Sunny, warm and calm
Friends of ours had not yet been out to see the kite that we’ve been following this week. So last night at around 5:30, we all piled into the RAV 6 to see if we could help them locate this life-bird. When we arrived, we were greeted by around 30 birders armed with high power scopes, binoculars and thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment. It’s a documented fact that as a national pastime, more money is spent on birding than any other sport with the exception of hunting and fishing. Looking around at all this birding paraphernalia would make a believer out of anyone.
The news was that the bird had not been seen since morning, and we began to be concerned that the crowds had discouraged the bird from making this place home. But, as luck would have it, within ten minutes, the kite reappeared, soaring high in the sky and then slowly descending down to its favorite perch. It remained in fine late afternoon light for around 10 minutes before taking flight.
During this time, most of the spectators practiced good birding etiquette and kept a respectable distance. Of course several had to get closer and closer and may have been the reason the bird moved off. It is a shame that a few can ruin a good thing for the majority, but we can only hope that the bird will be more tolerant than many of us were of the more aggressive photogs. Only time will tell.
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