Hi all,



At 10:10 am, John Watts, Cheryl Harner and I saw the now famous kite(s) at
the Brass Ring golf course in Hocking County, just south of Logan. Take 33
through Logan, get off at 328 and go west; first road is Keller - hang a
right and the golf course is on your left. This may be the best place to
watch for it.



Although our view was brief, it was good - good enough to see that the bird
was carrying prey. It looked to be a small mouse or similar rodent, possibly
an amphibian like a frog. This is very interesting, as kites will often eat
on the wing, or perhaps with larger items take them to a nearby perch. This
bird appeared to be on a mission, and was headed directly towards some place
out of sight but seemingly within the golf course. We ran into a golfer who
had seen the bird(s) well and often - he must golf there daily - and there
is no question the birds are fixated on the vicinity of the course and seen
there often. This guy indicated that it is often seen in the area that we
saw the kite heading to with the food. He had some interesting tales,
including observing the kite at very close range low over the course,
grabbing large dragonflies.



Of the dozen or so Ohio records, I can think of only one that stayed more
than a day, as nearly all are flyovers or one-hour wonders. Circumstantial
evidence points to two birds being present here, but it would be nice if we
could absolute confirmation of that. Also, the fact that they/it has been
present for over three weeks now points to a nesting attempt. If confirmed,
it would be the state's first. The habitat looks great for them, as does the
fact that this golf course is on an alluvial plain associated with the
Hocking River - Mississippi Kites are typically found along river bottoms in
Mississippi River drainages. As Troy Shively's nice photos show a subadult
bird, it seems that some youngsters may be out and about prospecting new
turf, and pushing this species' range northward into new territory, at least
for modern times.



This is an excellent opportunity to see a very rare Ohio bird and a
beautiful one to boot. Just be mindful that birders are supposed to stay off
the golf course.



Jim McCormac

Columbus, Ohio




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