We Are Ready For the Fall Migratory Birds

                                                                        Mallards

                                                          Adult Mississippi Kite

                                                                     Ditto

                                                         Juvenile Mississippi Kite

                                                                           Ditto

               
                                                                Adult Mississippi Kite



08-20 through 08-25-17

The Mississippi Kites are pulling out of all the area neighborhoods to catch dragonflies and cicadas at Boomer Lake.  They are teaching the youngsters how to survive, and they know that the perfect place to do it is in the throes of our greatest body of water.

Several fine examples of both juvenal and adult birds are quietly hunting from the tallest bald cypress
and oak trees on the southeast corner of the property.  Since young birds have difficulty staying silent for too long, they manage to announce themselves, which makes it easy for me to find them.  There are at least three young birds that were hatched in this area.

Large numbers of Mallards are also in residence at the lake, and young Red-shouldered Hawks are also hunting here.  Plenty of Turkey Vultures are gracing the skies on thermals, and there are several Northern Flickers, Downy and Red-headed Woodpeckers, and the Yellow Warblers are coming through the area now.

The web worms are all over the deciduous trees, which means plenty of potential food with protein and we are well on our way with large numbers of rough-leafed dogwood for the migratory birds that will soon be at Boomer Lake and the creek on a well-deserved rest stop.

Keep your eyes on the skies and may the birds be in your sights...

Mississippi Kites Come to Boomer Lake!

                                                                  Adult Green Heron

                                                                 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
                                                              (rain crow or storm crow)

                                                             Juvenile Mississippi Kite

                                                                         Ditto

                                                             Adult Mississippi Kite

                                                                     Ditto, a Day Later



080717 through 081917

Photos were few and far between due to high heat indices.  Quite simply, neither the birds nor I were out for any more than necessary.

As tropical as our state bird, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is, it has taken refuge elsewhere, as have the kingbirds.  These things happen.

But, by the same token, Mississippi Kites have come out of the neighborhoods and others are beginning to head south.  As a matter of fact, on Friday, we had nine of them at Boomer Lake, the greatest number that I have ever seen.  They were perching between a large oak and an even larger bald cypress tree on the southeast corner of the lake.

I had three juveniles in a tree with an adult.  As you can see, one of the juveniles was looking right at me.  Originally, I only saw the adult, and a passerby happened to see one of the juveniles perched over the adult's head.  I then scanned the tree and located the other two.  The youngster facing me was quite vocal, so that bird was easy to find.

I saw a juvenile Mississippi Kite in the air last year, but was unable to obtain a good photo due to the deflection of the sunlight.  This year's shots were so much better, including a shot of my juvenile calling the familiar, "PEE-teeeerrrrr!"  Notice the first shot of the juvenile with its beak open.

Other shots include the Yellow-billed Cuckoo from Boomer Creek on Aug. 11.  I saw my first juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker out there, too, but the photo is poor.  I believe that bird was hatched here, as it was still in the company of a parent.