FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Mississippi Kite in Dickenson County

["Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Area Birders,
Yesterday 9/31 my wife, Lynda and I were driving along a ridge near John 
Flannagan Reservoir and a few miles from Haysi, VA in Dickenson County,  when 
we spotted what I thought was a Mourning Dove on a wire off to the right. As we 
got closer we saw that it wasn't a dove at all. The bird was larger than a 
dove. Its body was not as streamlined; it had a hooked beak and a square tail. 
Its head and body were a light gray coloring with darker coloring near the 
eyes. We soon realized that we were looking at a Mississippi Kite. The bird sat 
for a few moments, then turned its back to us and flew off, disappearing 
quickly over the nearby trees. I had seen the species before but definitely not 
in our southwestern end of the state.

Enjoy the birds, especially the unusual ones,

Roger Mayhorn
(near) Grundy
Buchanan County