This morning I hit some local birding spots in Waukesha and then wondered where to go next. There was a reported Swallow-tailed Kite in Jefferson County recently seen on and off for the last 3 weeks and sometimes even two of them. I had some time, might as well give it a try. The location it has been seen was McLery Cemetery on Hwy 106. I made the drive and as I’m pulling up to the location the Swallow-tailed Kite was circling above my car! I could not get out of my car fast enough and lens cover off my camera, then I took a few shots of this awesome rare bird for the midwest. It was high up and slowly kept circling around the nearby fields before it left to the north east. Not a lifer but rare for Wisconsin. My previous sighting was in Door County on July 27, 2016. I talked with a very nice lady being parked there and she said she saw this bird about 3 weeks ago in the back of one of her fields and was not 100% sure of what it was. This bird typically breeds in Florida, and winters for the most part in South America. Great find, great bird and a great time. It was a sunny morning with low winds and mild temps early. Images were taken on August 28, 2026.
The Swallow-tailed Kite…
Fantastic shots of this beautiful bird! THANK YOU, Jim. Your posts and photos are pure JOY💙
wow! the bird seemed keenly interested in showing off for you 🙂 beautiful photos – thanks so much for sharing!