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Subject:

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, AA CO & BALT CITY

From:

stan arnold

Reply-To:

stan arnold

Date:

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:23:48 -0400

Hi Folks,

I was out at 5:30 this morning at Swan Creek hoping for some nightjars, but
had none.  I continued with a complete survey of the property, and as I
headed north towards the northern extreme of the property I saw a bird
flying north with enticing black and white coloration.  It was my fantasy
bird for AA Co., a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, heading north.  The time was 8:05
a.m.  I got it in the scope and fumbled around for the camera, which I was
able to turn on one-handed, get the video going, and I managed to get a tiny
speck in the video.  Don't know if will satisfy the records committee; maybe
all the heavy breathing and exclamations during the video segment will get a
sympathy vote or two.  The bird flew over the Millenium Chemical plant and
into Baltimore City when I lost it in the distance.  It was flying only
about 100 feet off the deck.

It was one of my best days ever at the Swan Creek/Cox Creek facility near
the Key Bridge in AA Co.  I got three new property birds today:  WORM-EATING
WARBLER (property bird #201), KENTUCKY WARBLER (#202) and then the kite
(#203).  In addition to that, I had 11 new year birds for the property, they
being:  LEAST BITTERN, CATTLE EGRET, LEAST TERN, RT HUMMINGBIRD,
GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, E. KINGBIRD, RED-EYED VIREO, HOUSE WREN, WOOD
THRUSH, CATBIRD, and SEASIDE SPARROW.  Not a bad haul for a 3.3 hour outing.

Our yard in Ferndale has been quite nice as well.  When I got home this
morning, I was treated to TWO male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKs on the feeder at
the same time.  Also today Elaine had the yard's first RED-EYED VIREO of the
year.  Yesterday was a happy Easter for us in the yard.  Our first HOUSE
WREN showed up (and is chattering like crazy today), and we had, for only
the second time in 15 years here, FIELD SPARROW--two of them that hung
around all day and fed under the feeders.  The biggest surprise, however,
was a new yard bird for us, one I've waited more than a decade for--a
PILEATED WOODPECKER, flying quickly and quietly low over the yard, not to be
seen again.  Reminiscant of the Great Horned Owl flyover we had several
years ago.

Best wishes, and happy kiting.  Three sightings in two days is pretty
remarkable.

Stan Arnold
Ferndale


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