[TN-Bird] Cades Cove sighting

From: "Patty Ford" <pattyford@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Tn Bird List" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 13:52:12 -0500
Judy Massey and I birded Cades Cove in the Smokies for a couple of hours
this morning on a gorgeous New Year's Day.  Saw the usual suspects:
bluebirds, Pileated WP, sapsucker, downy WP, E.Meadowlarks (2), Crows, etc.
The best area was Hyatt Lane, near the second little bridge, where we had
the best view imaginable of a gorgeous fall immature Northern Harrier,
coasting over a large field.  We watched him for 15-20 minutes, and also
spotted a very white bird perched probably 30' up in a bare tree out about
100 yards into the field. I walked out probably 70 yards and got a good look
at him perched, then also in flight.  He was smaller than the harrier, solid
white on the front, with dark around his eye and dark wings.  When he flew,
his tail was white.  Now I know it's much more probable that it was an adult
Northern Harrier, but looking in Stokes, Kaufman, and the Peterson Field
Guide to Hawks books, it sure did look (and read) like a White-Tailed Kite
(formerly called Black Shouldered Kite).  Range is not a fit, but the
Peterson book said that the range is expanding and there have been sightings
outside of the areas shown on maps.  Have there been any TN sightings of
that bird?
 

Patty Ford

Knox County - Knoxville



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[TN-Bird] Cades Cove sighting

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