Mississippi Kites in Denver’s Clayton neighborhood

215 views
Skip to first unread message

Patrick O'Driscoll

unread,
Sep 4, 2021, 12:07:56 PM9/4/21
to COBIRDS
Not one, not two, but three continuing Mississippi Kites seen Saturday morning along 33rd Avenue between Columbine and Clayton streets. After some initial confusion about IDs, those of us there (including Meg Reck, Bez B., Doug Schoch and others) believe there are two adults and one juvenile. Also around are at least 10 other species, including a pair of Downy WP, Blue Jays, Western Wood-Pewee, nuthatches, etc.  , making for a nice Saturday outing to go with the Denver County rarities.

Good kiting!

Patrick O’Driscoll 
Denver

Brian Johnson

unread,
Sep 5, 2021, 5:21:12 PM9/5/21
to Colorado Birds
The Kites were present today at around 1pm. I was driving north on MLK BLVD and Columbine when I saw two, one soaring overhead the other at tree top level.
Good birding
Brian Johnson,
Englewood CO

Geoff Stacks

unread,
Sep 5, 2021, 5:51:09 PM9/5/21
to Colorado Birds
I saw them with a few other birders today. There appears to be a nest in a large tree across the street from 2731 33rd Ave., Denver. Here are my photos from about 11:30 a.m. today: https://ebird.org/checklist/S94228330

Geoff Stacks
Aurora, CO

Gregg Goodrich

unread,
Sep 5, 2021, 7:52:20 PM9/5/21
to Colorado Birds
I got photos and a recording of the juvenile Mississippi Kite being fed by an adult at 33rd and Clayton today 9/5/21. One food item was a cicada but not sure of the other bug. I noticed that the adult would not give the juvenile the bug until it flew to another tree on one occasion. The call of the juvenile sounds very much like other call recordings of Mississippi Kite on ebird but not like the juvenile call on ebird. Here is my list. 


Gregg

Robert Raker

unread,
Sep 5, 2021, 11:06:07 PM9/5/21
to Colorado Birds
Hey Gregg, thanks for passing on your observations. I'm beginning to think there may be two juveniles and two adults in the Clayton neighborhood. I found a nest with a young bird in it being fed by an adult. Your observations sound like another young bird that has fledged and being fed by adults. Will be interesting to see more observations as folks continue to observe these birds. Here is my list with pics of juvenile on nest being fed by adult. 

Robert Raker

unread,
Sep 5, 2021, 11:10:10 PM9/5/21
to Colorado Birds
Oops. Forgot my info: Robert Raker. Lakewood, CO
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages