[TN-Bird] Swallow-tailed Kite report (Greene Co., TN)
- From: Alice Loftin / Don Miller <pandion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: TN-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, butternuts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:41:43 -0400 (EDT)
August 25, 2008
This evening I received a compelling report of a recent Swallow-tailed Kite
sighting in Greene County.
The bird was seen on Saturday, August 23, by Salome Myers, a resident of
western Greene County. She offered me a very detailed account of her
experience, which I paraphrase as follows--
She was driving along the Horton Highway near its intersection with Smith Lane
(near the community of Romeo) at about 1:00 in the afternoon when she saw a
bird in the air ahead that "looked like a hawk." As she approached, it began
somewhat to resemble "a gull, with a lot of light color." A short while later,
at the intersection of the two roads, she observed it from directly beneath and
was able to note its strikng shape and black-and-white pattern. During the
encounter, the bird was moving "toward Greeneville" [i.e., to the southeast].
It soon disappeared.
When she got home a little while later, she consulted a field guide and found a
match to Swallow-tailed Kite but was puzzled by the fact that the range map
didn't fit with northeast Tennessee. She then contacted a birder friend in
Pennsylvania, who pointed out to her that Swallow-tailed Kites wander widely
from the breeding grounds and have been seen in Pennsylvania and other northern
states. She also consulted Virginia Williams, a longtime member of the
Greeneville chapter of TOS. Virginia offered similar information and suggested
that Salome contact me.
I offered additional info about Swallow-tailed Kite sightings in Greene and
Washington Counties in 2006 and 2007, respectively, pointing out that these
sightings occurred in August. I also asked her if she would mind if I posted
an account of her experience on our local list serves. She graciously agreed.
Area birders should continue to be on the lookout for Swallow-tailed Kites.
This is definitely a likely time for them to appear.
Many thanks to Salome Myers for taking the time to share her recent observation
with us.
Don Miller
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN
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