Phil,

As many are aware, MIKI's have bred 10 miles or so south of HH in Va. 
the last few years, and I think I glimpsed one at HH last year, but 
could not be sure.  At this point, I think they could be migrants or 
breeders (though not necessarily breeding at HH).  However, though young 
birds are migrating now (according to Wheeler's Raptors), adults usually 
complete migration by early May, so if the bird you saw was an adult, 
that would be suggestive of a breeder.  Nesting is from May to mid-Sep, 
so it's too early for post-breeding dispersal.  I'm also interested to 
see how this develops.

Jim Moore
Rockville, MD


On 5/30/2011 8:42 AM, Philip S Brody wrote:
>> From my photograph of 11:37 May 29, poor as it is because of distance 
>> and 
> back lighting, one can see it's an adult. The telling feature is the 
> black spot about the eye. Also the white breast and black tail. Spot 
> is absent in the juvenile. Juvenile also barred on the tail and 
> spotted on the breast. In the photograph the bird's head is turned to 
> reveal the adult black spot of the adult.
>
> I've noticed that the a long tail with multiple barring is 
> characteristic of juvenile hawks including kites even when the adults,
> have contiguous areas of solid color plumage. A good example would be 
> Common Black Hawk.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdsnaca/archives/date-taken/2011/05/29/
>
> BTW why are these birds here? Are they post breeding? Does anyone know 
> what their breeding schedule is. I know they are transitory migrants 
> in Central America -Costa Rica- in early May making it likely that the 
> birds are looking to breed.
> Can we then expect to see juveniles later in the year?
>
>
> Philip Brody
> Bannockburn, MD
>
>
>
> .--- Original Message ----- From: "Clive Harris" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 10:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Mississippi Kite at Hughes Hollow
>
>
> I had to take my son to a soccer tournament at the Polo grounds this 
> morning and after dropping him off for the warm-up made a quick visit 
> to Hughes just after 9AM. The kite appeared in the short time I was 
> there - photos below but it was backlit in awful light. It looked to 
> be a full adult from the little I could make out in the field and from 
> reviewing the photos.
>
> http://harrisbirds.com/Mississippi%20Kite.htm
>
> Clive Harris
> Cabin John, MD
>
> From: Jared Fisher <>
> To: 
> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 9:22 AM
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Mississippi Kite at Hughes Hollow
>
> Kite still here and perched
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
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