I spent yesterday morning in Crosby with the swallow-tailed kite colony
there. I counted a total of 8 adults and 4 young-of the year birds in the
little section between Aweigh and Tarpaulin. I did not get around the rest
of the subdivision. The purpose of the trip was to attach a radio tag to a
kite and then track it on its migration and local movements. The tag was
installed and is working.
Here's the direct link to the kite tracking site:
http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=665
A bird was also tagged in Mississippi last week and a Slidell Louisiana
bird has gone through the UTC in past migrations to southern brazil. You
may have to page-down after clicking on one of the kites. The Crosby bird
will be up soon if not already. You can also check Jennifer Coulson's web
page about the kite project at
And in case you are interested, here's is Jennifer and Tom Coulson's kite
research site from
www.jjaudubon.net/research
Several young kites were out and about which is at least a couple of weeks
earlier than the last couple of years. Did not see the fish crows from last
year and only a couple of Mississippi kites.
The really damp and humid day kept the kites down later than normal. When I
arrived at dawn I spent a long time before any got up and perched and was
worried that the 2 recent rain storms had damaged the nests.
But not to worry. They all got up and perched and did lots of preening for
well over and hour before doing much moving around. Adults and young were
up in the sun drying and fluffing
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553112
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553111
An adult male was one of the first up and found a wasp nest for food. He
carried one in his beak, one in the feet and part of one may have stuck to
his under-tail feathers
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553113
You cannot really sex the kites but the males do most of the foraging and
carry prey like headless squabs tucked under the tail leaving the feathers
there very dirty like this bird
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553155
This bird is actually banded with a USF&W band. It was a little too high
and out of focus to read anything but I can distinguish the markings
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553156
The youngsters then got up too
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553158
With a little work, one of the hawks, probably a female was netted
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553162
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553166
Really good look at the swallow-tail
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553164
They can bite but not that hard at least when I was nipped
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553168
This bird has a grayish nape
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553167
And was hooded to calm her
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553230
Radio attached
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553231
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553233
Not a happy camper
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553234
Good look at the radio
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553236
My best looks at a kite
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553239
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553237
And then it was off
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553241
The antenna shows pretty well
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553242
During most of the time while the female was being measured, banded and
tagged, several adult and young kites were scolding from overhead. This did
not end after the female was released and she and the others came back and
cursed us all at great length.
Here she is with her? youngster cursing
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553243
And showing off her new harness arrangement
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/160553244
All of the pictures and more can be browsed at
http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/inbox
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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