Date: 6/27/26 12:32 pm From: Ruth Stearns via groups.io <ruthstearns...> Subject: [NEBirds] White-tailed Kite Thomas County
Mike and I tried out luck Friday to find the kite. I think the experience alone would have been worth it, driving down that two lane sandy road (Circle Road) through the Sandhills of Bessey National Forest, listening to Ovenbirds, Brown Thrashers, Field Sparrows, Bell's Vireo's, Western Meadowlarks, Lark Sparrows, Northern Bobwhite, Chipping Sparrows, and perhaps we'll say there were Spotted Towhees. We could find some birds easily as they perched on the dead trees from the fires of a few years back, less so once we got into wooded areas. We found the parking area by the gate, and successfully figured out how to open it, and close it, and we headed east beyond the gate. Stomped through deep sand, poison ivy and cowpies...then headed up a hill after traveling about 1/4 of a mile. We scoped those hills to the north a billion times, and headed further east along the ridge and scoped some more, memorizing every dead tree we saw but never finding the kite that sat so nicely for others who had come earlier in the week. We scoped every distant soaring raptor. We figured out where the red threshing machine was that some would mention.  But an hour and a half seemed long enough, and it was time for lunch, so we headed back to the car, vowing to head back out once we'd eaten.  But after we ate, I said, lets just drive down Circle road and see what happens. We'd driven about 1/4 mile, I was scanning every dead tree I'd see along my side of the road. I hollared to Mike to stop...and back up, keep backing up...stop. And I looked up the hill at what must have caught my eye. And there it was. just 100 yards or so up the ridge, sitting in a dead tree tucked between two living cedars.  A small white bellied raptor, hooked beak, gull gray back and wings and those black shoulder patches.  It let me take pictures, It let Mike get out to see. And I got out, and got the scope out, and fiddled with the phone and the digiscoping attachment and took pictures and videos, and we just marveled at our unbelieveable luck to have seen this bird. Â
Ruthie Stearns and Mike MattsonLincoln, NE
