Meet a White-tailed Kite.
These birds have a fairly limited range in the US, and we’ve not encountered them before. I’m told the paper-and-wood toy we fly was named for this bird…
Besides looking quite elegant, they have interesting behavior when they hunt…they “hover” above a field, and look down for their prey. Because they perch in lone trees in open fields, I’ve had quite a time catching them in action. Here’s a sequence of hovering.
One day I got real lucky, near the end of the day when light was beginning to dim, when I stumbled upon this pair of kites. They seemed nearly oblivious of me…probably because they were in the midst of an aerial mating dance!
It’s been a lot of fun to watch these birds…nearly every day, because they hang out along a stretch of road that we frequently travel!
Please put me on the list to purchase the coffee-table book/s that should result from your exploits, Doug.
Oh my! It’s true…they’re making it easier every day to do that sort of thing. Sure appreciate your kind words, Mike!
Great pictures What a beautiful bird
Thank you, Diane!
Amazing pictures and information! Thank you!!
Sent from my iPod
You’re sure welcome, Carol!
I agree with Mike D’s comment — I want the coffee-table book of your photos. As usual, these are incredible.
Thank you for that, Ken!
“WOW” I mean “WOW” ~ With no strings attached 🙂 I do have a Kite with Strings…
Thanks, Buddy! Still working with this new set-up…need to crank up the ISO more often, to keep those shutter speeds up and stop all the action.