Kite Flying

This past Sunday afternoon we were treated to a very quick look at a Swallow-tailed Kite as it zipped by us overhead above the salt marsh. The Swallow-tailed Kite is listed as an endangered species in South Carolina and considered to be of highest conservation concern throughout it’s breeding range in North America. In addition, it is strongly suggested that we report sightings of Kites to The Center For Birds Of Prey here in South Carolina and this one has been reported. The Swallow-tailed Kite is a sleek, elegant, black and white hawk with a long forked tail and if you notice, this one is carrying something that as best as I can tell appears to be a small green snake. Snakes are one of it’s prime food sources so that is quite possible.

61 thoughts on “Kite Flying”

janmasyn on April 9, 2013 at 9:58 am said:

Wonderful Photo’s Phil.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 10:55 am said:
  
  Thanks very much Jan, glad you like them.
  
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monisertel on April 9, 2013 at 10:02 am said:

Hello Phil,
interesting detail about this wonderful bird, great series, very impressive!
Have a nice day
moni

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 10:56 am said:
  
  I’m glad you enjoyed seeing these birds and reading the information moni!
  
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Andrew on April 9, 2013 at 11:36 am said:

Beautiful shots Phil. The closest we get is Black-shouldered kite but this one wins by a tail.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 12:18 pm said:
  
  Ha ha “by a tail” I get it! 😀 Thanks a lot Andrew, glad you enjoyed the kite pics!
  
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Cowboys and Crossbones on April 9, 2013 at 12:13 pm said:

Beautiful photos! You are my own personal National Geographic. I never knew birds ate snakes!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 12:20 pm said:
  
  Well I’m glad you like the photos! Plus I’m more then happy to provide your wildlife fix for the day. Well, you know what I mean. 🙂
  Hawks eat all kinds of crazy stuff that you wouldn’t think.
  
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  - Cowboys and Crossbones on April 9, 2013 at 1:57 pm said:
    
    Are hawks also the bird that will pick up a little puppy?
    
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    - Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 2:48 pm said:
      
      I’m pretty sure they snatch skinny tuxedo cats at least that’s what I tell Jack every time he tries to bolt out the front door (like he did this morning) on me.
      
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      - Cowboys and Crossbones on April 9, 2013 at 3:58 pm said:
        
        Jack! I hope he listens to your wise, cautious words of wisdom!
        
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        Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:23 pm said:
        
        Jack rarely listens or pays attention to much that I have to say.
        
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        Cowboys and Crossbones on April 10, 2013 at 3:25 pm said:
        
        Obviously Jack and Ted are long, lost brothers.
        
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Rexlin Victor on April 9, 2013 at 12:24 pm said:

Beautiful shots!!!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 1:30 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much!
  
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Chillbrook on April 9, 2013 at 12:35 pm said:

Stunning images Phil. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 1:30 pm said:
  
  Thank you Adrian, I appreciate it!
  
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dinajohnston on April 9, 2013 at 12:36 pm said:

Beautiful shots! You can occasionally see them here in central Florida in the summer. Last summer I drove out to a cattle farm and saw them swooping around and eating the dragonflies. They were still pretty far away. Nice detail in these shots.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 1:32 pm said:
  
  Thanks a bunch, glad you liked these kite pics! They are amazing flyers and on the rare occasions I have see one it would be as you described, swooping around snatching bugs. This is the first time I ever saw one carrying what we believe is a small green snake.
  
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lylekrahn on April 9, 2013 at 12:37 pm said:

It’s a beautiful bird. It looks like it could coast forever on those wings.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 1:33 pm said:
  
  Yes it is a very pretty bird and when I have seen one it’s always swooping and gliding, I don’t think I ever saw one flap it’s wings.
  
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theforagingphotographer on April 9, 2013 at 1:12 pm said:

What an amazing bird, Phil – I love that tail!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 1:34 pm said:
  
  Thank you for looking and commenting Lucy and yes that sure is some tail isn’t it?! 🙂
  
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petspeopleandlife on April 9, 2013 at 1:39 pm said:

Great info re; the swallow tailed- kite. Gorgeous photos.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 2:49 pm said:
  
  Thanks I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and info on the kite!
  
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pixelspielerei on April 9, 2013 at 1:46 pm said:

And now he brings the snake to the nest to feed the kids?

Nice pix!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 2:50 pm said:
  
  Could be bringing it to the kids or maybe even try to eat it himself in mid air then return to the nest empty handed. Or empty talloned. 🙂
  Thanks for checking these out!
  
