One of the raptor type birds that hang around here in the summer is the Mississippi Kite. I was reminded of them when my friend, Russell Smith, called me and told me that there were some in his neighborhood. There is a nest across the street from his home, and some of the young ones come sit in his own tree. I haven’t gotten there yet in time to get photos for this blog post, so I will relate this experience that I had a couple of years ago.
Mississippi Kite
We had been to the Cedar Gap Farm bird sanctuary near Abilene. When leaving, about a quarter of a mile away I spotted a young kite sitting atop a utility pole. It was crying out, so I looked to the sky and spotted his parent, flying high above. As I watched, the adult came soaring in with a tasty morsel and fed it to the child. The adult, then left, apparently to fetch some more food so I got my cameras prepared. As it came back, I was able to get these photos. Click on any of them to see enlargements.
Mississippi Kite – juvenile
Adult Mississippi Kite feeding a juvenile.
Adult Mississippi Kite feeding juvenile
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
Great luck getting those shots!! We have regular kites here. Never have I seen a juvie. Only the parents circling their territory above our house. I love hearing their high-pitched squee calls. Makes me look up to the sky and enjoy for a bit.
Thanks so much for the comment, Shannon. I’ll have to check the range of the Mississippi Kites.
Wow, Bob, what an amazing series of photos!! Thanks for sharing them with us!
You are certainly welcome, Amy. Thanks for the wonderful compliment. 🙂
Really enjoyed these photos. I have some “far away” photos, so have not really seen the bird close up. But I REALLY like this bird! Thanks for sharing. hugs
Thanks for your nice comment, Beth.
Super photos Bob!
Thanks very much, David.
What stunning shots! I love their red eyes, and the pic showing the underside of the wing.
Thank you so much, Jo, for those kind words. I got lucky on these. 🙂
How come you let Mississippi Kites in to Texas? Never mind. Nice shots Bob. Keep’um coming.
Funny, Duane, funny. 🙂 Thanks for the comment, I really appreciate that you are following my blog. 🙂
enjoyed seeing these lovely raptors Bob and looked in awe at your amazing camera equipment
Thanks, Carole, for visiting my blog. I hope you will return. I appreciate your nice words. 🙂
Wow, fantastic shots, Bob! We rarely see Misssissippi Kites around here, and when we do there’s a mass migration of birders… What wonderful captures. I am smitten. 🙂
Thank you so much, Lisa. You do need to come to Texas at least once. Put it on your bucket list. Lots of birds here. Wait til fall or spring. 🙂
Actually we have a trip planned, one of my birding buddies is from Texas originally and we are going to the Hill Country (I think) for Golden-Cheeked Warbler etc. next spring. But I’m aware it’s a big state and there’s a lot of other places I’d like to go! I better hurry before I need a visa. 🙂
(I gave that away but I’m not saying where I’m going in November yet. It’s a little farther than Texas, however.)
Fantastic! The hill country is central Texas, more or less. We were there a few weeks ago. We visited Pedernales State Park. Lots of birds there. Great bird blinds for viewing. Someone else spotted a Golden Cheeked Warbler while we were there, but we missed it. We want to go back soon. The best place though, is far south Texas along the Rio Grande. Very famous for it’s birding areas. I haven’t been there yet. You can see a Green Jay, among others down there.
Wow is all I can say…you were at the right place at the right time..isn’t nature marvelous?? Thanks for sharing..new bird for me…
Thanks, Syll, but I do have this habit of getting lucky at times. 🙂
very nice photos. beautiful birds
Thank you very much, Roberta.
Spectacular!!
Thank you very much, Rob.
Beautiful shots of a beautiful species, Bob. We had lots of summer Mississippi Kites flying over our rural home until a few years ago when the field behind us was sold and most of the trees were cleared. This is the first summer that they have been back, and in healthy numbers at that. They are so much fun to watch when they fly together high in the sky, aren’t they?
Yes, Dwynn, beautiful in the sky. Thanks for your compliments. They are appreciated.
Nice details! I’ve only seen one Mississippi and he didn’t have a lot of color. It was late July so maybe he was out of his breeding colors. My husband calls him the “ghost” bird.
I think your husband has a great name for it. I would agree that it has a ghostly appearance. Thanks for the compliment, Dina.
Love these photos, Bob! Mississippi Kite is new to me.
Thanks, Karen. Glad I could show you a new one. 🙂
Not a bird I get to see very often. Thanks for posting these photos and the story.
You’re welcome, Dave. I’m glad you enjoy it.
Great sequence of shots Bob! 🙂
Thanks, H.J., I appreciate it.