Black-Shouldered Kite
There’s a Black-Shouldered Kite, Elanus caeruleus, at the top of the bush. It’s very far away, but we are gradually getting closer. What a spectacular bird:
The intensity of those owl-like forward-facing red eyes is something else. The cere at the base of the beak is yellow, as are the feet.
Its black epaulettes are a clear set of identifiable markings, even from a distance.
The long black claws are exceptional, as is the way the primary wing feathers are rippled with the stress of the deep flight strokes.
I love them already. The pale white face and breast gives them a ghostly appearance.
I particularly like this shot, with its graduated colour background.
I can’t wait to see one again.
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