Saturday, November 3, 2012

An ornament in a tree - a White-tailed Kite

Allen Vinson noticed this White-tailed Kite perched on top a tree on The Sea Ranch.  It almost looks like a hood ornament for a fancy car!

White-tailed Kites, Elanus leucurus, hunt for rodents in meadows and other open areas. They can been seen hovering in the air before they rush to the ground to snag their dinner. I have seen one hunting over the meadows of Gualala Point Regional Park.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
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3 comments:

  1. Frank DrouillardNovember 3, 2012 at 5:34 PM

    We frequently see one or two mating pair at the restored Bahia Wetlands. They're awesome birds.

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  2. Jeanne JacksonNovember 4, 2012 at 7:17 AM

    I will share a close up photo soon. They really are wonderful birds. While hunting they seem almost motionless in the air for a brief moment.

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  3. Frank DrouillardNovember 5, 2012 at 8:31 AM

    I like how they "fly in place" before swooping down for the kill. We see them on Mt. Burdell in Novato and in the rice fields north of Davis and Sacramento, too.

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