Cristy's Nature Journal : Swallow Tail Kite Sighting

I have seen swallow tail kites about eight times in two years. They are a rarely seen bird, and their species is under pressure. They are simply stunning to watch as the swoop and soar on the wind currents. They hardly ever flap their wings.

In all the times I have seen them, I have never had the opportunity to photograph them. Yesterday, while I was attending my middle daughter's soccer game with my camera around my neck, I saw one. I was able to get a few photos.

I was able to observe two of them. They appeared to follow each other. One would soar very high, to the point that they were only a very tiny speck of black against the blue sky. Then the other would follow. Then they would both glide gracefully down to a point just above the trees. They stayed in view for over 15 minutes.

It was absolutely breath-taking!

My daughter lost her game, but I could not get very worked up about it, because I was sitting where I could watch these fascinating creatures for a longer period of time than I have ever been able to view them.

Were they mating?

If you are interested in joining a Citizen Action Committee for the Swallow Tail Kites, you can go to this site.
My husband and I participate by documenting every time we spot the swallow tail kites. Last year they contacted us by phone for more information and they sent us a summary of the things they learned from their research.

Here are some other pictures of this amazing creature. None of these others are as good as the first one.