Before we kick off this season’s Swallow-tailed Kite Northbound Migration blog series, we want to
recognize all the members of our Swallow-tailed Kite Tracking Program. We are
currently tracking eleven individuals: six new kites, all tagged in the summer of
2017, and five veterans tagged between 2011 and 2016. With each passing year
and new addition to the program, we expand our understanding of the complex
lives and needs of these fascinating raptors. The 11 Swallow-tailed Kites are listed
in chronological order by tagging date.
 |
| Remembering each tagging experience (clockwise from top left): Panther, Sawgrass, MIA, Apopka, Bogue Falaya, Palmetto. |
Palmetto:
Palmetto is a true champion! Tagged in June 2011 in Palmetto Bluff, South
Carolina, she has been tracked for nearly seven years, the longest we have followed
any Swallow-tailed Kite since we began this program in 1996.
MIA: Not far
behind for tracking duration is MIA, who was tagged in June 2012 in Miami-Dade
County, Florida. This year’s pilgrimage to his nesting grounds in Miami will
complete six migratory cycles for MIA – that’s over 60,000 miles. Amazing!
Lacombe: Lacombe
was tagged in July 2015 by our project partner Dr. Jennifer Coulson, President
and Conservation Chair of Orleans Audubon Society. Previous kites tagged by Dr.
Coulson migrated over land along the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
However, for the past two northbound migrations, Lacombe flew north from Mexico’s
Yucatan Peninsula directly to Louisiana. Will he do the same this year?
Panther: Panther was
tagged at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Collier County,
Florida, in June 2016. Last year, she persevered through strong northerly winds in the Gulf of Mexico to return to her nesting grounds. Hopefully the weather will instead facilitate the kites' return this year.
Sawgrass: This
Swallow-tailed Kite is not averse to city life. Sawgrass was tagged in June
2016 at Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg, Florida, one of the few green
spaces peppering this densely-developed island. In the winter months, she
trades bustling urban centers for the remote ranchlands of southern Brazil.
Bogue Falaya:
Bogue Falaya was tagged in Louisiana last May by Dr. Jennifer Coulson. Dr.
Coulson shares with us her experience trapping and tagging Bogue Falaya in this blog.
Refuge: Refuge is
the second bird we have tagged at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
in Collier County, Florida. Her nest was
deep in the heart of the NWR. It was
quite an undertaking to get gear and our trusty owl to the site on a 45-minute
swamp buggy ride. She received his transmitter
in May 2017.
Sarasota:
Sarasota was tagged in June 2017 at T. Mabry Carlton Preserve in Sarasota
County, Florida. County staff and local
birders were instrumental in locating and monitoring the Swallow-tailed Kite
nests in the area (special thanks to Debbie Blanco of Sarasota County). We had
a successful evening capture and now Sarasota is sporting a new transmitter as
well.
Babcock: Babcock
was tagged in June 2017 at Babcock Ranch Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in
Glades County, Florida. We had last
minute permission and a one-day-only trapping window to try to capture and tag
a bird at this WMA. Luckily, the stars aligned and Babcock flew off with a new
radio, the first of our tagged kites to cross the Gulf of Mexico on their
southbound migrations.
Wilson: Wilson
was tagged in June 2017 at Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina. In the 2017 breeding
season, he frequented the same areas as Palmetto. If they both return, will she
choose him as a partner this nesting season?
Apopka: Apopka
has a unique story. Needing rehabilitation after a car collision, he recovered
quickly with the help of the wonderful folks at Avian Reconditioning Center
(ARC) in Apopka, Florida. With the amazing fund-raising efforts of ARC’s Paula
Ashby and the generous contributions of Audubon chapters, kind individuals and
the City of Apopka, ARCI had the means to deploy a transmitter on Apopka in
July 2017, who started his southbound migration just ahead of Hurricane Irma. Read
his full story here.
We have many people and organizations to thank for their
generous monetary and logistical support of the Swallow-tailed Kite tracking
program:
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
Friends of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
Carlton Ward Jr.
Will Randal
Stephanie Green
Mark Danaher
T. M Mabry Carlton Reserve, Sarasota Co.
Deborah Blanco
Erin Myers
Hans Mooyman
Gabe Vargo
Judi Hopkins
St. Petersburg Audubon Society
Dr. Jennifer Coulson
Friends of the Conservancy
Palmetto Bluff Conservancy
Peace River Audubon Society
Sarasota Audubon Society
Friends of the Carlton Reserve
The
City of Apopka
Avian
Reconditioning Center (Carol and Scott McCorkle)
Audubon
Center for Birds of Prey (Diana Flynt)
Halifax Audubon Society
Halifax Audubon Society
Oklawaha
Audubon Society
Seminole
County Audubon Society
Tampa
Bay Raptor Rescue
Clearwater
Audubon Society
West
Volusia Audubon Society
Deborah
Green
Janet
Marks
Eileen
Tramontana
Sandie
Selman
Disney
Volunteers from ARC, Rebecca Grimm and Alyssa Karnitz
