Last Sunday, news broke of an amazing sighting of a
White-tailed Kite in Stratford, Connecticut! Far from its normal range, this striking raptor seemed very content with the area and stayed there throughout the week. Since it had been many years since I had seen my last one (in Texas) and the weather was supposed to be nice, I decided to head up there.
Within minutes of arriving at Stratford Point, the bird was spotted 'kiting', eventually nabbing a meal and devouring it atop a telephone pole. Next, it made a direct flight to nearby Short Beach Park where it perched about a hundred yards away in a snag for about an hour, allowing many happy birders all the looks and photos that they could ask for. From what I've read, this bird represents only the 2nd record for the Northeast; the first one was from Martha's Vineyard on May 30, 1910!
White-tailed Kite at South Beach in Stratford, Connecticut. Note the white tail and black markings on the shoulder of the wing.
White-tailed Kite at South Beach in Stratford, Connecticut. Here the bird is stretching a wing.
White-tailed Kite at South Beach in Stratford, Connecticut. Note the black shoulder patch for which this bird was previously named and the white tail, which generated the newer name.
While at Stratford Point, a Peregrine Falcon zipped by.
Peregrine Falcon at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut.
Other birds noted there included Merlin, Semipalmated Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Spotted and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Common and Forster's Tern, Eastern Kingbird, Fish Crow, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.
