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Re: Cape Fear SWKIs and MIKIs



I was at Lock #1 about 3:00 PM in-between thunderstorms.  No boat.  I
was above the boat ramp at the picnic area.  Within 20 minutes I had
seen both Mississippi and Swallowed-tailed Kites.  The Swallowed-tail
did a flyover on my side of the river directly overhead.  The
Mississippi Kite was on the opposite side of the river and perched
several times in the uppermost tree branches.  At one point it turned
its back to me and stretched out it's wings and tail drying off.  Got a
good look at it's long, squared-off tail and pale silvery-gray
secondaries.  I may have just been lucky, but don't think that you have
to have a boat or sit for hours to see these birds.

BTW  While at the picnic area I found a black rubber foot that looks
like it may have come off a tripod.  It is aluminum with a rubber ball
joint.

Andy Webb
Jacksonville, NC
jwebb3@ec.rr.com
(910) 455-0969 home

I hope you love birds too.   It is economical.  It saves going to
heaven.
-   Emily Dickinson


----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Shultz" <sshultz@nc.rr.com>
To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2003 4:14 PM
Subject: Cape Fear SWKIs and MIKIs


> The previously described spot on the lower Cape Fear River was
productive
> this morning for both Swallow-tailed and Mississippi Kites.  We put in
below
> Lock #1 about 9:00 a.m. and by 9:20 were watching 4 SWKIs calling,
circling,
> and stooping above us.  The location was 3.5 miles downstream of lock
#1.
> We eventually ran 10 miles downsteam from the ramp before turning
back.
> Mississippi Kites were visible on and off the entire length of the
river.
> The Wx forecast for NO RAIN was dead wrong, resulting in a 5 mile run
at top
> speed through a torrential downpour, but for those looks at SWKIs, it
was
> well worth it!
>
>
> Steve Shultz
> Apex, NC
>