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storm bird?
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: storm bird?
- From: "Donna S. Bailey" <dsbailey@conterra.com>
- Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 09:21:57 -0400
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
While not as exciting as a Frigatebird, I believe I had an Allison-blown
bird yesterday afternoon. Just in front of a squall line moving in from
the northeast, I spotted a Mississippi Kite hunting over a weedy field
along one of the birdy back roads in northern Richland county. The bird
was apparently taking advantage of a break in the rain and hunting. I
stopped the car and got out to watch him. While I watched, the bird caught
a dragonfly and was eating "on the wing". It is a testament to the grace
of a kite that the Mississippi Kite can still look elegant while picking
dragonfly from between his toes in the erratic winds that proceed a squall.
I watched him until the rain was coming down in sheets and he disappeared
behind the treeline. As there are no creeks or rivers particularly close
to this spot, I think the strong winds from the tropical depression may
have "moved" him a bit from his usual hunting/nesting area.
In other news, I added a species to the list of breeders in the creekbottom
near the house. Yesterday, I finally heard enough (several complete songs,
most with an accented ending) to decide that there really were American
Redstarts still in the creekbottom. There is one singer and possibly
another. I haven't seen a female or any other evidence of nesting yet.
Donna S. Bailey
Winnsboro, SC
e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
Where are the Birds? Migration across South Carolina