Posted by Jim Harris on April 28, 2002 at 00:49:09:
Daily last summer for a two month period I had observed from three to six Swallow-tailed Kites. On March 11, 2002, I had posted a sighting of a pair of Swallow-tailed Kites. Wally George had taken my inforation and found that the pair had constructed a nest in a tall Austrialian Pine at SW 148th Avenue and Marvin Lane in Southwest Ranches. Wally had said that this was the first observed Swallow-tailed nest recorded in Broward County. Both Wally and myself have also observed on two occasions, a third Swallow-tail Kite, once flying with the pair and once in the tree near the nest. I was wondering if this third Swallow-tail was a "helper" like the Scrub Jay. On Thursday evening, April 25, I observed the pair hunting and taking the catch to the nest. You could clearly see the meal in the talon. On Saturday evening, April 27th I observed five Swallow-tailed Kites circling together. This went on for about an hour ending just before dark at 7:50 p.m. At times, they were flying very low. The location is just south of Sterling Road on SW 148th Avenue. There is parking along either side of SW 148th Avenue. This location is just west of I-75, between Sheridan and Griffin Road. If coming from the South, exit east on Sheridan and go north on SW 148th Avenue until you are about a block south (Marvin Lane) of Sterling Road. Hopefully this display will continue daily like last summer.