I received a text message at about 12 noon that a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was being seen from the the hawk watch at the Cape May Point State Park. Laura and I headed down without a moment to loose as we know that this species does not typically spend large amounts of time over Cape May air space.
We were lucky enough to get there in time to easily find the bird and actually watch some scrapping interactions with a Peregrine Falcon before it headed off to the northeast. The bird was evidently seen (or possibly first seen) from the Meadows and the call was made to the hawk watch that the bird was headed in that direction.
Many folks were able to observe the bird well until it drifted out of sight though I received a call on my way back to the Northwood Center that the bird was being viewed over Hidden Valley.
Anyone who tries to look would do well to be at the hawk watch or look from Stevens Street in West Cape May. Stevens is centrally located and near the Beanery where this bird is often seen in the spring.
Stay tuned for further updates as they are available.
NOTE: @12:36 Tom Reed just texted to say that the bird was being seen at the hawk watch again!
EDIT: As of just before 1:00 p.m. the STKI was being seen again at the hawkwatch. It looks like this bird my decide to hang around for a little while today.
One more note that I wanted to share, good freinds Dave and Kathy Tetlow from Braddock Bay, NY, have achieved a pretty much unheard of feat here in Cape May in the fall. They have had a two kite day! This morning they observed at least one Mississippi Kite at Hidden Valley and then of course today's Swallow-tailed Kite!! Hopefully there are a number of other lucky birders out there today who have acheived this simliar feat. Something tells me the earth would probably shift from its axis if anyone were lucky enough to achieve a three kite day!
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