Monday, August 8, 2011

follow-up photo of mystery bird

mystery bird near nest by vickylw
mystery bird near nest, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.
Thanks for the comments on my previous post of sketches of this bird! My sketches were probably the male (he was very high on a power line -- I don't have any binoculars).

This photo is probably the female a juvenile on a branch near the nest. Not sure if it's a Mississippi kite or some kind of falcon, but it is a bird-eater. Over the weekend the male flew close over my head --- I'd say the wind span is about 24".

4 comments:

  1. wow,, thats a big bird,, is that the eye i see, its beak is quite curved, must be belong to that family,,

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  2. It could be a juvi Mississippi Kite as my Sibley's book shows that kind of coloring. Especially with it sitting by the nest. 'Females are unpatterned and gray overall.'

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  3. I'm not sure what bird it is, but it does sound like a huge bird! Great close up of it!

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  4. Thanks for all the input! I have decided that the birds are probably Mississippi Kites and that this is a juvenile. Hard to judge size as the nest is 3 stories up and my camera's telephoto lens not that good.

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