Re: storm bird?

["Will Cook" <cwcook@duke.edu>]

Interesting - several of the reports of Mississippi Kite in the Durham 
area may be hurricane-related (though it could just be coincidence):

I saw one in Durham County sailing north with the breeze when Hurricane 
Opal passed by 10/5/95
Todd Hass saw one in Carrboro on Hurricane Fran day 9/6/96
and I saw one in Durham when Hurricane Bonnie blew by 8/26/98

MIKIs are rare vagrants here, though they may possibly be breeding as 
close as Falls Lake...

> This bird may or may not have been a storm-blown stray. I have recorded
> Mississippi Kite from Fairfield and even Chester Counties, the later on a
> BBS in June a few years ago. Mississippi Kites wander widely, and since they
> breed in my neighborhood in Columbia, even the northern most part of the
> county is less than 15 miles from a breeding location.
> 
> Robin Carter
> Columbia, SC
> rcarter@sc.rr.com
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donna S. Bailey" <dsbailey@conterra.com>
> To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 9:21 AM
> Subject: storm bird?
> 
> 
> >
> > 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.

-- 
Charles W. "Will" Cook                  w 919-660-7423
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook            cwcook@duke.edu
Biology Dept., Duke Univ., Box 90340, Durham, NC 27708