From: lgorbet@carina.unm.edu (Larry P Gorbet ANTHROPOLOGY)
Subject: Re: Black-shouldered kites at Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 15:31:37 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Distribution: na

In article <1992Nov10.081559.20393@zia.aoc.nrao.edu> lbrother@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Larry Brothers) writes:
>As the subject line says, I spotted two black-shouldered kites at "the
>Bosque" on Saturday (Nov. 7).  This was barely one-half hour before
>sunset, along the eastern edge of the north loop road.  

Interesting story, these kites.  Mary Hewitt and some companions spotted a 
single black-shouldered kite at the Refuge hovering around the end of September.
A single bird was seen intermittently since then, and on October 21 (approx.)
Ross Teuber saw one and phoned John Parmeter about it.  John and I went down
on October 24 and found the two birds Larry B. saw just slightly west of
where they were last Saturday.  A helpful Refuge person drove us back along
a closed road to a place where we could take good photos, which we did (close
enough that the two birds just barely fit in the frame, even perched in a 
fairly small tree).

Last Saturday (Nov. 7), we went down again and saw the two birds (where LB
described them) about 7:45 a.m.  We continued around the North Tour Loop
(stopping to scope out the Harris' Hawk that's been around awhile but
which we hadn't managed to find before) and found a Black-shouldered Kite
hovering above the road and nearby fields near the end of the Loop at 8:36.
This point is about a half-mile as the kite flies from where we had seen the
two perched birds, so we assumed one had decided to get up and hunt a bit.

We continued south onto the South Tour Loop and found, near the south end
of the west leg, about 2-3 miles from the beginning of the Loop, a single
perched Black-shouldered Kite.  The time was 8:45 (9 min. after the last
one).  Hmm.

Completed the Loop and checked at the beginning of the North Tour Loop, and 
sure enough, there were two birds perched in the very same tree we'd seen
them in at 7:45 (it is now 9:00 sharp).

Drive back along the middle road without stopping toward the exit.  In a 
bare tree near the entrance booth is perched a single Black-shouldered 
Kite.  This is 9:05 and the tree is about 200 yds. from where we saw the
hovering bird at 8:36.

Sure looks like there were at least 3 and probably 4 Black-shouldered
Kites.  Given the distances involved *and* the fact that the three
locations had exactly the same number of BSKI's every time they were 
checked.  Or else there are some kites with a great sense of humor.

Lest someone mention *invasion*, I heard a rumor last week that there were
two Black-shouldered Kites at Bitter Lake NWR.  That's in the Pecos River
valley, near Roswell and perhaps 100 miles east and a bit south.  I don't
know of any multiples (even two) seen in New Mexico outside the extreme
SW corner of the state.  Before this...

On an unrelated multi-note, John Parmeter heard a rumor in late September
that a Brown Pelican had been seen at Elephant Butte Lake since some time
in July.  We looked for it pretty hard (albeit without a boat and hence
with no access to the east side of the lake, where it was reportedly
mostly hanging out) and didn't find it.  Then on Oct. 10, we spotted a
bird near N. Monticello Pt. in rather poor light.  Decided to drive to
a spot that would give us better light and maybe a chance for a photo.
While we drove the bird moved and we didn't see it right away.  When we
found it, it was perched in a snag.  Along with the *other* Brown Pelican!


Organization: Psychology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA