Thursday, March 26, 2020

Good news from Northbound Kites



Let’s give you some good news. Plenty to celebrate with GPS-tracked Swallow-tailed Kites on migration.

ARCI, together with Orleans Audubon has been tracking Swallow-tailed Kites with GPS-transmitters on their return to the US from wintering in South America.
We have 8 kites back in the U.S!  

Ponchitolawa has made it back to Louisiana, and from our last few posts, you know that Sanibel and PBC-ERM male had similar migrations to Florida. Also, back on Florida territories are Babcock, Sarasota, Suwannee, and most recently, Apopka.

Pritchard made it back to Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina on 24 March.

We’ve received news on Sawgrass! He’s creeping through Nicaragua and our next Swallow-tailed Kite to cross the Gulf of Mexico.  

Not pictured are Wilson and JAX, last in Brazil and away from cell-network data uploading and we anxiously await their signal. OK and PBC-ERM female are two kites that we have not heard from since August but hope to see them alive and well near their last breeding locations in Florida.
Wishing speedy tailwinds to all our kite friends heading back to the US.