Swallow-tailed Kite in Newark DE

Swallow-tailed Kite - Middle Run Park, Newark, DE. Image by Al Guarente 4/24/2011

       My original plan for today was to go on Sheryl's field trip at Haverford College but the internet changed those plans(sorry Sheryl). Instead, I made a quick trip down to Newark, Delaware today in the hopes of finding the Swallow-tailed Kite reported there yesterday afternoon. I arrived around 8:30AM and found a group of birders searching the area. I was told that it hasn't been seen and they have been here since dawn. Although that was not good news, it didn't dampen my spirits any, because I arrived at the time that I did, figuring that raptors don't usually start flying until it warms up a little.

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     We waited another 15 minutes and everyone started to leave except myself. As they were just about to their cars I yelled out that the kite was coming in over the pine trees. Everyone came back and enjoyed fabulous views of a new state bird and for some Brits, it was a life bird.
     Afterwards I went to the Bridle Trail in Ridley Creek State Park and found some first of the year birds including Yellow, Prairie, and Chestnut-sided Warblers, Brown Thrasher and Eastern Kingbird. It was a nice way to start Easter Sunday.