On Sunday, I convinced Pam to take another run by the now famous Mississippi Kites that have nested in Newmarket, NH. I must give her a lot of credit, because to me it doesn't seem like far away (I used to live a few blocks from where they are now nesting), but it is, in fact, a bit of a haul. These are beautiful birds that are rare enough to see in New England, never mind have nesting. Whenever I do see them I try to (finally) get a good photo, but the problem I've been having has been an issue of lighting, with the sun being high in the sky whenever I can get there, so the contrast is almost unbearable. Perhaps one of these days I can get there in the early morning to catch some of that beautiful light. Mind you, I have NO intention of getting any closer to the nest than a several hundred feet away (more than just across the street like many I've seen) - and in fact, have watched and warned a few people that were getting too close who don't seem to have a barometer of what is sensible and what is not. The kites certainly do not seem to mind the birders, nor the traffic which consists of a almost steady stream of cars and loud motorcycles, as well as walkers.
And, as I said in a past post, there is really no need to get any closer. The adults are impossible to miss, and even the chick, although well hidden in the leafed-out tree, can be seen with a bit of patience.
One obsevation from this past weekend was that the adults seemed to be flying directly to the nest with food, as opposed to the previous weekend when they would perch for a little while on an exposed branch before and after going to the nest (see above). Only once in the 50 minutes I was there this weekend did one land on the previously favored branch. This might have had something to do with the number of Broad-winged Hawks I noticed. When we first arrived, one of the kites was escorting a Broad-wing away. But there were almost constantly two or three Broad-wings visible circling high in the sky.
Incidentally, as far as I can tell, the chick seems to be doing just fine. Getting plenty of food and growing well, and feathering out nicely. We did watch it stand up, stretch it's wings and flap them a few times too. I expect that due to the very northern latitude of this nest, that things are running a bit later than the kites further south (who I understand have just begun to migrate.) I wonder how long it will be before the chick fledges and the whole family heads south?
