin-w 3,235]

Wonderful creatures Noel. When I was in the UK, we would frequently visit a falconry centre in the Cotswolds. Wonderful birds they had there, some of them huge things. Had a vulture swoop above my head, mere inches away. The downdraft from those enormous wings was quite something. Seem to recall they had Kite's too. 

I used to live 30 minutes away from Warwick Castle too and would really enjoy the falconry exhibition they had their. 

 

https://www.warwick-castle.com/explore/shows/the-falconer-s-quest/

Edited January 3, 2021 by martin-w

[birdguy 3,943]

Warwick Castle looks interesting.  I've to a number of raptor centers here in the United States.

Noel

[HighBypass 2,339]

I love the menacing aspect of that last shot! 

My wife and I had a raptor encounter driving back home after doing some shopping yesterday. I rounded one of the many curves on the road home and about 50 yards further one was some sort of hawk or buzzard (I'm no ornithologist, but I know a few bird species here and there) on the centreline tucking into some roadkill. It was quite large, about the size of a Rook and mainly brown in colouration. This bird had quite some attitude; either that or it was so hungry that it did not care. I slowed the car down because even though I could have driven past it, I didn't want to freak it out unnecessarily. Only when we rolled up to about 10 feet away did it take off with some remains in its talons. Impressive sight as it flapped away over the hedgerow. 

Mind you I see Crows and Rooks over here strutting about on the hard shoulder of our motorways like they own the place even though vehicles zoom past them a couple of feet away at 70 mph plus.. 

[birdguy 3,943]

3 hours ago, HighBypass said:

love the menacing aspect of that last shot! 

She had me in her sights alright.

Noel

[weeksy 45]

Lovely looking bird and thanks for the post. They must be closely related to the black-winged kites we get in Southern Europe that extend down through Africa into SE Asia. I've always admired their smart markings and red eyes.