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!
Gorgeous shots against the brilliant sky!
Hello Jim,
There were two Swallow-tailed Kites in N.E. Marquette County in 2018. I observed and photographed one of them on several occasions between 26 August and 14 September. I believe the reason they were seen there that long was the plague of grasshoppers that they were feasting on. They would pluck the insects out of the air in flight or snatch them from the foliar crowns of large, mature oak trees in the locale. They routinely consumed their prey while gliding a-wing. At low altitude, their acrobatics are quite a challenge to keep in a view finder and maintain sharp focus at shutter release. I saw the two birds in the same sky only once at quite some distance. I have a so-so image of them in the same frame recorded at considerable distance. Their presence was listed in the Fall Season Report in the Summer/Fall 2019 edition of the Passenger Pigeon.
I had my first visual handshake with them at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (National Audubon Society) in the late 70’s.
Best Wishes,
Michael J
I just saw one between Wayne and Kewaskum flying over HWY H at about 8am about 5-10 min ago
Awesome shots!! What a great capture of such a unique bird. I Remember a few years back when another one was here in Wisconsin….I was so happy to get pictures of this amazing bird. Didnt even know about this one until now….I bet he has probably headed out already!!