I am loving all the swallow-tailed kites in our neighborhood right now. We saw the first one on the way to church almost two weeks ago on Sunday morning (July 9). They've been near a road close to here for about ten days, and we've seen them probably four or five times. Then yesterday, on our way home from a business matter in a nearby town, we saw one swooping across the road.
Swallowtails are passing through here in late July and early August. They are beautiful birds. They are graceful flyers who sail on the wind currents for hours at a time.
Most of the year, when I look up into the sky, the only birds I see are vultures. But kites have narrower wings, and if they're low enough, the viewer can see the striking color contrast as well as the forked tail. They often associate with Mississippi kites, slightly smaller birds that look very much the same except that their tails are not forked.
And having them so close by is an extra treat.