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Molly Argo on April 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm said:

oh wow! Great photos of this beauty! I love the snake in his talons. I saw one recently that I thought was carrying nesting material and when I zoomed the photo, it was a frog. He transferred it from his talons to his bill in midair. Upon doing research, I found out they they feed in midair. I just wish my photos had turned out this well!!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 2:52 pm said:
  
  It almost looks like this one was possibly in the process of tasting his catch. I did not realize either until lately that they eat in mid air.
  Thanks a lot Molly, so glad you enjoyed these kite pics!
  
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Katariina Partala on April 9, 2013 at 2:51 pm said:

Wow!! Great photos, and the bird is beautiful 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on April 9, 2013 at 2:53 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much! I’m really happy you liked the photos of this amazing bird!
  
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Scott Marshall on April 9, 2013 at 3:41 pm said:

never seen one before in fact I don’t think we get such a variant

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:15 pm said:
  
  We don’t see them often but are always thrilled at any sighting.
  
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niasunset on April 9, 2013 at 4:33 pm said:

There is great story for them in the air… so beautiful dear Phil, Thanks and Love, nia

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:15 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much Nia, glad you like the story and photos!
  
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Garden Walk Garden Talk on April 9, 2013 at 7:53 pm said:

Stunning against that vibrant blue sky.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:17 pm said:
  
  It sure was a bright blue sky and the bird shows up rather well, but tough to expose for B&W birds in that bright, contrasty lighting.
  
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Fergiemoto on April 10, 2013 at 12:34 am said:

Beautiful! It does look like a kite!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:17 pm said:
  
  They zoom along seemingly effortlessly too!
  Thanks for looking!
  
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Charlie@Seattle Trekker on April 10, 2013 at 12:55 am said:

Beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite photos.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:18 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much I’m happy you enjoyed them!
  
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adinparadise on April 10, 2013 at 2:30 am said:

Your beautiful photos give a whole new meaning to kit flying, Phil. Fabulous bird against that clear blue sky. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:19 pm said:
  
  Thank you Sylvia, yes this is a somewhat different kite flying experience then we usually have at the beach. 😀
  
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adinparadise on April 10, 2013 at 2:32 am said:

Sorry, I did you out of an ‘e’. 🙂

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:19 pm said:
  
  I would have passed right by without noticing. 🙂
  
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pviette on April 10, 2013 at 5:36 am said:

Wow, Phil, the photographs are stunning (as usual, I might say) and that bird is an absolute beauty. Its shape and colours are almost too perfect to be real. Are there great ideas that do NOT come from Mother Nature, you think ?

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:20 pm said:
  
  Once again nature provides something extraordinary!
  So glad you enjoyed the photos!
  
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Maggie Davey on April 10, 2013 at 7:11 am said:

What a pretty bird – it looks like a swallow, only much bigger, I expect. How big is it in relation to the average hawk?
What beautiful pictures, Phil!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:21 pm said:
  
  Probably around the same size but just maybe a bit smaller then the average hawk Maggie. It’s a decent size bird for sure.
  Thanks and I’m happy you liked these photos!
  
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debdak on April 10, 2013 at 7:57 am said:

Great action shots. Amazing

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:21 pm said:
  
  I greatly appreciate your kind comments!
  
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thehappyhugger on April 10, 2013 at 9:37 am said:

What an incredibly beautiful bird! wow!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 2:22 pm said:
  
  I agree, quite the amazing bird!
  Thanks much for looking and commenting!
  
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Gracie on April 10, 2013 at 3:39 pm said:

Excellent shots, Phil!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 10, 2013 at 4:31 pm said:
  
  Thanks a bunch Gracie!
  
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Bella Remy Photography on April 10, 2013 at 8:23 pm said:

This is really really cool Phil. What a fantastic find you have here, and I know it has made your week. I love how it looks like he’s going to take a bite mid-air.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 11, 2013 at 3:15 pm said:
  
  I was thrilled to not only see but have a chance to get pics of this very cool bird! thanks Emily! I believe they will eat their catch in mid-air!
  
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FeyGirl on April 11, 2013 at 8:48 am said:

Really beautiful shots – love the detail! Such gorgeous birds in flight.

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- Phil Lanoue on April 11, 2013 at 3:15 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much and they sure are terrific birds! I saw a pair this morning but too far for good pics.
  
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toughlittlebirds on April 11, 2013 at 8:45 pm said:

Definitely looks like a snake! Awesome shots!

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- Phil Lanoue on April 12, 2013 at 5:05 pm said:
  
  Yes I really do believe it was a small green snake which it quite likely snatched off a tree.
  Glad you liked these pics!
  
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