ARCI, together with Orleans Audubon has been tracking Swallow-tailed Kites with GPS-transmitters from their breeding grounds in the US to their wintering grounds in South America. Kites are returning to the US now on favorable winds from the Yucatan.
Babcock has been on her breeding range in Charlotte Co. FL since 27 February. This passed weekend both PBC-ERM male and Sanibel have returned to FL! PBC-ERM male had a perfect tailwind to carry him straight to Palm Beach Co., while Sanibel’s tailwind took him straight to Dixie Co. and he will be making his way to Sanibel Island quickly.
Five birds are quickly passing through Central America. Next in line to make their way to the US are Ponchitolawa and Sarasota at the north shore of Honduras. Not far behind is Apopka, Suwannee, and Lacombe in southern Nicaragua.
Pritchard has set off on his own path, a few hundred miles east of the path others had taken in Colombia. He is soon to cross the Andes Mountains.
We are waiting anxiously to hear from three kites that last were in Brazil and are now out of cell reception to transfer their location data. Sawgrass and Wilson were last in Rondonia, and JAX’s last fix was in Mato Grosso in January.
Wishing speedy tailwinds to all our kite friends heading back to the US.
