JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A group of swallow-tailed kites has made a migratory pit stop in Jessamine County, drawing crowds of birders and wildlife photographers along US 68 near Ramsey Farm.
The birds of prey, which are migrating south after their breeding period, have been spotted swooping down from trees and feeding on insects like grasshoppers.
Avid birder Ronan O'Carra counted five birds on Monday afternoon.
"So a lot of times rare birds, you get short glimpses of them or distant glimpses, but people are just enjoying them, just swooping down off the trees here, picking up some insects," O'Carra said.
Some birdwatchers and wildlife photographers traveled more than an hour to see the black and white raptors. For others, it was their first time seeing the birds in person.
O'Carra said the reaction from fellow birders has made the sighting especially memorable.
"Because I've seen quite a few around, but the smiles on people's faces when they see these coming over them, right over the trees, right over them. It's so much fun," O'Carra said.
An assistant professor of wildlife management at the University of Kentucky said swallow-tailed kites tend to turn up in unexpected places.
"It's a treat to see one," said DJ McNeil. "Most people don't see one in a given year, at least in Kentucky, but it's somewhat expected that they'll turn up eventually. But where and when is very difficult to predict."
O'Carra described the birds' flight as a spectacle worth stopping for.
"They're really graceful. There's flying over ahead, they're just a joy to watch," he said.
Professor McNeil told LEX News the birds will likely leave any day now, but do not stress if you did not spot them. He says they will likely return in the next few years.
