Feeding Kites

This time of year the bahiagrass pastures grow so rapidly it is hard for the sheep to keep up with forage and it rapidly becomes rank and unpalatable.  So, periodically I mow the pastures to renew them.  Mowing stirs up many insects; the grasshoppers especially can be quite large and fly up into the air 10s of feet.  This action attracts many birds that feed on the bugs.  Cattle egrets scoot around on the ground next to the tractor grabbing bugs; they are fun to watch.  Even more interesting and spectacular to see are the swallow tailed kites and Mississippi kites soaring, swooping and diving after the airborne bugs.

I am mowing with a Rhino SR15 attached to my John Deere 6120E.

Here are some photos of the swallow tailed kites. 

The Mississippi kite has a more fan shaped tail and is grayish and white as opposed to the black and white of the swallow tailed kite.  Mississippi kite photos are not as good, more like silhouettes. 

The Mississippi kite on the right appears to be transferring a bug captured with its talons to its beak.