WildView™

November 6, 2024

Special Appearance

- as seen by -

Byron Towles

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In early December of 2023, we visited the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, New Mexico, to witness the famed annual migration of thousands of sandhill cranes, snow geese, and other waterfowl.

The stars of this gathering were a mated pair of white-tailed kites (Elanus leucurus) that made an unprecedented appearance. The accepted normal range of these birds is the west and gulf coasts of the US, and south into Mexico, Central and South America, at, or near, sea level. The refuge lies at more than 4,500 feet above sea level, adding another twist to their presence here.

The kites could be found every morning roosting in the same snag. I took this shot of one of the pair hovering over an open field, hunting for small rodents that were being disturbed by the foraging of the sandhill cranes.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This photo was chosen as one of the top submissions for Wild View’s Spots and Stripes assignment. Congratulations!

Canon EOS R5 camera with Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS zoom lens

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