Hello Douglas,
The White -tailed Kite what we found on Brady-Loop Road 7-21-2001,vanished
when the fields got verry flooded ende November.But this is not the first
record for Grays Harbor for this species.There is an article in "Washington
Birders " comming out in the next issue ,one of the birds are showing the
White -tailed Kite on Brady Loop Road.
Ruth Sullivan
----- Original Message -----
From: Ruth Sullivan <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
To: <Pandionhalietius at aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2001 8:12 AM
Subject: Re: White Tailed Kite at Brady Loop RD


> Hello John,
>
> The WHITE-TAILED KITE present yesterday at various points along Brady Loop
> Rd. has been comfirmed by us, as well as other birders that visit the
area,
> and is presumably the same individual present since the 28th of July as an
> immature bird and noted from the north end of the large marshy
area/wetland
> at the west end of Brady Loop Rd. This bird showed general plumage
> coloration for a immature by appearing as an adult, BUT was quite buffy on
> the upperparts, and on the head portions, and would forage mainly by
itself
> with nearby Northern Harriers. The bird remained sporadically through the
> fall, but we did not see it on every visit to Brady Loop Rd., and
yesterday
> our sighting along with other recent sightings proved that the individual
is
> still present, but generally moves around, but is always noted west of
> Foster Rd. and east of the west end of Brady Loop Rd. The bird yesterday
was
> most definetely in adult plumage, due to cleaner upperparts than we
> initially noted earlier in the fall. Upperparts were pure white, clean
gray
> back amonst the pure black shoulders, showing NO fading or smudging on
most
> of the feathers viwed with our Leica spotting scope. Legs and feet were
> bright yellow, but in NO ways this bird could be turned into even the
palest
> male Northern Harrier, and this individual during most vists would perch
in
> fairly tall deciduous trees, and snags within the field, and at NO time
have
> we noted any Northern Harriers perching in trees at a fairly lengthy time,
> as they normally perch on the ground, on fenceposts, or only occasionally
in
> small trees. The White-tailed Kite would often hunt the open fields of
Brady
> Loop Rd. during our few sightings after July 28th, and a few sightings
were
> noted to show the White-tailed Kite successfully hunting with nearby
> competitive Northern Harriers, but it would most often create it's own
> hunting area. The White-tailed Kite can be most readily noticed by
scanning
> the tops of trees within the Brady Loop Rd. complex, west of Foster Rd.,
but
> occasionally in perches lower in the tree tops, as noted yesterday amongst
> nearby good numbers of American Crows, but was last seen just north of the
> Brady Loop Rd. "wetland" along with 3 other birds yesterday, so hopefully
> this bird will remain through the winter, despite nearby hunting activity,
> but generally this area is known for good raptor numbers, including most
of
> the common winter species, and the rare Red-shouldered Hawk, less common,
> but annual Rough-legged Hawks, and Short-eared and Barn Owls. Thank you
for
> your added interest in our sighting, and for your inquiry upon the subject
> of your questions and cocerns regarding recent White-tailed Kite sightings
> along Brady Loop Rd.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Patrick Sullivan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Pandionhalietius at aol.com>
> To: <godwit at worldnet.att.net>
> Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2001 2:01 AM
> Subject: White Tailed Kite at Brady Loop RD
>
>
> > Hi Ruth, before I bring this question to the list, I have been
wondering
> > about these sightings. Now that I have had this bird spotted in my
back
> > yard I am really suspicious. We have a family farm on westside of Brady
> Loop
> > Road. We have had many Marsh Hawks or Harriers there for many years.
The
> > males are very light and hover and hunt. The females brown as well as
the
> > immatures.
> > I suspect these White Tailed Kite sightings are male Marsh
Hawks/Harriers.
> > Please let me know if you think otherwise as I have seen these birds in
> the
> > last week.
> > I have seen White Tailed Kites in California so I am quite familar with
> the 2
> > species.
> > Glad to know birders cruise the road and not only pesky hunters (saw a
> male
> > Wood Duck in our slue the other day : )
> > John Raymond
> >
>
>