As a resident of upstate South Carolina (when not at Seabrook), I try to take advantage of local birding opportunities and participate in outings with the Greenville County Bird Club when we’re at home. We also stay connected through email and social media, where members of the group share sightings and photos of unusual or rare birds seen in the area.
A few weeks ago a lot of excitement was generated in the upstate as some of our members started seeing Swallow-tailed Kites, not a frequent sight, and birds that would only be in our area for a short time. My inbox was overflowing with emails from birders discussing where they saw them, and how many they saw that day.
As it turns out, I needed a Swallow-tailed Kite for my life list. For some reason they had eluded me, both in Greenville and Charleston. I grabbed my gear and convinced my husband to drive. We make a good team, he drives, and when I yell “stop!” he pulls over so I can jump out, camera and binoculars in hand.
The information we had said the kites were seen in varying numbers circling over a farmer’s field about 45 minutes from our house. I knew the name of the little country road but that was all. As we turned onto the road my husband looked on the navigation screen, noticed how long this little country road was, and asked how we’d know where to find the kites. The words were barely out of his mouth when we came over a hill and saw cars parked on both sides of the road, and a dozen or so people standing off to the side, binoculars and cameras aimed at the sky. I laughed, jumped out, and he drove down the road to find a safe place to park.
One thing about birders, we never meet a stranger. Everyone there was on the same mission, giving us an instant connection. We were all glued to our binoculars, pointing and laughing, almost giddy with excitement as the kites swooped just a few feet over our heads, snatching insects right out of the sky. Those of us with cameras were snapping photos as fast as we could, and the kites were putting on an amazing show. We counted 19 in the air that day, and another 7 perched in the trees on the edge of the field. They circled, came lower, swooped, banked, and flew off, some with insects in both feet! They never slowed down, and with so many to watch you weren’t sure which way to look!
Fortunately it wasn’t a busy road because we were standing right in the middle. As cars drove by people would stop and ask what we were looking at, giving us a chance to explain and share the beauty of a bird they may have otherwise completely overlooked.
After an hour or so of watching these avian acrobats, we were content to pack up and make our way home, leaving the kites to their foraging. It was an incredible experience. Not only was I able to count a new life bird that day, but I got to see them up close, and watch them hunt and eat on the wing. It was a morning I’ll never forget. New friends, some exciting photo opportunities, and an education I’d never get from reading a field guide.
Article and Photos by Gina Sanders