When I arrived in Kings Park this morning, a local birding friend was
already there, and the sky was full of kites. I immediately had an excellent
frontal scope view of two perched birds  (an adult and the sub-adult).  The
banding on the sub-adult was clearly visible.  Both birds soon took off and
were joined by another adult, all three of which flew around for us to see.
A few minutes later  Joe Turner and Leslie Starr, from Baltimore, arrived
and we watched (Joe photographed) the birds for over an hour. We often had
all three birds in the same field at once  Several times both an adult or
the sub-adult would circle nearly overhead about 150 -200 ft.up. The banding
on the retained juvenile tail feathers, and the whitish mottling on the
under-wing coverts of the sub-adult were clearly visible. We had several
views of them perching as well. These were the best close views I have ever
had of Mississippi kites, especially the sub-adult.  A one point I saw an
adult fly into a thickly leafed tree in a yard where I had not looked
before. I thought it was going to perch. As I  was searching, in my scope,
for the adult perched bird, I found a large stick nest.  I showed it to both
Leslie and Joe in my scope.  A few minutes later I saw a kite fly into the
nest, from the back side, and apparently feed a chick. I did not see the
chick, but it sure looked like feeding behavior by the adult.  I saw this
happen again later and show it to Leslie in the scope.  I will keep an eye
on this stick nest, but it appears it might confirm nesting for this year.
It was all quite a bonanza: amazing views of flying and perched birds, and
almost certainly an active nest across the street. Not too bad for a hot
Sunday morning.
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Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.